Gage Klein was taking orders, cooking food and working the register at his West York restaurant on a recent afternoon. The catch- he is only 16 and is already running his second restaurant while attending high school.
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According to AOL, Driftwood at the Fairgrounds in West York located at 1277 W. Market St., serves burgers, cheesesteaks, subs, hand-cut fries, wings and other items. The West York restaurant is Klein's second Driftwood location. His first, Driftwood at the Lake, opened more than a year ago in the Lake Meade community in Adams County. Both restaurants are part of a business built by the Klein family.
Klein, who lives in West Manchester Township, said he and his father, Kris, wanted to expand beyond the Lake Meade community and reach more customers. They considered several possible locations, including places in Hanover and East Berlin, before finding a small restaurant space in West York. The site had previously been home to Steak Out.
Interest in cooking started at home
Klein's interest in food began well before he started running restaurants. He said he has always had a passion for cooking, and his interest grew through spending time in the kitchen with his mother, Stacey.
She would often prepare pasta for dinner. One day, Klein asked if he could make the sauce himself. His mother agreed, and after tasting it, she told him it was better than hers.
That experience led the two to prepare more meals together. Over time, Klein began making a wider variety of dishes, including deviled eggs, boneless wings and traditional fettuccine Alfredo.
One of the dishes he is particularly proud of came from an idea he had while he was bored. Klein created a grilled cheese pizza, topped with pieces of a grilled cheese sandwich.
The unusual pizza is served at the Lake Meade restaurant during winter, when tomato soup is also on the menu. So far, only one customer has ordered the speciality pizza. But that customer gave it a positive review, calling it "a great pizza."
Klein plans to attend culinary school after graduating from high school because he believes he still has a lot to learn about cooking.
He has also expressed an interest in travelling to countries including Italy and Germany so he can experience food prepared in its country of origin.
