Afleveringen

  • As we wrap up 2024, The Hot Slice Podcast with Pizza Today has featured some incredible guests from top pizza makers and pizzeria owners as well as the pizza industry’s thought leaders. The most popular episode of 2024 features Audrey Kelly. She co-owns of Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage in Boulder, Colorado. She is a World Pizza Champion, frequent speaker at International Pizza Expo and contributing writer for Pizza Today. Audrey is also an Ambassador for Women in Pizza.

    Let’s revisit the No. 1 The Hot Slice episode. Find out what Audrey has been up to lately with the business. She details the ins and outs of having a pasta sauce line in the retail space. She also goes into balancing business ownership and parenthood.

    Learn more about Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage at https://www.thepizzagarage.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/audreyjanespizza/.

  • The International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo 2025 is set to be the biggest and best pizza competition. Executive Editor Denise Greer went one-on-one with Jeremy Galvin, who along with Michael LaMarca oversee the competitions.

    Jeremy shares how the competition is changing in 2025 and steps the Master Pizza team is taking to improve the competitions and enhance the experience for competitors. We talk rules, expectations, adjusting to an increased number of competitors and tips.

    More on competitions at Pizza Expo: https://pizzaexpo.pizzatoday.com/competitions/

  • Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?

    Klik hier om de feed te vernieuwen.

  • During PizzaCon 2024 in Philadelphia, Executive Editor Denise Greer took the opportunity to sit down with various pizzeria operators in person to talk pizza shop. Conversations in this episode include:

    Corey DiGiovanni, Pie Society Pizza in Virginia Beach, Virginia – His mobile pizza company has a military base clientele. We talk about that unique market. We also talk Pie Society’s beginning.

    Rocky Shanower, Park Street Pizza, Baler Street and Dola Jean’s in Sugar Creek and Dover, Ohio -- We talk growing and testing new models. Rocky shares his newest concept Dola Jean’s, a Detroit-style pizzeria. We dive into making an impact with a 30-second customer interaction.

    Tony Fevola, Fevola’s Pizza in Lanoka Harbor, New Jersey, along with Chris Mitchell – Tony and Chris have teamed up to create the Pizza Roadtrip to visit pizza spots on New Jersey to share their stories. We also talk about the family business and what’s top of mind for Tony’s pizzeria.

    The podcast interviews took place during PizzaCon in Philadelphia, PA on November 7. Check out a recap of the event: Inaugural PizzaCon a Hit in Philadelphia https://pizzatoday.com/topics/industry-news/inaugural-pizzacon-a-hit-in-philadelphia/.

  • We caught up with this year’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year Weather Preston with her mom and business partner, Donna Grainger, at PizzaCon in Philadelphia. They, along with Jim Grainger, own the quirky and fun family-run pizzeria, Cross Eyed Cow Pizza sits on the iconic Route 66 in Oro, Grande, California.

    Weather has taken the reins to lead the pizzeria into the future. She was honored at PizzaCon as the recipient of the 2024 Young Entrepreneur of Year in the PIE Awards. More on the PIE Awards at https://pizzatoday.com/pie-awards/. We talk about the business and where she is taking it.

    We also talk creativity in Cross Eyed Cow Pizza and how it helps the business succeed. Weather explains her creative process and the focus on repurposing.

    The podcast interview took place during PizzaCon in Philadelphia, PA on November 7. Check out a recap of the event: Inaugural PizzaCon a Hit in Philadelphia https://pizzatoday.com/topics/industry-news/inaugural-pizzacon-a-hit-in-philadelphia/.  

