The Journey of a Pizzaiolo: A Restaurant Tenant Representation Success Story by Atlanta’s Premier Restaurant Broker

🕒 8-minute read

Featuring Chef John Frank Cely and the Launch of Char Pizzeria at Halcyon

How one Atlanta Pizzaiolo turned his dream into a thriving restaurant — and how expert restaurant tenant representation turned a two-year challenge into a success story. A real example of how experience, persistence, and smart guidance can help any chef open their first restaurant.

The Vision: A Chef’s Dream to Bring Authentic Artisan Pizza to Atlanta

Every restaurant begins with a dream — an idea forged by passion, patience, and persistence. For Chef John Frank Cely, that dream was to open his own Artisanal Pizzeria where he could express his craft and share the true flavors of Italy with the Atlanta community.

An experienced Pizzaiolo with more than 18 years of culinary experience, John Frank spent over a decade as Head Chef at Antico Pizza Napoletana, one of Atlanta’s most acclaimed pizzerias and a Michelin-recognized brand. During that time, he learned the art of consistency, quality, customer service, daily operations and authenticity — from perfecting naturally leavened dough to overseeing nationwide distribution through Delta Airlines and Goldbelly.

But now it was time to take the next step — to go from chef to owner. And that’s where Jimmy Carey Commercial Real Estate, Atlanta’s Premier Restaurant Broker, came in.

The Challenge: Finding the Right Restaurant Space and Winning Landlord Approval

As every restaurateur knows, opening your first restaurant is one of the hardest steps in your career. In my blog The First One: The Difficult One, I explain how first-time chef-entrepreneurs often face uphill battles: limited capital, landlord skepticism, and the search for a space that fits both concept and budget.

For John Frank, those challenges were real. He had the experience, the recipes, and the drive — but getting a landlord to say YES was a different story.

Over the course of two years, we reviewed multiple opportunities across metro Atlanta — from Alpharetta to Sandy Springs and Midtown — searching for a second-generation restaurant space being sold as an Asset Sale that met both Chef John’s vision and his budget.

Like many first-time restaurateurs, he needed a space that balanced affordability with operational readiness. The goal was to find a restaurant that already had infrastructure in place — a hood, grease trap, and walk-in cooler — so every dollar could go further toward opening instead of building out from scratch.

Many landlords wanted national or multi-unit tenants. For a first-time restaurateur, that meant proving more than passion — it meant demonstrating credibility, financial responsibility, and operational readiness.

That’s where experience makes all the difference.

The Restaurant Tenant Representation Process in Atlanta: Two Years of Strategy, Persistence, and Expertise

Step 1: Translating Culinary Vision into a Real-World Business Plan

As Atlanta’s Premier Restaurant Broker, I knew that what Chef John Frank needed wasn’t just a space — he needed a story landlords could believe in. We worked closely to define his brand identity and shape a realistic strategy — because even the best concept needs to align with what’s financially achievable.

The plan for Biga Pizza was creative but grounded in budget-conscious execution: finding a turnkey restaurant where most of the buildout was already complete, avoiding unnecessary costs and months of permitting delays.

Together, we prepared a complete landlord presentation package that included:

• Chef bio and brand story

• Concept deck (menu, visuals, operations plan)

• Preliminary financial model, proforma and cost structure

• Business narrative and vision statement

This was more than a real-estate pitch — it was a strategic restaurant proposal, designed to help landlords understand the credibility and vision behind the brand.

Step 2: Overcoming Landlord Hurdles through Expert Advocacy

Even with a solid concept, negotiations weren’t easy. Some landlords were hesitant to lease to a first-time restaurant operator, even one with Michelin-level credentials.

That’s where specialized Restaurant Tenant Representation in Atlanta made all the difference.

My role was to bridge the gap between culinary creativity and real-estate pragmatism — helping both sides see the opportunity.I leveraged my 37 years of restaurant ownership and operations experience to speak the landlord’s language: risk mitigation, operational transparency, and lease performance.

I presented Chef John as a low-risk, high-value tenant with the skills, discipline, and passion to succeed — something traditional brokers without restaurant experience simply couldn’t articulate.

Step 3: The Breakthrough — Securing a Location at Halcyon

After more than two years of searching, analyzing, and negotiating, we found the right match: The Market Hall at Halcyon Alpharetta — a Class A, mixed-use destination known for its upscale restaurants, entertainment, and family-friendly atmosphere.

The opportunity was ideal:

• High foot traffic and visibility

• Vibrant food-hall setting with established brands

• Flexible lease model and ready infrastructure

• Target demographic: affluent families, professionals, and food lovers

But it wasn’t smooth sailing. Even at Halcyon, landlord negotiations were complex and required strategic flexibility and brand adaptation to get final approval.

The Rebrand: From Biga Pizza to Char Pizzeria

Due to the unique dynamics of the transaction, the brand had to evolve. To align with landlord requirements and final deal terms, Chef John Frank rebranded his concept from Biga Pizza to Char Pizzeria.

It was a major adjustment — but one that ultimately made the deal possible. As his tenant representative, I guided him through the entire transition:

• Renaming and rebranding strategy

• Updating the presentation deck for final landlord review

• Negotiating signage, design, and buildout conditions

• Ensuring the culinary identity and quality remained unchanged

At the heart of it all, it was still Chef John Frank’s vision — his recipes, his mastery, and his craftsmanship.The name may have changed, but the soul of the brand remained pure Italian artistry.

The Result: A Successful Opening and the Start of a Bright Future

After perseverance, negotiation, and creative deal-making, Char Pizzeria officially opened inside the Halcyon Market Hall — a landmark success for Chef John Frank and a proud milestone for our brokerage.

The result, negotiated Confidential Terms in which gave John the ability to open his first business — it was a career transformation. Chef John Frank went from employee to entrepreneur, securing his first location and building a platform for expansion.

His pizzeria now stands among top-tier culinary neighbors in one of North Atlanta’s most visited destinations. With each Artisanal Pizza, he showcases his talent, passion, and authenticity — and lays the foundation for future growth, new locations, and a bright entrepreneurial future.

Visit the restaurant’s Instagram page to see his craft in action.

What Made the Difference: Experience, Credibility, and Restaurant Brokerage Acumen

So, what turned this two-year challenge into success? It wasn’t luck. It was experience, specialization, preparation and persistence — the very essence of what differentiates Jimmy Carey Commercial Real Estate from general brokerage firms.

Key Factor	Impact on the Deal
37+ years in the restaurant industry	Built credibility and trust with landlords
Chef-to-chef communication	Spoke the same language, understood operational needs
Specialized restaurant brokerage	Identified feasible sites and avoided costly mistakes
Negotiation strategy	Crafted win-win lease terms that satisfied both tenant and landlord
Creative problem-solving	Adapted brand and structure to overcome obstacles
Long-term vision	Positioned client for scalability and success

This is what true Restaurant Tenant Representation in Atlanta looks like — not just finding a space, but creating opportunity. This philosophy defines Jimmy Carey Commercial Real Estate – Restaurant and Business Brokerage, where every transaction is guided by strategy, industry insight, and real-world experience.

Lessons from Atlanta Restaurant Tenant Representation for Chefs and Restaurateurs

Whether you’re opening your first restaurant or expanding to your fifth, there are valuable takeaways from Chef John Frank’s journey: