This ex-con-turned-chef is giving his co-workers a pizza of his mind.
Andrew Bellucci, the owner of Astoria’s Bellucci Pizza, is leaving his eatery after a tiff with his business partner.
Bellucci announced on social media that he would be departing from the business after he realized he and ex-partner Leo Dakmak have “different visions for the future.”
“I’ve decided to wall it a wrap at Bellucci Pizza
Astoria. My business partner & I have different
visions for the future. I’m slow & deliberate in
every step of my process. My first concern —
always — is making the best pizza I can with the
finest ingredients available. Cutting corners to
maximize profits is not, nor ever will be, part of
my vision,” his Instagram statement read.
“I want to thank everyone for their support, especially my fellow Astorians. I’m humbled and honored to have served you. The next iteration of Bellucci Pizza is coming very soon. While it may not be in Astoria, rest assured that my loyalty to the best neighborhood in NYC will always be true. To be continued,” he added.
Dakmak recently told Patch that Bellucci’s Pizza will still be open and be serving pizza.
“The pizzeria is still 100% fully operational, doing the same business hours with the same exact pizza. No changes whatsoever have been made except for the fact that one of our many employees was let go,” Dakmak said.
Dakmak and Bellucci entered a partnership together after the latter found Dakmak on Craigslist in the spring of 2020. The pizza spot opened in Queens this February. Bellucci wanted to open his own restaurant for some time, after being the brains behind Soho’s infamous Italian place Lombardi’s since the 1990s.
Bellucci was arrested in the mid-’90s and imprisoned on 54 convictions of fraud. He shared a cell with Mafia boss Sonny Franzese.
“[Dakmak] got my vision and said he would follow me blindly,” Bellucci told The Post this past February.
“He’s fired so many people, sometimes I’m afraid he’ll fire me,” added Dakmak at the time.