  • This week, we talk with co-executive chefs and partners Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow at San Francisco-based Flour + Water to get the skinny on the direction their taking their highly successful pizza concept. Check out more details provided by Flour + Water:

    Thomas McNaughton, Co-Executive Chef & Founding Partner, Flour + Water Hospitality Group (Flour + Water, Flour +Water Pizzeria, Penny Roma, Flour + Water Pasta Shop)
    Thomas McNaughton, founding partner, co-chef and CEO of Flour +Water Hospitality Group, grew up in Southern New Jersey. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, then gained valuable experience working for Bay Area restaurants La Folie, Gary Danko and Quince. On his culinary journey, he also worked at a number of Michelin-rated restaurants in France, Germany and Italy, falling head over heels in love with the hand-rolled pastas of Bologna and the nonne that produce them. Thomas is relentlessly driven by the community of farmers, craftsmen and “creatives” that call the Bay Area home.

    Ryan Pollnow, Co-Executive Chef & Partner, Flour + WaterHospitality Group (Flour + Water, Flour + Water Pizzeria, Penny Roma, Flour + Water Pasta Shop)
    Ryan Pollnow, co-chef and vice president of the Flour + WaterHospitality Group, discovered a love for cooking and the micro seasons of the Bay Area while growing up in Northern California. Ryan completed culinary school in Sonoma County while working at restaurants and wineries to further develop his acumen in the field. He continued his education abroad at renowned restaurant Mugaritz in northern Spain before returning to the Bay Area. Traveling for culinary inspiration has always been an important part of his growth, and his time in Italy left a significant imprint on his love for seasonal cooking. Ryan led each FWHG kitchen individually as Chef de Cuisine before transitioning into his current role overseeing all culinary operations as co-executive chef.

    Flour + Water Pizzeria | Flour + Water Pizza Shop

    Flour + Water Pizzeria, 532 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133

    Flour + Water Pizza Shop, 1533 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133

    Co-Chefs: Thomas McNaughton, Ryan Pollnow

    Beverage Director: Samuel Bogue

    Director of Operations: Amanda Flores

    General Manager: Paige McNeil

    Hours: 11:30am to 10pm, daily

    fwpizzeria.com | @flourandwaterpizzeria

  • This week, we share our conversation with Nicole Bean, co-owner of Houston-based Pizaro’s Pizza Napoletana. During PizzaCon 2024 in Philly, Executive Editor Denise Greer had a lively conversation with Nicole about top-of-mind pizza business issues, taking on a leadership role in the pizza industry, multiple pizza style and using AI in the business and an in-depth talk about dialing AI prompts.

    Bill Hutchinson, wife Gloria and son Matt opened Pizaro’s in 2011. Nicole and husband Brad came on board in 2013. Today, Nicole is president of Pizaro’s, which operates two locations.

    In a previous Conversation in Pizza Today Magazine, Nicole said, “ There was a lot of education with customers during the first year and tons of feedback about wanting more toppings and a more substantial crust to hold those toppings from those who didn’t quite understand the concept of Napoletana pizza. We knew our Napoletana was great and didn’t take long to catch on here in Houston, but we wanted to give customers something more. After opening our second and larger location (closer to downtown) in 2015, I went out to San Francisco to Tony’s International School of Pizza to learn to make Detroit-style while also learning Chicago, New York and Sicilian. Matt and I launched Detroit six months after I got back from school. I used only social media and local press to spread the word on our newest baby. Response to our Detroit went better than expected and continues to grow. It was only a year ago (2017) that we launched New York-style, which took us 10 months of development with dough, tomatoes, cheese and market testing.”

    The podcast interview took place during PizzaCon in Philadelphia, PA on November 7. Check out a recap of the event: Inaugural PizzaCon a Hit in Philadelphia https://pizzatoday.com/topics/industry-news/inaugural-pizzacon-a-hit-in-philadelphia/.

  • Two years ago, Chris and Angela Woodbeck received the call that many operators have feared. Their beloved pizzeria, Mangia Macrina’s in New Hartford, New York was on fire. Worse, when they arrived, they found out it was arson.

    It has been a long road back as the couple are about to reopen the pizzeria in a new location in Utica, New York. They share their story of bringing their business back, the obstacles they’ve faced and the transition.

    Mangia Macrina’s also has a location in Little Falls, New York as well as operating a food truck that has been instrumental in entering their new market of Utica.

