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We are pleased to launch a new feature on our blog called Kitchen Culture, where we introduce and give you a behind-the-scenes look at a restaurant business.

For our first visit, we stopped by The Meatball Shop down in the Lower East Side. The Meatball Shop is a fast-casual eatery, with six locations in New York City, that specializes in meatballs. Patrons start off with 'naked balls' where they can pick and choose a cooking style/flavor they would like, and cooks prepare them their customized dish.

Here, Rusty is the General Manager. He has been with the The Meatball Shop for about six months now. Rusty started out as a Kitchen Manager at the Williamsburg location, and then later became the Assistant General Manager. Most recently, he was promoted and was transferred to his current position.

Rusty describes The Meatball Shop as an entertaining and enjoyable establishment to work in. Every day, he brings in laughter and humor by cracking ball innuendos (which he considers as part of the job), and encourages workers to have fun, sing and even dance. Overall, it's just a really laid-back and comfortable place to be in.

The Meatball Shop was created not only to serve people who are hungry for a great meal, but for hard working individuals looking to have a career in the food and restaurant industry. Rusty takes great pride in the growth of his employees. He finds it extremely fulfilling when dishwashers move up into bigger roles, like a prep cook or line cook. He notes that not everybody is cut out for the industry, but for those who are strong-willed enough, it can be truly rewarding job.

Check out The Meatball Shop's page to learn more.

The Meatball Shop (Lower East Side) 84 Stanton Street New York, NY 10002 212-982-8895