Rich Melman, Alice Mae Redmond, James Banakis

Alice’s Restaurant

By James Banakis

December 20, 2024FF

If you Google, “What is Chicago famous for?’ The second entry after architecture is deep dish pizza. Not the first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction, ushering in the Atomic Age. Not the first skyscraper, changing the cities of the world forever. Not mail-order retail, which has morphed into Amazon. Not even Michael Jordon or Al Capone, serving as our international celebrities. We’re famous for something most of us don’t eat very often if at all.

When I mentioned to our friend John Kass that I was writing about deep dish pizza, he gagged and referred to it as a cheese sandwich with tomato soup thrown over the top. There was a time in my life when I enjoyed it, but that was when I had the little lady who invented it and personally made it for me with love.

Lettuce Entertain You, since 1971, has created some of the most iconic and beloved restaurant concepts in America. The company has been the backbone of the Chicago dining culture. I know. I was involved in all the creative, delicious, thrilling, rewarding, and amusing interworking’s of that company for 25 years beginning in the late 1970’s. I only have a treasury of fond memories from that experience. I’d like to share one of those with you.

One of the principles of the Lettuce mission is to create restaurants, not purchase them. However, when the retiring owners of the venerable Gino’s East Pizza approached Rich Melman, he was unable to resist. All of us had warm remembrances of deep-dish pizza as the go- to date night option in high school and college. It was relatively inexpensive. It was easy to get a pitcher of beer, and a piping hot pizza, and not always need to present ID’s.

For some reason, remembering back to those days, I was always there on a cold winter night. The restaurant was always warm and comforting.

The pizza took 45 minutes to prepare so you always had time to discuss the movie you just saw at the Esquire. The original and ancient three-story building with a full dining room on the first floor and in the basement, from all accounts, was being held together by the Neiman Marcus store which surrounded it.

The old building now demolished leaned noticeably. The original owners refused to sell or move when the Dallas retailer set up shop on Michigan Ave., so they built around them. Gino’s East became one of my projects. Our ambitious plan was to implement our systems in the restaurant on Superior and expand first to the suburbs, and then nationally.

In one of my favorite films, Mediterraneo, a 1991 comedy film about a small group of Italian soldiers sent to an unimportant Greek island during WWII. The soldiers become absorbed in the life and landscape of the idyllic island and forget there is a war raging around them. It’s sort of a modern adaptation of the Odessey. When I saw the film, it reminded me of my experience at Gino’s East.

I arrived to instill the Lettuce culture and systems and while we did update the systems, I became engaged and immersed in their culture. I found out that it was too much fun and intoxicating. The first thing I found out was that it was a very maternal environment.

The leader of the whole operation was a soft spoken, charming, elegant woman named Alice Mae Redmond. I knew right away that it was Alice’s Restaurant. She hired and trained all the cooks and back of the house personnel. Most of them were women related to her. She oversaw 2 kitchens that ran flawlessly, and efficiently.

Alice was loving and spiritual. She was wise and I was willingly captured into her orbit. Alice Mae, who I would call Alice or Mae, and not Alice Mae migrated to Chicago in the early 1940’s from Mississippi. She began her pizza career with Ric Riccardo in 1944 at his restaurant called Pizzeria later to be renamed Pizzeria Uno. Riccardo’s pizza was baked in a pan but was just a sad combination which ended up flat and lifeless.

Alice went to work recreating it into her version. She told me that someone had to fix it. The dough was too elastic and would not adhere to the pan. Here’s the most amazing part of the story. Alice used her grandmother’s biscuit recipe to create her famous dough. Once she told me it all made sense.

There was a slight hint of sweet, and a moistness that will forever make me think of biscuits with butter slathered on top. Now Alice was able to easily  build the crust up to the top of the pan. The recipe was simple, but the secret was a generous amount of butter and olive oil. This gave the dough a rich, crumbly, buttery finish. She added egg shade to give it a golden color. Sorry, no corn meal as many customers have guessed. The finished dough was left to proof and cut into dough balls. She then, methodically, pressed the dough ball into the round 3-inch-deep pan by hand.

I made my first Gino’s pizza at her side. On that first pizza she had me apply what she termed “love” but were pats of butter on top of the dough. If you’re concerned about calories continue reading at your own risk. The butter was Alice’s personal touch by request only. We purchased all our pizza ingredients from Anichini Bros. Quality Meats and Provisions, in business on Wells St since 1920.

