Floriole Vet Embarks on Her Own Pizza Path

When Floriole Cafe & Bakery instated pizza dinners a while back, the weekly menus garnered pizza acclaim not seen since the great days of Great Lake (RIP/please come back). Pizza from a bread-centric bakery made brilliant sense; it was all about attaining that impeccable crust and showcasing seasonal and local ingredients, and who better to do that than a dexterous bread baker? Attain an impeccable crust they did thanks to pizza muse Rachel Post. During her time at Floriole, she spearheaded the pizza dinners and helped put Floriole squarely at the nexus of Chicago's pizza map. Specifically, she helped fill the void in our hearts vacated by Great Lake. Now Post is off on her own, and she's on a mission to open her own pizza restaurant. 

 

"The focus will be similar to the simple pies I created and helmed at Floriole, with a couple of positive changes to round out the menu," explains Post, whose pastry-packed resume prior to Floriole includes Hoosier Mama Pie Company and dearly departed Vella Cafe. She's carrying her ingredient-driven, seasonally minded ethos over from Floriole into her own concept, which she's dubbed Our House. "The focus is still going to be simple and freshly presented pizzas from a bakers' perspective," she adds, pinpointing the vitality of an amazing crust. But at Our House, she's raising the bar. "I would like to elevate this by using a wood-burning oven, and keeping the toppings refined and simple, incorporating the bounty of the Midwest in the summer and continuing to showcase some amazing cheeses, as well as work with the likes of West Loop Salumi." Speaking of working with people, she's looking to feature Chicago breweries on tap and she's currently working with Baker Miller to create a pizza crust using their flour, which she'll use during dinners she'll host at their space for April. 

Post isn't set on a neighborhood yet for Our House, though she's eyeing neighborhoods near Logan Square, like Avondale, West Ukrainian Village, and Humboldt Park. When she does get settled in, she's looking to branch out with more salads and hearth-cooked dishes eventually as well. 

Currently, Post is in the midst of financing Our House and looking for investors. If you have a passion for pizza and entrepreneurship, email Rachel at rachelannepost@gmail.com.

- Matt Kirouac