The saying goes, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” Ridgefield resident Larry Debany built his life around heat, so he turned up the oven, stayed in the kitchen, and created a pizza phenomenon.
Together with his brother Tim and partner Pat Sexton, it’s time to freeze the master-pies, and share them with the world, 850 Frozen style.
Let’s just say, 850 Frozen is an idea that has been heating up for some time.
Larry Debany’s idea to package his signature pizza pies dates back to his days as owner of Village Pizza, located at 113 Danbury Road. But, building his brand and opening several restaurants to the delight of locals including Fifty Coins, 850 Degrees, and Baja Cocina, took precedence.
Debany, who co-owns 850 Frozen with Tim and longtime 850 Wood Fired employee, Pat Sexton, says, “Before COVID we were working on the frozen pizzas at 850 - but, the pandemic gave us the time to get it perfect.”
Now, the Debany brothers fully devote their time and energy to 850 Frozen. They can do this because they have found the perfect duo to continue the 850 Degree Wood Fired legacy.
Larry Debany recently sold 850 Wood Fired Restaurant to trusted childhood friend and longtime food industry guru, Mike Endico. Together with his sister, Laura, they are part of the family-owned Ace Endico specialty food distributor based in Brewster. “Mike is my childhood friend, I’ve known him since third grade,” says Larry Debany.
The 850 Frozen magic happens in an industrial kitchen in Brookfield where each pie is handcrafted from scratch using freshest ingredients. The signature pizza pies are then tossed into ovens, baked to perfection, vacuum sealed and frozen.
The cheese, margarita, and smores pies are then picked up by distributor Ace Endico and sent to thirty different grocery stores in Connecticut and New York including ShopRite, Caraluzzi’s, Village Market in Wilton, Stewarts in New Canaan, DeCicco’s in Katonah, and Scott’s Corners Market in Pound Ridge.
The hockey stick growth of the 850 Frozen is real. Yankee Stadium recently pre-ordered 20,000 pies to be sold in their legend seats and suites and the popular pizza pies will soon be sold in Big Y supermarkets in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
850 Frozen is HOT and in the coming months, expect to hear about additional pizza pie flavors hitting (and then flying off of) the freezer shelves.
When it’s something so good, it needs to be created and shared at scale, with the world.
As for the ever-popular 850 Degrees Wood Fired Restaurant, it is as great as ever and getting better! The team has honed their craft under the tutelage of Larry Debany. Under the leadership of Mike and Laura Endico, they are continuing the 850 Wood Fired legacy in downtown Ridgefield.