Muhammad Abdul-Hadi didn’t plan on becoming a food entrepreneur. He wasn’t a chef and he didn’t study hospitality in college. He studied criminal justice and, in fact, had his own run-in with the law. Now he has opened two restaurants, founded a non-profit organization, and recently published a book. Last year he won a prestigious James Beard Leadership Award. A few key themes connect his projects: food, community impact, and creating opportunities for those with criminal records. Beyondish spoke with Abdul-Hadi about his unconventional pivot into the culinary world.
“Food wasn’t part of the original plan, but it became part of the mission,” he says. “It is a universal language that everybody understands. It helps get the point across and brings people together.”
Photo: Amurri Kinsey
He saw an opportunity to combine food with reform and build something bigger. His first restaurant, Down North Pizza in North Philadelphia, has an important mission: it hires formerly incarcerated individuals. They are provided with culinary career opportunities, fair wages, and a fresh start. The menu includes pizza, fries, and wings—but with an artisan twist. Customers can order pizza with lamb, whipped ricotta, and garlic honey drizzle; fries with crab and sautéed kale; and Thai chili cauliflower vegan wings.
Abdul-Hadi recalls, “I was new to the culinary space, so I had to rely on others—for hiring, building the foundation, everything. It wasn’t easy, but I pushed through by leaning on the people around me and trusting the process.”
Launching Down North Pizza was an uphill battle, opening during COVID and getting investors and the public to believe in his business plan. He overcame these obstacles by focusing on the end goal and staying transparent with customers. “We’re vocal and visible, and media coverage helps dispel the myths. I don’t lead with the bias and I don’t let it live in the front of my mind. I deal with it when it comes up and keep moving.”
While pizza was the entry point, Abdul-Hadi’s mission stretches beyond the oven. He founded the Down North Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering communities, creating resilience, and rebuilding relationships. They have several initiatives, including the Growing Freedom Project, which supports youth and community members impacted by the criminal justice system. Participants are taught skills through the plant cycle from start to finish, including cultivating seedlings, growing gardens, attending cooking classes, and selling produce to the public. Through food education, he’s building a system that gives people of all ages the tools to survive—and thrive.
His mission is now reaching global audiences with the release of his new book, We the Pizza. It combines mouth-watering recipes, stories from his employees rebuilding their lives, and historical information about incarceration in the United States. A contributor to the book is Michael Carter, the executive chef at Down North Pizza. His journey reflects the broader mission: to offer opportunity, structure, and second chances. After years of incarceration, Carter was able to get his passport and travel to Africa with Abdul-Hadi. This recovery story is just one of many. Reflecting on his larger mission, the restaurateur says, “Everyone’s life has taken a turn, and people forget that. Second chances are necessary. People need to be seen and treated as human beings.”
Chef Mike. Photo: Amurri Kinsey
Built off the momentum of the first successful restaurant, Abdul-Hadi recently opened Out West Café, a new eatery in West Philadelphia. When asked why they wanted to expand, he says, “More opportunity, same mission. We saw the impact of Down North and wanted to double down.” Like its predecessor, the café hires previously incarcerated individuals. The menu offers a selection of sandwiches, pastries, and specialty drinks. Customers can enjoy anything from a build-your-own breakfast scramble to a strawberry basil matcha.
Abdul-Hadi is moved when former program participants return to eat at his restaurants. “Just yesterday we had two guys with former life sentences eat lunch at Out West… That’s the impact.” He doesn’t frame himself as a savior—more like a systems engineer who happens to use food in his recovery toolkit. “I don’t have the power to change anyone’s life,” he says. “I just provide the vehicle. They already have the ability. I just create the space.”
Even as his movement gains global momentum, this Philadelphia native stays grounded in the city that shaped him. “We’ve seen what happens when we don’t invest—it deteriorates,” he says. “This work empowers people and strengthens businesses. Stores around us are improving, getting more visibility. People are saying thank you. One barber wants to expand. Stores around us are even beginning to redo storefronts.” From a pizza shop to an empowerment engine, Abdul-Hadi’s empire is proof that reform doesn’t always come from institutions. Sometimes, it comes from an entrepreneur who gives second chances.
To donate to the Down North Foundation, please click here. To follow the restaurants on social media, you can find them at Down North Pizza and Out West Philly.
AUTHOR
Meet Becca, a delectable combination of food enthusiast, intrepid traveler, humorous soul, and wordsmith extraordinaire. With a passport in one hand and a fork in the other, she embarks on adventures, savors cuisines, and collects witty anecdotes. She works in media and is a freelance writer.
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