Geppetto’s Log - Stardate 041421.1

Latitude and Grace

The restaurant business being what it is… change is inevitable.

You may be aware that we are actively searching for bartender/servers, phone, pizza kitchen and line cooks. People move on and that’s okay. Reality is… finding workers in this time of massive unemployment benefits makes working less attractive. With the help of; People Ready, Garten, the Chemeketa Community College job board, MV Advancements, Worksource Oregon and straight up word of mouth… we have managed to find some pretty awesome candidates. We are investing necessary time and money bringing these folks up in the Geppetto’s way. We are learning and growing every day.

Transitions aren’t always smooth. No restaurant is likely to find a person who can do a job perfectly, exactly the way it needs to be done… from the start. I would bet… if you’d never worked at Geppetto’s you might struggle a bit… taking an order or making your first pizza.

This is where latitude and grace come in.

I’ve been here for almost 4 years now and I have had the privilege of working in every possible position. Along with management I have been given the opportunity to feel what it’s like to clean under tables before opening, to scrape plates, wash dishes, wait tables, bartend, host, answer phones, make pizzas and deliver. I’ve dabbled the least on the line… mostly because I don’t want to be in the way. The line is a hard job! Tickets coming at you… servers asking you to “Go on 24, 35 and 28!” Waiting for the pizza kitchen to call your order up and remembering to include the Italian dressing… and not the ranch with that to go order. Little known fact… Geppetto’s has a secret menu. If it has been made here in the last 47 years… it is likely it can be made upon request. The new guys don’t know that though… and that’s ok. How could they know? They will learn and we will get there.

The restaurant business is a lot on a well staffed day. The changing tides of COVID have had us shut down one minute… open the next. By the grace of God we’ve remained open for business. This generous community has kept us working and for that we are grateful. Staff has shifted as necessary and we have all worked together to make our customer experience as enjoyable as possible. We have survived thus far and will continue. Thank you to those who have afforded us latitude and grace during this time.

Staff has changed some… the recipes will not. Original owner, Tom Barsotti, is very much in the wings. He messages me almost daily and often reminds me in a serious but gentle way to, “Taste the sauces.”
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We invite you to dine in, take out or receive delivery. 503.378.1271

Side note… In thirty year Marty’s absence I’ve learned to make Geppetto’s Chocolate Mousse, Mousse Pie and Frozen Tortoni. They are here and ready for you to enjoy! Not bad for a mom whose highest culinary praise hung in the hallway of our daughter’s elementary school. She drew my picture for Mother’s Day and wrote, “My mom makes the best Ramen!”