Leslie Polizzotto is New York City’s Willy Wonka of Doughnuts
📸: MSNBC News
Discs of fried dough, frosted or stuffed, are the ultimate crowd pleaser. But here in New York, everything has to be a cut above the rest, and The Doughnut Project, led by owner and doughnut visionary Leslie Polizzotto embodies New York’s doughnut elitism. Polizzotto always had a love for food and wanted to get into the business somehow but knew she wouldn’t be able to open a restaurant.
“An opportunity was presented to help a person open a doughnut shop, and I got involved thinking I would just be a silent partner. But I ended up leaving practicing law to open The Doughnut Project.”
-Leslie Polizzotto
The classics like glazed and chocolate frosted doughnuts are on The Doughnut Project’s daily menu, and they’re excellent; but their near-perfection is upstaged by the unique, original creations Polizzotto has engineered at her workshop like the Willy Wonka of doughnuts. The only difference is, The Doughnut Project is no giant factory and there aren’t different rooms for each creation; it’s all done in a kitchen the size of a one-bedroom apartment. Take ‘The Everything Doughnut’ for example, which takes on the form of an everything bagel and the function of a confectionary dream. Coated in cream cheese glaze and covered with everything seasoning, it baffles and enchants the mind above every mouth it enters. Polizzotto’s favorite on the daily menu is the nostalgic PB&J Doughnut.
Her passion for Doughnuts even comes down to the spelling. When we asked Leslie why she spells it as “Doughnut” vs. “Donut” she said:
We always say “how do you spell dough?” and people then recognize that “DOUGHnut” is the correct spelling!
But perhaps the most outstanding aspect of Polizzotto’s work at The Doughnut Project is her willingness to take risks. Each weekend, she drops at least two limited edition specials, often in collaboration with other food or beverage brands. A chance to collaborate with Leslie is like her version of a golden ticket. “I get approached, I'd say 99% of the time people reach out to me, and I only reject something if it just does not make sense for the brand. If it's relating to food or something that translates into a food flavor, I'm all for it. But I tend to not want to do any collaborations that just don't make sense for a doughnut brand,” said Polizzotto. “I would say my favorites have been all of our alcohol collaborations and then the pepperoni pizza collab with hormel.”
One such collaboration was the Dark ‘n Stormy® Crème Brûlée Doughnut that we’re not-so-patiently awaiting the return of. The Doughnut Project teamed up with Gosling’s Rum to turn its famous cocktail into a doughnut. A ginger, lime, and rum curd filling tasted exactly like the cocktail, even contributing the same kind of tingle you get in the back of the throat while drinking one. A caramelized rum brûlée top provided a satisfying, sugary crackle to every bite. “Doughnut Drops were an idea that I had every weekend to do something new, so that it would bring people in each weekend. And it really took off and our following and customer base grew. And it became expected that every weekend we would have something new, so it kind of had a life of its own. And we're up to the challenge on meeting the creativity each week,” said Polizzotto. The boundless creativity and flawless execution oozing out of each doughnut is what keeps us coming back to The Doughnut Project hungry for more.
And the best is still yet to come. Like Leslie’s own team of oompa loompa’s, next week, we’ll be announcing a TDP collaboration that will change the way you think of doughnuts forever. Stay tuned for more on our Instagram page and make sure your 8it app notifications are turned on!
8it-Worthy Doughnut Recommendations from The Doughnut Project:
Ricotta-filled Beet Glaze recommended by Steve8it
The 8it: “First doughnut I ever fell in love with.”
Cereal Milk Doughnut recommended by Steve8it
The 8it: “A salty, sweet, crispy delicious doughnut innovation…and VEGAN!”
Everything Doughnut recommended by Chef Carl Ruiz
The 8it: “Pretty weird concept, but I totally get it.”
