An awesome Freehold pizzeria living the ‘American Dream’

Eighteen years ago, Rudy Nolasco came to this country from Guatemala and didn't speak a word of English. Now after hard work, he owns Mateo's in Freehold, which will be open for five years in September.

Located right next to the CVS on 13 West Main St., Mateos has a dining room that seats 36 if you want to eat there; or they have takeout and delivery. They've got two double-stacked ovens, as well as a brick oven to make their signature upside-down pie.

They were named 2020 Pizza of the Year by Patch News. When you go there, you can find Nellie, who immigrated 5 years ago from Venezuela.

I spoke with Rudy Nolasco through email:

How did you come to America?

I am originally from Guatemala. At 18 years old I decided to leave my country, and I came to the USA for a better life. Some old friends from my town helped me out and I was staying with them in Howell, NJ. I got my first job as a dishwasher in an Italian restaurant. I didn’t speak a word of English at that time. I told myself that I needed to learn so I decided to learn one word per day. A little after I was promoted to the salad and sandwiches section, and I kept moving up until I became a cook and then a pizza guy. I always had it clear that I wanted to get my own restaurant one day, so I worked until I made that dream a reality.

What did you learn working your way up?

I learn not to listen to any salesman because in this business, you will get a lot of people trying to sell you products at a lower price and tell you that is better, but in reality is not. So I learned to try the products first, and if I like it for myself then I can offer it to my customers. To offer quality food, you MUST use quality products.

Tell us about your specialties:

All my food are unique in flavor, but for my best sellers, I would say the Arugula Avocado salad, my upside-down pizza famously known as L&B, and my chicken Milanese, chicken parmigiana is definitely an amazing dish. Our tomato sauce is freshly made with the best products. The list is long. I would say to everyone listening to us to give us a try, and order anything from the menu and decide.

What set Mateo's apart from the rest?

I’m not sure what would set Mateos apart from others. I think everyone is trying their best day by day. I like to think that there is room for growth for everyone as long as you work hard and you love what you do. Hard work always pays off. Always with a good heart, not only to make a profit, but to bring a smile to all families after a long day. They can rely on us for a good meal.

Nolasco also owns La Madonna in Matawan with a partner, Antoine Mbassat.

I would like to also mention that I am so grateful for all the support I have received from this community. I couldn’t choose a better town to open my business.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Steve Trevelise only. Follow him on Twitter @realstevetrev.

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