Introduction to Crust Fund Pizza

Background

RAVENSWOOD — For the past five years, John Carruthers has been slinging homemade tavern-style pizzas from an undisclosed Ravenswood alley to help raise money for local charities. His project, called Crust Fund Pizza, has raised nearly $100,000 in donations since August 2020 — and Carruthers is celebrating that milestone with an exclusive giardiniera, caviar and Italian beef pizza that’s going for over $3,000.

The Hundo Pizza

The special pizza will go to the customer that gets Crust Fund Pizza past that six-figure donation mark, so Carruthers is dubbing it “The Hundo.” The Hundo starts with a 60-day dry-aged ribeye sourced from Publican Quality Meats butcher Rob Levitt. The meat is then given “the Italian Beef treatment” by Carruthers, whose family has a “really precious” Italian beef recipe, he said.

Ingredients and Preparation

“My mom and aunts would go around and make Italian beef for weddings, even though we’re not Italian, but that’s a whole other story,” Carruthers said. “And I thought, ‘Well, I can marry that with just my love of really good butchery and steak.’” The ‘za is laced with “a briny backbone of caviar” — it’s “the most luxurious condiment you can think of,” Carruthers said — and sweet peppers glazed with aceto balsamico. It comes with a carafe of rich beef jus on the side.

Concept and Purpose

“The idea was to do something excessive, but within the realm of something that still makes sense, and it’s not just ludicrous for its own sake,” Carruthers said. “Something that’s delicious and purposeful, but also leans pretty heavy into the occasion.”

Since August 2020, John Carruthers has been making and selling pizzas from a Ravenswood alley. Credit: Provided/Crust Fund Pizza

Pricing and Availability

Right now, The Hundo is going for $3,376.33 — which means if someone donates that amount to The Friendship Center, a local food pantry and Carruthers’ charity of choice, he’ll make the pizza for them. “I live in a neighborhood that’s pretty well known as sleepy and quiet and well-off … but you go by The Friendship Center when they’re offering services and there is constantly a large demand and need,” Carruthers said. “Food insecurity is such a pervasive issue that doesn’t necessarily get the attention of other things.”

Ongoing Charity Work

As Crust Fund Pizza continues to raise money for charity with its monthly pop-ups, the price for The Hundo could drop, Carruthers said. “If no one snaps it up right away, I have a regular drop later this month, and the amount it’ll take to get this pizza goes down by that much,” Carruthers said. “I mean, theoretically it could go down to $1. It probably won’t but … we’ll find the exact FOMO line of somebody who wants to make a big donation.”

Ordering Process

Carruthers posts pizza menus on Instagram, and the link to order them is on his page. Once people donate to a local charity and place an order, they’re sent all the information they need to pick up the pizza, including the coordinates to the secret alley.

Conclusion

While Carruthers has gone on to release cookbooks and star on Food Network’s “Chopped,” he sees Crust Fund Pizza as a way “to get out into a dark Chicago alley and meet people who make you feel good every month.” “If one person has to put caviar on a pizza to feed a bunch of people who need … it shows there’s a lot we can all do to help,” he said. “The people who’ve raised this first $96,000 and change over these past almost five years, it’s this monthly reconfirmation of how good people are in this city and how much people care.”

FAQs

What is Crust Fund Pizza?

Crust Fund Pizza is a project started by John Carruthers to raise money for local charities by selling homemade tavern-style pizzas from an undisclosed Ravenswood alley.

How much has Crust Fund Pizza raised?

Crust Fund Pizza has raised nearly $100,000 in donations since August 2020.

What is The Hundo pizza?

The Hundo is a special pizza created to celebrate the milestone of raising nearly $100,000. It features a 60-day dry-aged ribeye, giardiniera, caviar, and Italian beef, and is priced at $3,376.33.

How can I order The Hundo pizza?

To order The Hundo pizza, you need to donate $3,376.33 to The Friendship Center, a local food pantry, and then place an order through Carruthers’ Instagram page.

What is the purpose of Crust Fund Pizza?

The purpose of Crust Fund Pizza is to raise money for local charities and to bring people together to make a positive impact in the community.