Child entrepreneur opens pizza shop with Caribbean twist in Brooklyn
FLATBUSH, Brooklyn (PIX 11) -- A young entrepreneur is bringing even more Caribbean flavor to Flatbush, opening a pizza shop with a Caribbean twist at 11 years old.
Sebastian Wilson is already making waves in the Flatbush food scene with his brand-new pizzeria, Sebastian's Spices and Slices. He's learning the ropes from his parents, who are entrepreneurs themselves and who inspired him to start his own business venture.
"My mom works a lot, and I want to work a lot so I could, like, get my own money," said Wilson. "My parents are hard workers, and I just want to be a hard worker like them."
But Sebastian's Spices and Slices is not your average pizza shop. It's a celebration of Caribbean culture, with each slice offering a taste of Trinidad and Grenada, where his mom and stepdad were born.
Wilson is putting his own twist on the beloved New York slice with toppings like oxtail, jerk chicken, and saltfish — recipes he was raised on.
"My mom taught me how to do the recipes," Wilson said. "I used to eat those sometimes and they were good, yeah, my mom used to cook them all the time".
The sixth grader is already learning the art of balancing school and business. Because of his young age and child labor laws, he's limited in how much he can work, but he still helps out by doing chores and occasionally making pizzas. He's also part of key decisions, from designing the store to brainstorming ways to grow his brand.
Although his parents are currently leading the way, they're laying the foundation for Sebastian to eventually take the reins himself.
"I kind of want to be there with him, and obviously, there's a time I'll have to let go, but I'm trying to provide the things that maybe my parents provided for me and more," said Natalie Lamming, Wilson's mother.
For now, Sebastian hopes his journey will inspire other young entrepreneurs to chase their dreams, regardless of age.
"It doesn't matter what age you are," he said. "You can still have your dreams come true,".
Sebastian's Spices and Slices opened two weeks ago at 1828 Nostrand Avenue in Flatbush.