The next ingredient was the unique Mancuso mozzarella, a drier, nutty flavored cheese, sliced and layered generously over the dough. On sausage pizzas Alice would apply a full layer of Anichini special ground recipe. Any other ingredients were next, finished with crushed tomatoes, and sprinkled with grated parmesan. The pans then were placed in large, hot deck ovens for 40-45 minutes.

For the first 20 years, Alice’s concoction was known as “pizza in the pan.” All varieties of pizza exploded in popularity in the 1950’s. Most Chicagoans enjoyed the thin crust neighborhood variety. My neighborhood favorite was Armand’s. Pizza in the pan was served at Uno’s and Due’s in River North. In the mid 1960’s three cab driver pizza owners–the men who owned the Gino’s East pizzeria–convinced Alice Mae to work with them at Gino’s East on Superior St.

In 1971, Lou Malnati, whose father Rudy was the manager at Uno’s brought his own version of Alice’s recipe to Lincolnwood Illinois. Deep dish pizza remained primarily in River North, and never really took hold in the suburbs.

On Gino’s menu, their pizza with everything on it is labeled the “Supreme.” One day at an employee meal & meeting, Alice walked in with her kitchen staff following single file. There was a Motown song playing on the restaurant sound system. I announced in jest, “Ladies and gentlemen, Alice Mae & the Supremes!” This, a reference to the popular singing group, Diana Ross and the Supremes.

 

Alice and the ladies loved it, and from then on, the lady pizza makers were the “Supremes.” One afternoon, a news film crew was filming one of the ladies making a pizza. The reporter asked for the cook’s name, and then asked what her position was. She replied with a slight smile, “I’m one of the Supremes.” I was off camera and started laughing.

The 1980’s were the high point of deep-dish popularity. There were long lines down Superior St. throughout the day and night. Our first attempt to open Gino’s East in the suburbs was a success in Rolling Meadows. We then became cocky. The very popular song at the time was sung by Frank Sinatra, New York, New York. Remember the line, “If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.” Well, we decided to open a Gino’s East on Long Island. In the belly of the beast.

The restaurant was a perfect design with 5 extra tables in the kitchen for those that were interested in watching us make the pizzas. Anyone sitting in the kitchen were rewarded with free samples of whatever we were preparing at the time. I was so proud of myself. We hired a wonderful staff and brought some of the Supremes to train the kitchen staff. The staff was anxious to sample our famous Chicago style.

Once we fired up the kitchen the Supremes produced what may be the most perfect deep-dish pizzas ever. Once the dishes of pizza were handed out to the waiting staff there was silence. Then someone asked,

“Is this the way it’s supposed to taste?” I knew right then and there we were in big trouble. The restaurant never stood a chance. We closed in 6 months. We found out we couldn’t make it there and that we probably wouldn’t be able to make it anywhere except Chicago.

We found out that tourists would come to Chicago and stand in long lines to sample Alice’s creation, but not want it in their hometowns.

I consider myself fortunate to have met and worked with so many legends in the hospitality industry. Alice was one of the true great ones. She was the reluctant celebrity who created the second most important thing Chicago is famous for. There are those who think deep-dish is really a casserole and much more related to lasagna than pizza. I can’t think about it and not think of Alice’s Mississippi grandmother’s biscuits, and the unassuming granddaughter who made culinary history.

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Jimmy Banakis is a life-long restaurateur.  He was an honorary batboy for the White Sox in 1964. He attended Oak Park River Forest High School, Nebraska Wesleyan University, and Chicago-Kent Law School.  He claims the kitchen is the room he’s most comfortable in anywhere in the world. He published an extremely limited-edition family cookbook. He’s a father and grandfather, and lives in Downers Grove Il.

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Comments 43

  5. Although I am a south sider and traven style is my favorite, I have so memories of Gino’s East. Being a internal medicine resident at Northwestern 1980-83, it seemed like every lunch time medical meeting or conference featured pizzas from Gino East during my third year. Probably had it 2-3 a week for one whole year, but I found the only way to truly experience the pizza was to eat there. The smells, the sounds of the people enjoying themselves, the wait staff who seem like they were born upstairs there, a beer (not available at afternoon medical report), trying to solve a complicate medical case or the problems of the world while waiting the prescribed 45 minutes plus and of course the pizza fresh out of the oven. To me that is the essence of being in and from Chicago.

