In a world where we could have just about everything we want at a moment’s notice, we have to pick and choose where we allocate our energy and always remember that while good things are fleeting,

The Great Things series was created to showcase experts in their chosen field and the work that got them to where they are. If you’re looking to find inspiration to take that first step forward, you might find it in this series.

I’ve loved getting to meet each person on their home turf and see what wisdom they have to share. Today, we’re asking the question, can you learn something from pasta? To which I say, absolutely! Plus, you can get the first look at the full-length episode of Great Things before it hits social.

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Let me set the scene: You walk into the Queen Ann Ravioli and Macaroni storefront in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn (home of Brooklyn’s Little Italy), and it looks just like it did in the 80s. You peek into the back of the shop to catch a glimpse of what is no doubt an upgraded pasta-making process, only to see machines cranking away that are older than you in a process that hasn’t changed over 50 years.

The man about to show you the process? George Joseph Switzer III, a charismatic former NYPD police man who has an animated story about everything:

I think I might be painting a picture for you?

Queen Anne Ravioli and Macaroni has been around since 1972, but its current owner, George, has been running things since 1982 (minus a few years when he was with the NYPD).

Since this family-owned gourmet pasta shop has been around for so long, you might expect that it’s gone through recent updates and that they’re slowly bringing in the newest and top-of-the-line gadgets for pasta making. You might expect franchising to be in the works, and an expansion to become an empire is imminent. But George is pretty happy with where things are now and is the very definition of old school (in the best way possible). 

When George took the business on, everyone expected him to make some big changes, but to him, “if it ain't broke, don’t fix it” was the guiding light. The processes and ingredients have stayed the same for more than 50 years, which is why Queen Ann has stayed a staple for its community.

The Great Things series is all about the people out there doing things they love and that they’ve built over time. Just like anyone out there, there is a lot we can learn from seeing people in their element and hearing their stories. So much goes on behind the scenes that isn’t seen; the “luck” people seem to have is actually mostly hard work and dedication. 

There is so much we can learn from George and his story, and I don’t just mean throwing your phone away to let others learn to survive not being in constant contact with you. After spending time with him, a few themes came through pretty clearly:

Just like his machines, George doesn’t have any fancy bells and whistles when it comes to mission statements or how he wants his legacy to shake out. His hope is that you remember the food because you enjoyed it, and because you didn’t get sick or throw up. (His words, not mine.) In fact, the only thing he’s changed about the recipe all these years later is moving from fresh eggs to pasteurized to decrease the risk of salmonella.

I don’t know how competitive the ravioli market is in Brooklyn, but there isn’t any undercover market research going on with Queen Ann. Things are focused on what the business itself is doing, not what anyone else has going on. He wants to do things his way, not be influenced by what others are doing, and his way is to produce high-quality pasta.

It can be so easy to get caught up in how other people are going about things. But if you have the mindset of “there might always be something better,” you’re never going to feel satisfied with your product or progress. None of us has the same 24 hours, and because of that, we can’t approach things the same way. If you are seeing progress that you like and are happy with your product, there is no need to go searching for the next big thing. If you spend time worrying about what everyone else is doing, you’re taking time away from what you’re doing, and your quality of work is no doubt going to suffer, even if just slightly. That’s time you can’t get back.

Queen Ann has stood strong all these years because they’ve found the perfect formula that works for them. It’s the same process, the same flour, the same mindset that goes into everything. No one is lamenting that the flavor has changed because nothing has changed that could impact the taste.

For years, they have been so dependable and catered to their niche. You had people calling George in a panic that they didn’t have enough food for Thanksgiving dinner and needed to order something to fill the gaps. It was also common that someone would yell a reminder into the coffee shop next door that Queen Ann was closing at two. All the husbands sipping coffee would rush in to do the shopping their wives had sent them to do before the doors closed. 

Even their hours, being closed on Monday, are dictated by their community. Sundays were a large meal for Italian families in the area, so come Monday, there were plenty of leftovers and no need to go food shopping. This meant people were not as likely to come into the store, so they chose Mondays to close down and complete the necessary maintenance and upkeep. 

It’s a close-knit community. George can speak to the customers and employees who have passed as if they are an extension of his family. He’s a self-described blabbermouth and loves to chat up everyone who comes in, loving to find the commonalities with each new person. (No doubt he also probably knows a lot of juicy secrets.)

Queen Ann knows who they cater to and what they do best. They aren’t trying to be everything for everyone (but I feel like almost everyone likes their food). When you find your niche, the joy of sliding into place is greater than being stretched thin trying to appeal to everyone. 

