Binding Agents: A Cook/Book Shop
908 Christian StreetJoin Binding Agents for an evening with Muhammad Abdul-Hadi, the founder of Down North Pizza and author of the new book We the Pizza: Slangin' Pies and Savin' Lives. Down North is a mission-driven restaurant that exclusively hires formerly incarcerated individuals and serves up pies with a purpose right here in Philadelphia.
Alongside recipes for Down North's signature pies and other dishes (including a whole chapter devoted to vegetarian and vegan creations!), We the Pizza offers insights into the history of incarceration in America, the critical work to build resilient communities, and gorgeous photographs.
The talk will be held at Binding Agents (908 Christian St.) and followed by a signing.
Guests may choose a ticket with or without a copy of the book; prices are inclusive of fees and pizza samples. Tickets for this intimate event are non-refundable. Entrance to the shop requires one step up. Please contact us at hello@bindingagentsphilly.com with any questions or accessibility needs; we'd be happy to help.
ABOUT THE BOOK
We the Pizza tells the Down North story about how the restaurant fulfills its mission to educate and support the formerly incarcerated while serving dope food. A testament to survival and second chances, this cookbook offers recipes for the tender, crispy-edged, square-cut, sauce-on-top pies that are Down North’s signature dish; a whole chapter is devoted to vegetarian and vegan pizzas like No Better Love made with four cheeses and the arrabbiata-inspired Norf Sauce, while the meat and seafood pizza chapter features their most popular Roc the Mic pepperoni pie as well as the smoky berbere-brisket Tales of a Hustler and Say Yes, topped with jerk turkey sausage, roasted butternut squash, kale, ricotta, and lemon-honey drizzle.
The 65 recipes for pizzas along with classic and creative wings, fries, lemonades, and shakes are paired with cinematic photography of the pizzas in their natural setting and out in the wilds of Philadelphia, with lots of journalistic-style photography of the Down North crew making dough and slinging pies. At the same time, We the Pizza provides detailed historical information about incarceration in the United States along with empowering stories from Down North’s formerly incarcerated staff. And with exclusive pizza recipes from renowned chef-supporters like Marc Vetri and Marcus Samuelsson, We the Pizza celebrates ingeniously delicious pizza, as well as the power people have to rise above their circumstances—if simply given the chance.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Muhammad Abdul-Hadi is the Founder and Owner of Down North Pizza, a mission-driven restaurant that exclusively hires formerly incarcerated individuals and serves up pies with a purpose in Philadelphia. Leveraging his academic background in criminal justice and experiences as an entrepreneur, Muhammad embarked on a path to reimagine a business leader’s role in supporting underserved communities. Through fair wages, innovative hiring practices, and community building, he is on a mission to help reduce recidivism rates across the city of Philadelphia and beyond.
Muhammad’s outstanding contributions earned him The James Beard Foundation’s 2024 Leadership Award, recognizing achievement by individuals actively working to set standards that create more equitable, just, sustainable, and economically viable food systems. Muhammad also sat on The James Beard Foundation’s Legacy Network Cohort, an honor bestowed upon emerging leaders in the culinary industry. He is the author of We The Pizza, a Clarkson Potter-published cookbook. Alongside cinematic photography and award-winning recipes, We the Pizza will tell the Down North story about how the restaurant fulfills its mission to educate and support the formerly incarcerated. Muhammad is the Founder of Down North Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on community development, education, and improvement. His latest initiative includes the Down North Treehouse, a communal space built from a refurbished library, aiming to address the school-to-prison pipeline by empowering students to find purposeful and financially rewarding careers in the tech sector. Muhammad hopes to spread the mission of Down North throughout the country, uplifting similar communities by addressing the barrier to success through employment opportunities and neighborhood initiatives.
Thu, Apr 24, 2025 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Binding Agents: A Cook/Book Shop
908 Christian Street
Binding Agents is Philly's bookshop for cooks and eaters. Located in South Philly’s culinary epicenter, the 9th Street Italian Market, we’re your go-to source for new cookbooks and food-focused reads, plus gifts and goods for making, serving and enjoying. We’re independent, women-owned, fun & funky. Learn more at bindingagentsphilly.com.
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