    2. I too was a resident ( in pathology) at Wesley/Passavant hospitals of Northwestern University Med Ctr, 1974-78. Must of ate there 3 times a week. Opened long hours. Great basement bar near it on Superior. In fact there were several great bars in the area. Was a somewhat bohemian neighborhood. The 70s was a great time in that area. At one time Gino’s was busted for dealing dope.
      BTW the owner of Nancys/Suparossa pizzerias just was sent up to do time for failing to pay IRS. Maybe Trump will pardon him.
      Despite living on Northwest side (little Poland) we had 3 great pizza joints: Rossellis, Skyway, and Nancys. Rossellis was frequently named one of the best pizzas and also the dirtiest. Shut down yearly for rats. You could see them in take out area. But still one of the best thin crust. Sadly Russell’s and Skyway closed.

  6. Wonderful, cozy story, Jimmy!

    When I have out-of-towners who want to eat at Lou’s, I also order the “No Dough Lou” which uses sausage as the crust. I’m allergic to wheat. If I had my druthers and didn’t break out in hives from more than one small piece, I’d get tavern pizza from Nick ‘n Vito’s. It’s so much better.

    Now instead of just finishing my Christmas cookies, I’m going to be tempted to play with my late husband’s nonna’s recipe for Sicilian pizza, against Miss Alice’s hints of a recipe you supplied. So thanks! Time in the kitchen is generally a good thing (except for doing dishes). Merry Christmas!

  9. My go-to growing up was always UNOs. I can still see Rudy Malnati standing b6 the bar looking over his place through those thick glasses. It was what pizza was supposed to be for me. Later in life it was Lou Malnatis. Always their Chicago Classic.
    Now that I’ve escaped Chicago for the St Louis area I have to orders Lou’s shipped because you can’t get a decent pizza here. They put this stuff on top that isn’t even real cheese! Heathens.

    Of course the shrimp and grits at Juicy-Os is pretty good for breakfast.

  10. Great column! But, it made me hungry. When I moved to South Carolina’s lowcountry from Chicago, I realized that there were 3 things I missed- real gyros sliced off the spit, a serious Italian beef sandwich and Chicago pizza- deep-dish or thin crust!
    Like I said, now I’m hungry!

  11. Mr Banakis— thanks for the trip down memory lane and Lesson on the origins of deep dish. Geno’s after a job in the early 60’s for Andy Frain was our go-to. And usually no ID required. (BTW the company is still around based in Aurora. It’s run by Mike’s son in law. And they did the Derby at Churchill this year as we did in the 60’s. ) Today we are a bit grayer or helping St Peter man the Gates of Heaven. Billy Goat # 2 under Michigan Avenue was also a fave hang. Lou now has an outpost on the lower level of the Wrigley building and the Goat is just across Hubbard so when I’m in town at our condo a few steps away I can get a “fix” and meet with old friends. Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah to all JKN readers.

  12. Thank you for today’s column. Always love Gino’s Pizza! And God bless Ms. Alice Mae for tweaking the long favorite crust which made this pan pizza the best.

    Question, please: Prior to Gino’s East on Superior, my first introduction to this marvelous pizza was on Rush Street, and the restaurant was simply called Gino’s. Then an additional location was added on Superior, and that became known as “Gino’s East”. I had a co-worker who lived by Bellevue and Rush and we would go for pizza. In fact it was my friend, Betty, who raved about Gino’s pizza and I HAD to try it. This original location on Rush is never mentioned, only Gino’s East.

    (I hope someone recalls this original place, complete with all the graffiti on the walls, which my friend and I contributed to. This atmosphere also became part of Gino’s East.)

  13. In high school in the early 70’s, I would stand with friends in the freezing cold for an hour just to get in to Due’s. At least they took your pizza order while you were still in line waiting for a table once you were in the vestibule.

    I was the youngest of five siblings in a German family and we never had pizza until I was about fifteen. The first time we convinced our dad to bring home pizza for a Friday night dinner he brought home a Lou Malnati’s deep dish. We were horrified. We all yelled, “That’s not pizza!” Oh how naive we were.

    Thanks for jogging my memory that underage drinking was exclusively and reliably at deep dish restaurants.

    Merry Christmas and thanks for a terrific column.

    1. In 1973 I stood in line at Due’s with my girlfriend, now wife, for a memorable first Deep Dish! UNO’s, Gino’s and Lou Malnottis are all excellent. Joe Aurelio’s was a South side favorite thin crust!
      Nothing like these in South Carolina!

  14. With all the mention of Gino’s, Uno’s, and Malnati’s, I can’t help but mention Gulliver’s on Howard St. and Pequod’s in Morton Grove, my two go-tos when I was in high school.