    Learn more about Mangia Macrina’s at https://mangiamacrinaswoodfiredpizza.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mangiamacrina/.

  • Katie Lee owns Katie’s Pizza & Pasta with three locations in the St. Louis, Missouri area. Recently, the pizza company scored a huge client for its frozen pizza line to be sold in Walmart grocery stores starting in mid-to-late 2025.

    We get into what went into such a lucrative retail deal. There is so much more to Katie Lee’s story. She shares her background, how she started her business and what led her into the frozen market.

    For more details on the Walmart deal, see the following release: Owner Katie Lee and Culinary Director Chef Jake Sanderson received the news onsite at Walmart headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, immediately following their pitch, which focused on Lee’s unrelenting drive to grow the brand and keep doing more to share their award-winning offerings with a wider audience. Only a fraction of the hundreds of businesses who pitch thousands of products during Walmart’s Open Call receive the prestigious Golden Ticket offer.

    “We did it! We got a Golden Ticket,” said Lee. “It’s the American dream come true, and we’re so proud to expand into Walmart. We’re so grateful to our St. Louis fans who have supported us as we started offering frozen pizzas through our restaurant business during the pandemic. We dreamed big and expanded into local grocery outlets, nationwide shipping, then moved into wider retail distribution, and now Walmart.”

    Katie’s is outperforming the strong frozen pizza category with over 100% growth year over year for the past three years, which is 10 times the growth of the entire category. What sets the Katie’s frozen pizza line apart is the team’s commitment to hand-crafting the premium artisan pizzas daily with scratch ingredients. Katie’s is the only restaurant of its size that makes pizzas and pastas by hand for retail, raising the bar on packaged frozen food. Going the extra mile ensures freshness and quality in every hand-stretched wood-fired pizza.

    Following the 2021 renovation of its frozen production facility, Katie’s frozen pizzas and pasta bakes became available at local St. Louis grocers Dierbergs Markets and Straubs. Growth continued with additional expansions into retailers including Fresh Market, Fresh Thyme, Kings-Balduccis, Mothers, Whole Foods Markets and more.

    About Katie’s Pizza & Pasta
    Katie’s Pizza & Pasta’s promise is to create moments of enjoyment between friends and family through passion-filled food and warm hospitality. Katie Lee’s dream to bring hand-made, in-house artisan and Neapolitan pizza to St. Louis began through one location under the ownership of her father, Tom Lee, in 2008. Today, KPP includes three locations. KPP Rock Hill opened in 2013 followed by the Town & Country location in 2017. The largest location opened in 2023 in downtown St. Louis’ Ballpark Village featuring a pasta-making station, wood-fired grill, expansive patio, private events space and in-house market selling to-go items. Katie’s portfolio of fresh and frozen pizzas, pastas and sauces are available at many grocery retailers and shipped nationwide. Since 2014, KPP’s “Giveback Tuesday” program has donated over $470,000 to St. Louis-based charities. To learn more and sign up for our newsletter visit KatiesPizzaAndPasta.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X to see the latest.

  • Today is one of the busiest days for pizzerias so the crew at Pizza Today bring you a lighthearted episode where Josh, Jeremy and Denise talk Halloween in pizzerias, favorite Halloween pizzas, interesting Halloween finds.

    Here is the infamous Halloween Pizza featuring candy corn: https://pizzatoday.com/recipes/pizzas/halloween-cookie-pizza/

    We also talk PizzaCon, happening next week in Philadelphia and the newly announce Pizza Expo Columbus.

    More on PizzaCon at https://pizzacon.com.

    Learn more about Pizza Expo Columbus at https://pizzatoday.com/topics/industry-news/pizza-today-international-pizza-expo-bring-national-pizza-show-to-columbus-in-2025/

    Have a great Halloween!

  • Miriam Weiskind has already amassed a huge following in the pizza industry with The Za Report. Now, she is set to open her first brick-and-mortar pizzeria, Yums of PDX in Portland, Oregon.

