Fox Lane Grad Opens Restaurant, Plans Mobile Catering

Daniel Galli took over Mix It Up—an eight-year-old salad boutique on Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains—just three months ago, but he has big plans.

"I'm going to open up a second location in Greenwich, plus buy a vehicle for a mobile catering business," said Galli, a 27-year-old Bedford Village resident, Fox Lane alumnus and graduate of the culinary program at Putnam-Northern Westchester BOCES in Yorktown.

Galli started out his post-college career—he graduated from Pace University with a degree in finance—at Wachovia Bank (now Wells Fargo). He said he enjoyed being a broker there but seized the opportunity to own a business.

Mix it Up offers customers a design-your-own salad option—offering an array of greens, including arugula, iceburg and mesclun, vegetables and toppings like nuts and cheeses. The eatery offers paninis and greek yogurt with a variety of mix-ins.

Galli said he'll spend the next few months gathering data for the launch of a second location and a mobile catering business he can bring to any location in Westchester and Fairfield.

If his current customer base is any indication, Mix it Up is taking off. White Plains resident Jackie Zirman stood in line for her customized salad on a recent lunchtime visit. "It's fresh, and it tastes good," she said.