Blogging the Yum

Usually you’re the customer. You walk up, order your favorite frozen desserts, pay and you’re on your way. But what is it like from the other side of that counter? Check out what some of our Ciao Bella employees had to say about working at San Francisco’s historical Ferry Building.

Of course interaction with customers occurs on a daily basis, but employees from the various shops come together in what they would like to call “inter-shop relationships” as well. “We kind of form this odd but great big family ,” said Kyle, a long-time Ciao Bella employee at the Ferry Building. “It’s just really great to have a lot of common ground with so many other people. I have made more friends working at the Ferry Building than anywhere else in the Bay Area since moving here [from New Jersey].” Many Ciao Bella employees have formed friendships with staff from other shops, forming an extended community that goes beyond the Ciao Bella counter during work hours. “The Ferry Building is a fixture in San Francisco, and I like being a strong component of the community and experience here,” said Mark, our Ciao Bella Ferry Building manager.

Another staff value high on the list – diversity. The Ferry Building, although a major tourist destination, is a common stop for many locals as well.  “The local flora and fauna of the Ferry Building is a diverse collection of people, including, but not limited to: stock brokers, yoga moms, homeless people, street performers and more,” said Nikos – a Ciao Bella employee who is a Marin County native.

Now, there wouldn’t be true California culture at our shop if we didn’t embrace creativity. Employees are encouraged to use their imaginations to design our standing sign advertising our healthy recipes – seen by both Ciao Bella customers and passers-by.  In this sense, the employees bring their own talents to the table and contribute to the artisan atmosphere of the Ferry Building. The sign is updated frequently to communicate special promotions, gelato flavors, and menu items – so keep an eye out next time you’re walking by.

Now what about their favorite frozen desserts? It was hard to get each employee to decide on just one flavor – completely understandable, especially since they’ve tried most, if not all, the flavors, combinations and healthy recipes Ciao Bella offers. The Favorite Flavor list included our Triple Espresso Gelato, Lebanese Yogurt, and Madagascar Vanilla Gelato + Raspberry Sorbet combo.  The Ciao Bella employees also raved about menu items at other neighboring shops such as Miette Bakery, Blue Bottle Coffee, and Il Cane Rosso.