Klein's plans to attend culinary school after graduating from high school (Photo: USA Today Network via Reuters Connect)
Gage Klein was taking orders, cooking food and working the register at his West York restaurant on a recent afternoon. The catch- he is only 16 and is already running his second restaurant while attending high school. According to AOL, Driftwood at the Fairgrounds in West York located at 1277 W. Market St., serves burgers, cheesesteaks, subs, hand-cut fries, wings and other items. The West York restaurant is Klein's second Driftwood location. His first, Driftwood at the Lake, opened more than a year ago in the Lake Meade community in Adams County. Both restaurants are part of a business built by the Klein family. Klein, who lives in West Manchester Township, said he and his father, Kris, wanted to expand beyond the Lake Meade community and reach more customers. They considered several possible locations, including places in Hanover and East Berlin, before finding a small restaurant space in West York. The site had previously been home to Steak Out.
Interest in cooking started at home
Klein's interest in food began well before he started running restaurants. He said he has always had a passion for cooking, and his interest grew through spending time in the kitchen with his mother, Stacey. She would often prepare pasta for dinner. One day, Klein asked if he could make the sauce himself. His mother agreed, and after tasting it, she told him it was better than hers. That experience led the two to prepare more meals together. Over time, Klein began making a wider variety of dishes, including deviled eggs, boneless wings and traditional fettuccine Alfredo. One of the dishes he is particularly proud of came from an idea he had while he was bored. Klein created a grilled cheese pizza, topped with pieces of a grilled cheese sandwich. The unusual pizza is served at the Lake Meade restaurant during winter, when tomato soup is also on the menu. So far, only one customer has ordered the speciality pizza. But that customer gave it a positive review, calling it "a great pizza." Klein plans to attend culinary school after graduating from high school because he believes he still has a lot to learn about cooking. He has also expressed an interest in travelling to countries including Italy and Germany so he can experience food prepared in its country of origin.
Balancing school and restaurants
Klein will be a junior at Commonwealth Charter Academy this year. Running two restaurants while attending school means he cannot spend all his time at the eateries. The restaurants have other employees who help operate them, particularly during the school year. Klein said some of his friends also visit the restaurants as customers. His work schedule can sometimes affect his free time. Some of his friends are disappointed when Klein does not have enough time to play video games with them because he is busy working. Despite being a teenager, Klein remains closely involved in the restaurants. A recent afternoon at the West York location showed him handling different parts of the business himself, from taking orders to cooking food and operating the register.
Growing the family business
Kris with his father created one of the restaurant's specialities, called The Driftwood Stack. The burger is made with two smash patties, four slices of American cheese, two slices of bacon, three onion rings, pickles, lettuce and tomato. It is finished with a secret sauce. Kris Klein said the restaurant has been receiving favourable reviews. Some customers are also travelling from southern York County to visit the West York location. The younger Klein wanted the menu to offer families better-quality food at a reasonable cost. That approach is reflected in the range of food available at the restaurant, including burgers, cheesesteaks, subs, wings and hand-cut fries. The hand-cut fries, covered with the restaurant's house seasoning, are among the popular side dishes. The wings are available in bone-in and boneless versions, with different sauces including classic Buffalo. Klein's role in the business is expected to grow further. At present, his father holds the majority ownership of the restaurant group so that he can sign legal documents for the business. That arrangement will change when Gage turns 18. For now, the teenager is already looking ahead. He has plans to continue opening more restaurants. His father believes his son stands out from other teenagers. "He's definitely a one of a kind kid," Kris Klein said, as quoted by AOL.
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