Originally published in the April/May 2003 issue of Saint Charles Business Magazine

A Bigger Piece of the Pie

From Pizza to Catering, Enger has a Recipe for Success

Kurt Enger never envisioned being in the food business for a lifetime. When he took the job as a manager of the first Cecil Whittaker's Pizzeria franchise in St. Louis at the age of 21, he was still looking for that "life-altering career."

As it turns out, managing Cecil Whittaker's did alter his life. In a good way, and, in a big way. Two years after Enger joined the Cecil's management staff, he found himself wanting more of the pizza pie. He purchased his first franchise in 1985, when he was 23, and never looked back.

Enger now owns River City Food, Inc., with his wife, Barb. The company includes six Cecil Whittaker's franchises — five in St. Charles County and one in St. Louis — along with River City Catering and Banquets.

"It's a great business," says Enger, adding that, as with any retail business, it's hard work and long hours. "But we have ddedicated employees who help us make both the franchises and the catering business work."

Catering is relatively new to the River City Food family business. Enger was childhood friends with Steve Tornatore, who owned Tornatore's Ristorante, and then Tornatore's Catering in St. Peters. When Tornatore decided to get out the restaurant and catering business, Enger got the chef, the catering sales manager, and the menu with Tornatore's blessing, creating River City Catering and Banquets.

In addition to serving several selections from the Tornatore family recipes, the company also specializes in creating custom menus designed with the individual customer in mind. That's where Catering Sales Manager George Duvenick, a seasoned pro in the catering business, comes in. "I love challenges in the catering business," said Duvenick. "Whether it's a group of 5, 55 or 555, we'll make your party a success."

"The catering business has been a natural progression for us," said Kevin Enger, Kurt's brother, who is general manager of the company. "It is a nice complement to what we already have with the restaurants, and provides us with a way to grow and serve St. Charles County."

Kevin Enger has worked with his brother for 15 years, and is excited about the new spin catering puts on the business. "We now serve anything from hot dogs and brats at T.R. Hughes Ballpark (they recently were awarded the catering contract) to our signature dish — Sicilian-style beef tenderloin — at elegant dinner parties," he said. "We're comfortable catering anything from a birthday party to a business lunch, or from a St. Patrick's Day party to a wedding reception. Our staff has experience in it all."

Kurt Enger looks back on all the years he's spent with Cecil's and reflects: "It's been a great ride, and I'm looking forward to even better years to come. I couldn't have picked a better area to live and build and grow than St. Charles County."

By the way, there is no real "Cecil Whittaker." But that hasn't stopped Kurt Enger from believing in Cecil's pizza business. "I'm going to be doing this the rest of my life," he said, "and that's my choice. It's a great way to work!"