Shannon Scalza
General Manager of CommonWealth, The People’s Gastropub

Shannon Scalza is the General Manager of CommonWealth, The People’s Gastropub, located in the heart of Columbia Heights at 1400 Irving St. NW, Washington, DC. CommonWealth is a neighborhood pub & restaurant which brings tradition to the table with such classics as Scotch eggs & black pudding while promoting sustainable, locally sourced food for a farm to table approach. CommonWealth also boasts an assortment of UK and commonwealth brews and food friendly approachable wines from the US and EU.

Scalza, a New Jersey native, always loved the food and hospitality industry and credits her mother for the desire to entertain and care for people, through delicious homemade meals. Even before Scalza entered the industry, she never had weekends off – on Saturday & Sunday mornings she would be in the kitchen cooking with her mother and three sisters. Coming from an Italian/Irish Catholic background, the Scalza family’s meals would vary, and could include homemade manicotti, chicken marsala, pasta fagioli, pot roast, chicken and dumplings, and of course corned beef and cabbage on special holidays.

Scalza attended Johnson & Wales University and graduated with an Associate’s degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelors degree in Food Service Management. Following graduation, Scalza went on to manage at The Bistro on The Biltmore Estate in Ashville, NC. After the Biltmore, Scalza worked for The Hyatt in banquets, executing large and small functions. Just prior to managing CommonWealth, Scalza managed the José Andrés mezze restaurant, Zaytinya, in the Penn Quarter of Washington, DC, for over two years, where she learned about Turkish, Lebanese and Greek food, wine and culture. At CommonWealth, Scalza continues to expand her vast knowledge of food, beverage and operations.