Jim Serpico’s business, Serpico’s Bread Co., made a big jump when it acquired a new food truck, but not as big of a jump as his career change when he decided to learn how to make bread
Serpico is a Long Island native who initially decided to get into the television and film industry. Beginning in 1994, he became a producer for actor Denis Leary. Serpico produced several shows, including “Rescue Me,” which had nearly 100 episodes over its eight-year run.
Serpico produced hundreds of TV episodes and specials, but ultimately, a life-altering event—COVID-19 — made him decide to change the course of his career.
“And then with the pandemic, I totally switched it up,” he said. “I found it very hard to find the motivation to restart that, and I wanted to take the time and the chance to develop my own career and personality through food.”
Serpico began making bread and selling it at farmers’ markets, but wanted to learn more about it, so he flew to Miami to take a professional pizza-making class.
Serpico had started making bread and pizzas out of his friends’ deli in Plainview, and when looking to expand, he ran into the obstacle of finding a brick-and-mortar location.
“I quickly realized I could end up being a slave to rent, and I already had a small food truck that I was starting to do a lot of catering with, so I started to explore the idea of doing this cafe idea on wheels rather than being stuck in one location, and ultimately, that’s what I did,” Serpico said.
Serpico picked up his first food truck about three years ago, a used truck from New Jersey that only allowed him to make one pizza at a time.
After years of struggling to entertain the crowd, Serpico eventually sought a new truck.
The new truck has a six-foot Neapolitan mosaic-tailed pizza oven that allows Serpico to cook up to eight pizzas at a time. The truck also has a six-burner stove and a convection oven.
“I could really be a full-service cafe to cater parties at events and offices at home now,” he said.
Serpico’s truck is a regular at New Hyde Park’s Farmers Market, Patchogue’s Alive After Five, and Levittown Food Trucks, which he said has led to him getting a regular fan base.
Serpico’s Bread Co. specializes in pizza but also has paninis, breads and salads on the menu. Serpico said the pepperoni and cherry honey pizzas are among the fan favorites. He said he ferments all of his pizza dough for at least 48 hours to give it a unique, complex flavor.
Serpico said that the business extends past him and to his family as well. He said his wife helps out and that each of his three children has played a part in promoting the company.
Serpico said he may look to hire new employees in the future so that he can run both of his food trucks efficiently.