    If you are looking for an inspiring episode. This is it. Miriam brings so much energy and enthusiasm about her journey and the pizza community.

    Miriam’s background is in design and branding. But after capturing the NYC Pizza Run title, her pizza journey took off with Scott’s Pizza Tours where she spent 8 years leading pizza fans on pizza tours throughout New York City. In 2019, she began she began perfecting her pizza-making skills and at passion quickly sent her to into professional pizza-making when she found her first apprenticeship at Paul Gee’s in Brooklyn. As the COVID-19 Pandemic left many New Yorkers isolated, Miriam started making pizzas and giving them to first responders and people impacted by the shutdown.

    The Za Report pop-ups and pizza giving continued as Miriam gained national attention for her efforts. She was even featured on the Food Network series Chopped on a pizza showdown episode “Wanna Pizza Me” in 2023.

    All of that has led her to find the right opportunity in Portland, Oregon.

    Miriam goes in depth about her journey to a brick-and-mortar pizzeria and how integral her pizza mentors and apprenticeships were. Sit back and enjoy this extended The Hot Slice Podcast

    Learn more about The Za Report at https://www.thezareport.com/ and Yum’s of PDX at https://www.yumsofpdx.com/. Follow Yum’s of PDX on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/yumsofpdx/. Also follow The Za Report at https://www.instagram.com/thezareport/ .

    Show Notes:

    Are you a Pizzeria to Watch in 2025?

    Pizzerias to Watch feature looks at the total operation, from sales and employee programs to community outreach and marketing. We invite you to submit your pizzeria for our Annual Pizzerias to Watch feature.

    https://pizzatoday.com/pizzerias-to-watch-questionnaire/

    Register for PizzaCon, the fun new event is November 7 in Philadelphia. Registration is live, so secure your spot to attend today! Learn more about PizzaCon.

  • Denise goes one-on-one with Louise Joseph on life in her pizza truck business, Dough Girls in Greenwich, Connecticut. Dough Girls specializes in wood-fired pizza on the go.

    Dough Girls rolls to local events, fairs, festivals, farmers markets and private and corporate catering locations. Louise talks about what events and locations work for her business. We learn what makes for good consistency.

    What does it take to keep the pizza truck rolling? Louise shares the maintenance she focuses on to make sure her truck stays operational. We talk winter in a food truck in the Northeast, more weather and other challenges.

    Dough Girls has been going strong for nine years and Louise shares why she plans to continue her business in the truck and not a brick-and-mortar.

    Learn more about Dough Girls at https://www.doughgirlsonthego.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/doughgirlspizza/

  • This week, Denise and Josh chat with Robert Garvey, co-founder of Robert’s Pizza & Dough Co. in Chicago, Illinois. Robert had just returned from Italy, where his pizzerias was honored as a Top 50 of “The Best 100 Pizzerias in the World” by 50 Top Pizza. Robert's additionally received the special award for "Performance of the Year 2024 - Robo Award".

    We also talk about Robert’s picturesque location on the Ogden Slip on Lake Michigan, with an amazing patio.

    Robert is a New York native, entrepreneur, marine engineer, business owner, journalist, playwright, teacher and certified Pizzaioli from the Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli. He also shares how his love of dropping into a New York slice shop planted a seed to open Robert’s. We get into Robert’s Pizza & Dough Company’s origin start and the 25-year-old wild yeast starter.

    More on Robert’s Pizza & Dough Company:

    Founded by Robert Garvey and Dana Hokin Robert’s Pizza & Dough Company serves handcrafted thin-crust, artisan pies with fresh and unique ingredients. The secret is in the crust: a Garvey family recipe affectionately dubbed ‘Za Dough’ that took 20 years to perfect. Located on the Ogden Slip in Streeterville, Robert’s Pizza is a cul-de-sac on the river tucked away from the bustle of the city with an expansive patio featuring beautiful views of the Chicago River & Skyline. Robert’s Pizza is recognized as one of the Top 50 Pizzas in the USA by TOP50Italy and is regularly hailed as one of the top Pizzas in Chicago by revered critics like Steve Dolinsky and respected food publications including Eater Chicago and USA Today’s 10Best. Robert’s Pizza & Dough Company is located at 465 N. McClurg or 411 E Illinois Street in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood. For more information, visit: www.robertspizzacompany.com or find us on Facebook & Instagram @robertspizzaco.

