Young entrepreneur creates Tower of pizza

Like many college students of his day, Huntington Beach resident Dan Varady got a job at a pizza shop to help put himself through school.

What started as a means to an end quickly became a passion for Varady, as the job he took to put him through college became the career with which he felt most at home.

“I wanted to be a lawyer like my dad,” Varady said. “But I decided it was more fun in a kitchen than in a courtroom.”

Varady dropped the law books and signed up for the Culinary Institute of America, where he spent the next few years pounding out every detail of the business.

Now, the 27-year-old New Jersey native runs the newest pizza joint to hit the beach, Tower 15 Pizzeria at the Hyatt Regency in Huntington Beach.

Named for the lifeguard station across the highway from the resort, the pizzeria has become a local tribute to Huntington Beach lifeguards, past and present.

As part of the tribute, the Hyatt staff and Tower 15 held several events in the retail courtyard of the Hyatt, in front of the pizzeria, for lifeguard-related activities. The night before the grand opening, local lifeguards were invited with their families for free pizza and music as a thank you for all their hard work. They were grateful.

“Anything with free food and music is great,” said Claude Panis, who has been a lifeguard for 29 years. “Plus, you’ve got to be happy when someone throws you a party.”

Inside the pizzeria, photographs of past marine safety crews dating back to 1929 line the walls of the eatery. Although the walls already sport several photographs of past lifeguard groups and the namesake Tower 15, the staff said it is a work in progress.

Alongside the photos of past guards are photos taken specifically of the pizzeria’s namesake, Tower 15, taken by marine safety officer Chris Clarke.

Clarke, who has worked as a lifeguard for 11 years, started photographing the lifeguard station across street for his wife long before they were intended for the walls of a the pizzeria.

“Originally, my wife was an athlete and that was her number — she’s funny about that,” Clarke said. “I got some good ones at sunset … and when they contacted me, I just happened to have some.”

Tower 15 pizzeria opened its doors to the community in July in hopes of becoming a stop for people near the beach, whether staying at the resort or not. There are a few perks for Hyatt guests, such as room service delivery, Varady said.

“The only alternative [around here] are Domino’s and Papa John’s, and I think our quality is better than that,” Varady said.

And quality is the goal at Tower 15, with 10 specialty pizzas on the menu and a “create-your-own” menu with 17 toppings and endless possibilities, Varady said.

Of the 10 specialty pies, four are what Varady would call “somewhat originals.”

“You have to credit general manager Cheryl Phelps for The Great White,” Varady said. “She likes pine nuts and goat cheese, so she took one of my recipes and tweaked it to what she likes.”

Hoping his pizzas offer something different and enjoyable to most palates, Varady shied away from saying that any of his are true originals.

“In culinary school, I asked the master chef to try something original I had created, and he said to me, anything you think is original has been done in the history of the culinary industry one way or another,” Varady said.

Right now, Varady manages a staff of four, who do everything from cooking the pizzas to room service delivery.

“It’s an all-hands-on-deck kind of mentality,” he said.

Since the grand opening, Tower 15 has hosted two end-of-the-year parties for two Huntington Beach Junior Lifeguard groups and meals for many of the lifeguards from around the country who were staying at the hotel and competing at the United States Lifeguard Assn. National Championships on the state beach.

This weekend, Varady and staff will cater a party at “The Gallery HB,” a gallery on the Hyatt grounds, featuring local artists Toreen West, Tony Spineto, Bill Drysdale, Wade Koniakowsky and Dean Torrence of the legendary surf band Jan and Dean.