The part of the day Switzer dreads the most is opening up the shop in the morning. Not because he doesn’t like what he does, but because he has no idea what he’s walking into. Machines can get out of whack, employees can call out sick, but he loves what he does. Post-Christmas season is the hardest because the machines have been working overtime for the holiday hours, and things start to come loose at the beginning of the new year. When we came to him, he was acutely aware of how everything was operating and whether or not something was out of whack just by listening. It’s a lot to handle, but he has a passion for it.

In fact, his piece of advice for people getting into their own business, whether or not it’s pasta, is that you need to have a passion for what you’re doing. You’re going to have to love the long, arduous hours that feel like you’re just turning your wheels and not going far. He is very candid about how challenging starting your own business can be, and that often the economics don’t make sense. But if you start smart and start small, you can perfect what you’re doing, allowing you to expand. 

To George, he’s making enough money to pay the bills, but also so that he can enjoy things, both at the business itself by not being removed from the process, and outside of work.

Everything about Queen Ann and Switzer is rooted in quality. Sure, his machines might belong in a museum due to their age, but so does the pasta with how each ravioli is a work of art in itself. When describing the pasta-making process, he goes into how everything can impact the dough, even the weather. The humidity might require extra water to be added. The way the dough is kneaded determines on whether or not there are blemishes that might make the pasta less appealing to customers.

Even the way the business is run is quality first. Because there is so much heavy machinery, Switzer puts a strong emphasis on safety and being methodical with his approach. If a machine is being worked on, the plug needs to be pulled, you never know if a switch could flip accidentally. There are a lot of people in the business that he know who are missing a finger or two, George has them all.

Although the neighborhood is growing younger with George as one of the last few remaining of the original group of Brooklyn’s Little Italy, he hasn’t seen a decline in business. When your food is that good, it doesn’t matter what age you are (even if you don’t understand Pokémon Go). 

How many of us wait to work on something until we have our environment set up? We wait for a shiny new gadget that will optimize whatever we’re trying to do. I can definitely say that I’ve fallen prey to the cool new thing that I think is going to help me with my new pursuit. 

But clearly, you don’t need all the fancy gear to produce an excellent product. Most of the machines at Queen Ann are 50 to 60 years old. In fact, there is one that is from 1901 still chugging along and producing pasta. An almost 130-year-old pasta machine is so shocking to some that it caused someone from the pasta museum to drop the phone when calling to inquire about the status of the machine. (George thinks he has the oldest working pasta machine out there.)

So if Queen Ann can make delicious pasta with machines that old, you can probably keep using the same phone for another year.

Not having the newest gadget or the most up-to-date wardrobe shouldn’t be the reason you don’t go for something. Much of what we do is not dependent on our accessories; it’s how we approach the task at hand. You can’t buy to replace the kind of dedication and commitment it takes to do something with quality. If you want to do it, you’ll make it happen.

He’s 64 and says he’s starting to see himself slow down… only just a fraction. Despite everyhing that comes with the territory of being a business owner, there hasn’t been a challenge yet that he can’t overcome, because to him, the second you let things get the better of you, it’s over, and this pasta isn’t going anywhere.

Watch below to see my visit to Queen Ann Ravioli and Macaroni with George Joseph Switzer III

Tune in every few weeks for more episodes of Great Things on IG, Tiktok and full episodes on YouTube.

Know of a Great Thing that we should spotlight?

If you only pause to reflect on your life for one moment today, do it now.

The pull toward new things is everywhere. Why else do stores start selling Easter decorations in January, and why does Apple release a new phone every year?

Your turn! Journal your answer, or if you find yourself sharing the progress of your Great Things on social, tag me at @greatthingswith_adrian so I can join in on cheering you along!

Because no matter what, there is always something to smile about.

Ever wonder what I spend my free time on? Cars. Pictured below is a 9 pm car meet in the rain. I guess when you love something, you’ll do it in any weather (looking at all you people working out outside in any weather).

Below is the group dinner with Will Damron, Anthony Keeling, William Standard, and me at Forgione. Originally, we looked to walk into dinner at Musafeer (it’s kinda Will’s thing); however, despite the rain, they had nothing available. A quick pivot found us at Forgione, where we were absolutely not disappointed.

I won’t be in NYC forever, and I often think about how lucky I am to have access to so many exciting restaurants and that this season of life won’t last forever. Taking suggestions for great cities with an amazing food scene.