Marriott Contest Winner To Fill Space With Pop-Up Pizza Restaurant
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- When the Marriott Hotel near Camden Yards realized it had a sliver of space off the lobby that would work well as a place for a pop-up restaurant, it held a competition to fill that space. Now, WJZ's Mike Schuh introduces the winner.
The space was an underused meeting room right off the lobby. Marriott held a contest to take an up-and-comer and put them across the street from Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Coincidentally, Megan Lanasa ran a successful portable pizza oven food truck called "BricknFire." She won the competition, but remembers the interviews with the finalists.
"I was so nervous. I had to sit down with everybody. They said you could sit or stand, and I ended up sitting with everybody because I thought I could calm down a little bit more," said Lanasa.
Years of making pizza with her mobile ovens have left Lanasa with a half dozen pies that are delicious. Her signature is "The Foodie."
Marriott gave Lanasa $75,000 to build out the space, but she only has six months guaranteed. Then, the hotel will see if she's still cutting it.
"Now I have to keep it open. There's no other option," Lanasa said.
The grand opening is Saturday. Food specials and a local brewery will be on hand from 1 to 4 p.m.