Pasta By Hudson: Here's What Happened After Appearing On Shark Tank

After cutting his teeth in the restaurant industry over more than 17 years, including time as a managing director at Trattoria Dell 'Arte in New York City, Brandon Fay wanted to set out on his own. He envisioned a concept for a quick-service pasta bar and spent $350,000 opening his first location in Columbus Circle. While there is no shortage of places to order traditional Italian fare in the Big Apple, Fay thought the high foot traffic spot was perfect for attracting hungry folks to try out his fast-casual cuisine. It was named Pasta by Hudson, after his daughter, Hudson.

Still, Fay knew he couldn't do it alone. Although the taste of the food was wowing customers, leading to word-of-mouth recommendations, the company was just making ends meet. Despite his extensive knowledge of the culinary industry, he still ran into unforeseen hurdles on occasion, which led to some operational costs being higher than anticipated. What he needed was cash to jumpstart his fledgling pasta business and transform it into a pasta empire. He also sought guidance from someone with more business knowledge than himself regarding his desired expansion. By appearing on ABC's "Shark Tank," Fay hoped to accomplish both goals in one fell swoop.

When Fay entered the tank with an infectious energy that immediately got the sharks interested in his pitch. Avoiding the mistake of not declaring his offer like the ENERGYbits founder did with her appearance on the show, Fay began by stating his ask: $150,000 for 10% of his company. He then introduced the sharks to a new way of looking at pasta: quick-serve. Within minutes, customers could walk away with a tasty pasta dish served in a to-go container for $9 to $13.

After trying some of Fay's samples, everyone was impressed. Barbara Corcoran even said, "This is the best meatball I've ever had," (via Hulu). Diving into the numbers, Fay explained that he had year-to-date sales of $590,000, but the business was only predicted to break even by the year's end. However, he projected that the company would be profiting over a million dollars the following year.

Daymond John bowed out of the negotiations because he couldn't eat the cuisine without agitating his acid reflux. Kevin O'Leary was next to jump ship because it was too early in the company's trajectory to franchise. Three sharks were left and they all wanted a piece of Pasta by Hudson.

Corcoran's fascination with the meatballs led her to offer $150,000 for 50% of the meatball business, thinking that selling the superior meatball to the masses was the best path forward. Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner were interested in the existing company, and the duo made an offer for 30% equity, with Cuban taking 20% for $100,000 and Greiner securing 10% for $50,000. Fay enthusiastically took the deal.

The episode of "Shark Tank" featuring Pasta by Hudson aired in March of 2020 but filmed well before. This meant that, when the deal was made, nobody was anticipating the effects of the looming COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, simply being on "Shark Tank" often results in a significant sales boost, as illustrated by Electra Beverages' appearance on the program. Yet, there was no way to capitalize on that in early 2020. In an interview with The Observer, Fay said, "We must have had several hundred thousand people jump to our website that night ... but the world was shut down."

Just like every other food service operation in NYC during that time, Fay's company had to somehow make a profit while working under shelter-in-place orders. Still, Fay's enthusiasm for the business never faltered. By pivoting to delivery, he managed to keep Pasta by Hudson afloat. His strong ties to the community also led him to donate meals to frontline workers with the assistance of Greiner.

By 2021, Fay had moved from his old location in Columbus Circle to a spot in Chelsea. He also expanded his menu, cooking up pizzas and pairing them with beer and wine. Fay's cuisine continued to be featured in the media, with appearances on CBS's morning program in New York and reviews from established media figures like Dave Portnoy of "Barstool Sports." It seemed like the worst was over and the best was yet to come.

While Pasta by Hudson retains a 4.2-star rating on Yelp, the website indicates that customers say the business is no longer operational. The company's website now redirects to eatlocalrestaurants.com, making it impossible to place an order. Pasta by Hudson still has an active social media presence, but it appears to be promoting another business these days: The Perry Club.

The Perry Club is open seven days a week and currently features catering for various events, boozy brunch parties, and something dubbed a "drunk pizza making class." It also hosts comedians and late-night events, as well as an elaborate menu featuring classic Italian appetizers, pizzas, bruschetta, and pasta dishes with house-made sauce promoted with the tagline "As Seen On Shark Tank."

All signs indicate that Fay has shifted focus to make his new restaurant align with a casual bar scene, bringing his signature cuisine alongside spirited beverages. It's not clear why Fay made this pivot, but if The Perry Club's active social media presence and 3.9-star rating on Yelp is any measure of customer satisfaction, it may have been an ingenious move.

Fay's Pasta by Hudson could one day return as a standalone establishment, but it seems that for the time being, he is perfectly content promoting The Perry Club. Customers seem pleased with the new restaurant as well. With an abundance of comments on Yelp like, "I love THE PERRY CLUB !!! pizza super thin crust enjoyable A+ great service, " and "My favorite go to place for comfort pasta and pizza. Brandon the owner is welcoming and had the best energy," Fay may have found his true calling in The Perry Club.

Sometimes, things take a turn that we least expect, and whatever the reason that made him tweak his restaurant model, Fay seems to have embraced the change in atmosphere. Had he taken Corcoran's offer on "Shark Tank," he would have had to pivot then as well, ceasing his normal operations to instead focus on selling his delicious meatballs through retail avenues. His most recent venture with The Perry Club proves that even when things don't go as planned, the ability to be flexible and adapt to an ever-changing world can sometimes be more advantageous than all the business know-how in the universe.