Harried And Hungry

Harried and Hungry has been owned by Harry Dziedzic since 2014, but he started working there long before. Yep—the name is kind of just an amazing coincidence, or perhaps it was fate! Harry moved out to Seattle when he was 19 and took a part-time job at Harried and Hungry. He’d just finished up his degree in audio recording, and was hoping to break into the industry in Seattle, but his restaurant roots were too strong and he quickly became an integral part of the H&H staff. When the owner Steve learned he had cancer, Harry took over all management of the cafe, and continued running it after Steve passed. Harry loved the restaurant industry and had a keen mind for business, and he knew he wanted to open up his own place. He applied to the UW Foster School of Business, and when he was accepted, he tendered his resignation at H&H. Steve’s parents, who’d been the owners since Steve passed, knew they couldn’t keep doing it without Harry, and offered him a sweetheart deal on buying the place. Harry realized that he could either go to school to learn how to run a business, or learn by doing at a cafe he’d come to love. Naturally, he bought Harried and Hungry! Harry had always been a passionate foodie, and knew that when he became the owner, he wanted to do things a little differently. He took what had been a pretty basic catering operation and turned it into a cafe and catering company that makes everything they possibly can in house, from scratch, with fresh local ingredients. Harry—now 27—has poured his heart into H&H, getting up at 3:30am to personally pack the catering orders, shop at local farmer’s markets, serve lunch, and experiment in the kitchen! And Harry’s wife Christina has worked beside him every step of the way, making H&H a truly family-owned and operated business.