Chef Marc Bynum Opens The Pie Hole In Farmingdale

FARMINGDALE, NY — When chef Marc Bynum opened his Hush Ramen Truck in January — around Martin Luther King Day — to rejuvenate his culinary journey, he said he had a dream.

"And my dream was to again have a space and begin to build again," Bynum told Patch.

Bynum realized that dream nine months later when he opened The Pie Hole, at 850 Main Street, Farmingdale, next to Ralph's Ices.

"Just let people know when you set out to do something and you focus on it, you can do it," Bynum said. "As much as people might say ‘no,’ they might tell you that you can’t, as long as you do it and you plan it out, it can happen."

Bynum still has the Hush Truck — parked in the same lot as his pizzeria — that he uses for events and catering. However, his main focus now is making sure The Pie Hole is successful.

The three-time "Chopped" champion was looking for a space to house his truck when he saw his current digs became available. The building previously housed Red Volpe and Ralph's Slices pizzerias, neither of which ultimately worked out.

But Bynum believes The Pie Hole will offer something different in a town that has plenty of competition in the pizza game.

“It’s a different take on a pizza," he said. "If you go to all these other places, you’ll see their traditional toppings. You’re not going to see somebody who has a jerk chicken slice, an oxtail slice, or a birria slice. We really pay attention and pay homage to the ingredients."

Bynum said he and his staff are figuring certain things out now, but the eatery will be serving food that people know and love.

"The food quality that people expect from a Marc Bynum Concepts event or facility.”

The Pie Hole was named such because it brings the two themes of the restaurant — food and music — full circle.

"It’s a play on words, just like speakeasy," Bynum said. "The Pie Hole is to fill your mouth. Whatever goes in your mouth. Whatever type of food. Whatever me and my chefs create, that’s what we’re going to do."

The chef has always incorporated music into his logos, even all the way back to Hush Bistro.

"I think that everything that I do always goes back to my culture, always goes back to hip-hop, always goes back to music. With The Pie Hole, it just brings everything full circle with the music to food, the food to music.”

The pizzas on the menu are named after musicians and incorporate the rare pizza toppings that Bynum hopes will become synonymous with The Pie Hole. The Anthony Hamilton, for example, is a pizza with braised short rib, cornbread, collard greens and short rib jus. The Caribbean Queen (Billy Ocean) features jerk chicken, grilled pineapples, plantains and hibiscus BBQ sauce. People can also get a classic cheese or pepperoni slice should they choose.

The pizzeria also offers appetizers, such as salads, meatballs and wings. There are also a few entrees on the menu, ranging from a couple of burgers to ribs and chicken parm.

Bynum will be playing hip-hop, jazz and blues in the eatery, and he hopes to get some local artists to play live music on occasion.

"It’s a watering hole. It’s a full circle. It’s not just a pie hole, but it’s also the pi: the mathematical symbol. Coming full circle."

Bynum owned Hush Bistro in Farmingdale before relocating to Huntington for a larger store. He helped open MB Ramen, also in Huntington, but he left his two restaurants in 2018 to work full-time at Fatwood Southern Kitchen in Bay Shore.

Bynum then took a three-year hiatus from the restaurant scene where he was doing consulting work. A chef at heart, Bynum realized he wanted to return to food.

He opened The Hush Ramen Truck in January and then opened The Pie Hole earlier in October.

Bynum, after opening his food truck, said he was humbled by his experiences in the culinary world and was aiming to rewrite the script in an uphill battle.

Now, once again owning a brick-and-mortar store, Bynum said he is still rewriting. And he'll always be rewriting.

"This is something totally different," he said. "I’m rewriting it. I’m enjoying the journey. I think with the staff that I have, the food that I have, and being not so hands-off, but allowing to grow and do. It’s a different agenda for me. I want to enjoy everything that I do. I don’t want to get too big too fast. But I also know I have to grow in order for me to have the bougie lifestyle that I like.”

Bynum urged people to stay tuned for more information from The Pie Hole on his Instagram account or MarcBynumConcepts.com. Catering is still a very large part of what he does, he said.