Pizza Manager, Nate Finalet, Talks Pizza & More

Get to know Nate Finalet, the pizza master extraordinaire at Eddie's Italian Eatery.

As Eddie's Pizza Manager, Nate oversees the restaurant's back-of-the house pizza station, leading the team with hard work and has a hand in crafting new pizza specials.

Nate joined the Eddie's family back in 2016 and has worked his way into his current position through his dedication and passion for Italian food and pizza. 

"I try to lead by example," he said. "I don't ask anyone to do anything I wouldn't do myself."

Nate started as a utility team member when he first joined Eddie's over 8 years ago, holding almost every position in the restaurant – including main pantry, dishwashing, bussing, training and of course, pizza perfecting.

Pizza became his forte and he started mastering delicious pies from traditional topping creations to Eddie's specialty pizzas, eventually promoting to Pizza Manager in 2021.

His passion for food and hospitality runs deep in his blood - with a chef dad and a brother who was a rockstar assistant manager for Eddie's.

"My favorite place to be is in the kitchen behind the oven or stove," he said.

Nate is also a history buff, and he earned his degree at Cal Poly while never missing a beat at Eddie's. The multitalented manager maintained a full school load while working 30 or more hours a week with plans to go back for his Master's.

But for now, Nate is happy at Eddie's working in a family restaurant environment where he enjoys meeting a lot of people and making incredible pizzas.   

"I love putting smiles on people's faces when they eat," he said. I like to make people happy through food."

His personal go-to favorite? The classic Margherita Pizza. But he's been a major contributor to other monthly and seasonal specialty pizzas. From unique flavor combinations to fresh, quality ingredients – Nate knows how to get taste buds dancing.

One of his most memorable specialty creations was the Pizza Bandaria - loaded with Italian flavors, including oven-dried tomatoes and basil drizzle, which made the restaurant's menu and was a top-seller.

"I like to be creative and work with my hands – pizza is like a canvas and there's endless ways to make pizza," he said.

When Nate isn't tossing dough and crafting delectable pizzas in the kitchen, he's dominating at darts and pool hitting bullseyes and sinking shots.