How a North Philly pizza shop transforms lives with second chances and savory slices

When Michael Carter started selling barbecue off of his front porch in 2020, he didn’t know it would lead to his becoming the executive chef of a beloved restaurant — let alone one whose staff consists entirely of formerly incarcerated people. 

But a mutual friend introduced Carter to Muhammad Abdul-Hadi, the founder and owner of Down North Pizza in Philadelphia, which has become a beacon of community, offering lemonade for local kids and free lunches for the neighborhood in times of need. It also changed the lives of a kitchen full of ex-convicts, including Carter, who needed a fresh start.

“We the Pizza: Slangin’ Pies and Savin’ Lives,” written by Abdul-Hadi with recipes from Carter, includes 65 recipes and the story about the restaurant’s mission to educate and support formerly incarcerated people while serving smile-inducing food. 

“When I add up the guys who work here, it’s about 63 years incarcerated. So it’s like we understand each other, where we come from,” Carter said in an interview. “We had the same barriers when we came home, like whether it be employment, housing, health care — we all had to figure it out.”