Paulie Gee

Paul Giannone, professionally known as Paulie Gee, is an American pizza restaurateur/entrepreneur and the owner of Paulie Gee’s pizzeria in Brooklyn, New York and Paulie Gee's Slice Shop in Brooklyn, New York and in New Orleans, Louisiana. Gee transitioned from corporate jobs to pizza-making and restaurant ownership.
==Early Life ==
Gee was born in the Kensington, Brooklyn, New York. He is of Italian people and Jews heritage. Gee studied photography at the School of Visual Arts in New York (state)|New York but was persuaded by his parents to work in civil service.
==Corporate Career==
Gee worked in corporate jobs and, beginning in 1980, held several positions in information technology at The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, AT&T, Lucent, and Avaya. He also pursued multi-level marketing. Gee retired in 2001 yet continued working for nine years as a consultant in information technology.
==Career Transition ==
After retirement, Gee stated that he had been “masquerading as a computer geek for 30 years.” and "wanted to have more out of life." 
Gee pursued his hobby as a home cook and learned the pizza-making process. Starting in 1995, he visited Pizzeria in the New York City area and was introduced the style of pizza-making that utilizes Wood-fired oven- and Coal-fired pizza. Gee was encouraged by various pizzerias, including Totonno's, Pizzeria Bianco, Lucali, Una Pizza Napoletana, Roberta's, Motorino, Nomad Pizza Co., Fornino, and Cane Rosso.
Beginning in 2004, Gee participated on Blog written about pizza and contributed photos from pizzeria visits. In 2007, he constructed a domed brick oven in his backyard in Warren Township, New Jersey|Warren, New Jersey. The oven was used to make wood-fired pizza for tastings for pizza bloggers and food writers. 
In preparing to open a pizzeria, Gee found investors in friends and co-workersand took out a second mortgage on his home.
==Pizzerias==
In March 2010, Paulie Gee's opened in the Greenpoint, Brooklyn|Greenpoint section of Brooklyn, New York, serving Neapolitan pizza|Neapolitan-inspired pizza made in a wood-fired oven. 
In August 2018, Paulie Gee’s Slice Shop was opened in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York, furnished in 1960s decor.
In 2016, Gee applied for a full liquor license before the opening of Paulie Gee's Slice Shop. The liquor license was opposed by some neighbors of the Noble Street location, who cited possible noise disturbance. Gee noted the concerns, and the full liquor license application was withdrawn. The application was submitted solely for beer and wine. A meeting of Noble Street neighbors was held, with Gee in attendance. A Community boards of Brooklyn|Community Board 1 meeting followed, which resulted in only beer, wine, and cider being served at Paulie Gee's Slice Shop.
In May 2021, a second Paulie Gee's Slice Shop location was opened in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Local entrepreneurs opened Paulie Gee's outposts in Chicago|Chicago, Illinois; Columbus, Ohio; Baltimore|Baltimore, Maryland; and (formerly) Miami|Miami, Florida. 
Paulie Gee's Slice Shop outposts opened in Chicago, Illinois and at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
==Television / Media Appearances==
*The TODAY Show|The Today Show (interview with Jane Pauley)
*Katie Couric (interview with Jane Pauley)
*Travel Channel “Food Paradise"
*Food Network “Crave"
*The Chew
*CBS News This Morning
*Really Dough?
*Second Act - Vice Media and Mailchimp Presents
==Personal Life==
Gee is married to Mary Ann and has two sons, Michael and Derek.
Category:Pizzerias in the United States
Category:American entrepreneurs
Category:People from Kensington