5 minute read
FROM SEA TO SKY
An abundance of fresh seafood and veggies make the bowl game a top seller, with the Bogus Basin Bowl being the number one selling menu item. Photo courtesy of Paddles Up Poké.
Paddles Up Poké Owner Dan Landucci on Food and Family
By April Neale
For Paddles Up Poké owner Dan Landucci, where there’s a will, there’s a wave. Or, that’s how it has always seemed. His connection to the ocean runs deep. “My great uncle is Earl Ebert, an original scuba diver who traveled the world with Jacques Cousteau. There’s a statue of him at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. And a lot of my extended family are marine biologists and fishermen,” Landucci said.
In fact, Landucci explained, he grew up fishing with his uncle, whose business partner was Hawaiian. When the trio fished the San Francisco Bay, Landucci was introduced to poké. “I was a pescatarian for a long time. I always had a passion for seafood. But poke has just been my favorite food since I can remember. I love the freshness of it,” he explained.
But Landucci’s love for food began even earlier. His grandfather and his Assyrian grandmother, the sole survivor in her family of the 1914 genocide, shaped his love for food, entrepreneurship, and taking care of people.
“I was super blessed to have great grandparents. I did not have a good home life with my dad, and my mom sent me to live with my grandparents at a young age. They were amazing; sadly, they’re both passed now. My grandfather, Sam Joseph, was an entrepreneur; his main business was as a general contractor, and it was all self-made. My grandmother was super organized. From a very young age, they taught me to work hard for what I want, push myself, and be the best version of me with a ‘sky’s the limit’ mentality,” Landucci explained.
Landucci’s family remembers him reselling bulk ice creams from Costco in his neighborhood and making deals with neighbors with fruit trees to cut them in on his fruit basket-making business at age eight.
“Growing up in California, everyone has a fruit tree. I would approach them and tell them, ‘Hey, I’m making fruit baskets. I’ll give you a 10% cut if you let me get your fruit,” Landucci explained. “And so they let me pick their fruit, I’d sell fruit baskets. I always had the passion to be that entrepreneur, and it was only a matter of time before I started selling food for a living.”
Although he started as a marketing executive at Hawley Troxell upon graduating from Boise State University, Landucci wanted to follow Sam’s advice and bet on himself. “It was only a matter of time before I started selling food for a living. Paddles Up Poké was a business plan created at Boise State for a project. It was and is a lot of work,” he said.
The idea came as a result of what Landucci perceived was lacking in downtown Boise. Craving poké everyday, he noticed few healthy food options, particularly for those with shorter lunch breaks. The solution? Landucci found the location on 9th Street, “and it’s been a home run ever since.”
Non-fish-loving folks have a lot of options too. “We have great chicken bowls, shrimp, and crab. And our Kalua Pork Bowl with macaroni salad and shredded cabbage—a Hawaiian bento box in a bowl. Slow roast for 16 hours, tested in a few popups, and sold out within an hour!” Landucci exclaimed. There are also choices for vegan guests.
And, the menu is always in development. Landucci explained that they’ve partnered with Boise State Athletics, which allows them to test out a lot of items on diverse eaters. Look for a new item launching in Spring 2024 when Paddles Up opens a new store in Eagle.
Now, Landucci hopes to explore additional opportunities, including a hot wings concept called Tsunami Sam’s, named for his grandfather, a WWII veteran who fought in the Navy. “He liked to talk about all his stories on his ship. He was also a talented cook, teaching me everything I know about cooking,” he said.
“Both of my grandparents had a heart for their community and people. I’ve always had a heart for Boise and this community; that’s why I’ve been able to and wanted to give back so much,” Landucci said. “It’s helped me grow as a business owner and as a person.”