  16. 45 minutes to cook indeed. That means double the cocktail sales! Melman is no dummy lol.
    I’m starving. There is a small Gino’s East on the Northside near the Lake. Very quaint neighborhood joint. I remember those Gino’s East days on Superior

  17. Jimmy, I always enjoy you’re wonderful columns. Your stories spark nostalgia in me about Chicago from the bygone days. One of my Southwest side favorite pizza places was Palermos They made a pizza with wonderful, sweet, Sicilian sauce.
    Thank you for triggering fond memories of a city that I was born and raised in. I sure do miss that city that has been ruined by crime and mismanagement.

    2. Palermo’s was my favorite too. Deep dish. Thin crust…my heart belongs to Nick & Vito’s (yes it’s backwards from the actual name, but many of us called it that). I moved about an hour away and still come in to get my favorites. I really miss good pizza, didn’t realize how spoiled I was.

  18. This column brought back memories of several stops at Gino’s East during the 1960s. We had discovered the deep dish at Uno’s. Gino’s East was an upgrade in ambiance and style, so it was the preferred of the two to take a date. Cudos to Alice and especially her grandmother for a unique and great tasting treat!

  19. What a great tribute to Gino’s East Jimmy! I’m from Waterloo/Cedar Falls, Iowa and made stops at Gino’s when I visited Chicago. I still remember it vividly especially since we had nothing like the deep dish out here in Iowa. Thank you for the memories!

  21. In 1963, my family moved to within a mile of the *original* Little Caesar’s Pizza Treat, which was in Garden City, Michigan. Back then, they were just starting to spread elsewhere through metro Detroit but they hadn’t gone full carry-out or “Pizza Pizza” yet. We weren’t big on eating out, so we never actually ate there, just did delivery. Much more often, we made our own out of an Appian Way box…
    PS: Gino’s East briefly had a restaurant here in Mishawaka, Indiana a few years back. I tried it once, didn’t like the loooong wait to cook but it did taste OK. A local place is making deep-dish now, but they advise a 45-minute wait too and it’s kinda out of the way. Don’t flame me, but my go-to pizza is from Papa John’s – mostly because they deliver it hot.

  22. Mr. Banakis – Jimmy if I may – this is probably the best guest column on this platform with maybe the possible exception of one particular column by Dr. Cory Franklin regarding Karen Carpenter, and I thank you for writing it. You compiled so much history in one essay that I cannot believe how little I knew about the stuffed pizza craze in the 70’s and 80’s in Chicago. I also am glad you made reference to the Gold standard for pizza in my family when you referred to Armand’s. Their location at 7600 West Grand Ave. in Elmwood Park is the repository of so many fond memories in my family when we lived neard Grand and Harlem. You are a gifted writer,historian and restauranteur. God bless you, and I hope you and your family have a great Christmas. Thanks again for the memories!

  25. Jimmy,
    Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Standing in line to get in at the Gino’s on Superior on date night! Just gotten to Chicago from Greece in 1969 it was my favorite place. I remember the peanut shells on the floor, so Chicago!

  26. The other morning, I asked my husband if he had read Kass yet. His response was “Yes! Anichini’s!

    My husband’s grandfather owned a building and business at Grand and Wells starting in the early 1920s. It was a neighborhood (all the way north through Old Town) of many Italian immigrants who owned businesses with ties to The Assumption Church on Illinois. Everyone knew everyone. My husband and his father would often visit Anichini’s and bring home whole filets and strip steaks to trim and cut as they liked. They often brought that wonderful sausage and ground meat. Had to intercept Pop before he put the burgers on the Weber or you’d be eating hockey pucks!

    The name Anichini brought back wonderful memories. My father-in-law’s mother’s family owned The Fish House on the northwest corner of Grand and Wells. Fabulous smoked fish (they smoked their own), fried shrimp, and cod. There was a restaurant on the East side Wells north of Grand called House of Bertini that served the best veal in the style of a schnitzel with finely chopped mushrooms, garlic, and lemon. The owner’s mother sat at the back table and rolled flatware in napkins for service. Which reminded me of a small restaurant on Orleans located on the 2nd floor called Ingall’s that served a terrific clam chowder with a vial of dry sherry to pour over the chowder. Then I remembered Ireland’s on LaSalle. The best bouillabaisse.

    All pizza styles, cracker crust, thin crust, deep dish, etc. are good if they’re made with fresh ingredients from good recipes. It depends on where you are and who you are with! As a teen and young adult, it was either Uno or my preferred Due. Until I had Gino’s. All were good – – Gino’s was the best!

    Thank you for the history on Gino’s.

  27. Jimmy. I grew up on Long Island … Huntington to be exact. So the Chicago deep dish failure on the Island is no surprise. As a kid I thought – as my peers did as well – that NY pizza was redundant i.e. pizza IS New York, so no surprise as to why your Long Island experiment failed.

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