    Show Notes:

    Friday, October 11 is National Sausage Pizza Day. Celebrate accordingly.

    It’s NATIONAL PIZZA MONTH, the best month of the year! Start planning now! We are here to help you plan to have the BIGGEST & BEST October National Pizza Month with the official NPM logo, graphics, fillable social media images, press release, customizable social media calendar, pizza fun facts and more. Go to the Toolkit.

    Register for PizzaCon, the fun new event is November 7 in Philadelphia. Registration is live, so secure your spot to attend today! Learn more about PizzaCon.

  • This week, Josh and Denise sit down with Jay Hansji, owner of Pizza Buzz in Watauga, Texas. He shares how one pizza catapulted his business into a huge 6,000-squre-foot building. He even tried to discontinue the pizza and the people revolted.

    Pizza Buzz is known for unique pizzas, from the famous pickle pizza and birria pizza to tandoori pizza and even customer creations as pizza of the month like the chicken parm pizza. We also talk about introducing Detroit-style pizza.

    We talk about what happened when Pizza Buzz moved from a small DELCO shop to a large sit-down eatery.

    Jay also shares the pizza he made for International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo. We talk competition pizzas.

    We talk about Jay’s background and how he was able to grow the business from using frozen dough to award-winning pizzas. Jay shares how the pizza community helped him progress.

    We close on advice Jay has for blossoming pizza makers.

    Learn more about Pizza Buzz at https://www.pizzabuzz.com/ and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/pizzabuzzfortworth/.

    Show Notes:

    It’s NATIONAL PIZZA MONTH, the best month of the year! Start planning now! We are here to help you plan to have the BIGGEST & BEST October National Pizza Month with the official NPM logo, graphics, fillable social media images, press release, customizable social media calendar, pizza fun facts and more. Go to the Toolkit.

    Register for PizzaCon, the fun new event is November 7 in Philadelphia. Registration is live, so secure your spot to attend today! Learn more about PizzaCon.

  • The Pizza Today crew is back together again. Jeremy, Denise and Josh hop on the podcast together for a special episode on the big 4th quarter for pizzerias and us. We’re here to help you get ready.

    We kick things off highlighting Pizza Expo’s newest event. PizzaCon, November 7 in Philadelphia. Registration is live, so secure your spot to attend today! Learn more about PizzaCon.

    October is NATIONAL PIZZA MONTH, the best month of the year! We go into some tips and ways for you to capitalize on pizza month. We are here to help you plan to have the BIGGEST & BEST October National Pizza Month with the official NPM logo, graphics, fillable social media images, press release, customizable social media calendar, pizza fun facts and more. Go to the Toolkit.

    The year’s homestretch is filled with additional revenue generating opportunities from pizza’s biggest sales days, catering, holiday parties and gift cards. You won’t want to miss out on these sales avenues. We’re also talking about staying fully staffed and avoiding burnout. Read Time to Gear Up for the Holiday Season at Your Pizzeria.

    As you can see, the 4th Quarter is a biggie. Let’s kick it off on the right foot with planning.

    We’re not all business. We have some fun with Halloween.

  • This week, Denise goes one-on-one with Rick Herman, CEO of Log Home Wood Fired Pizza in McGregor, Minnesota, with a population of 350 people. So how has this business thrived for 10 years? Rick dives into the pivotal anniversary, focus of the business and how he’s been able to engage the community.

    We also talk about the shifts the business has been required to make to operate in a hamlet dependent on tourism of northern Minnesota. Find out how he’s able to maximize winters.

    He also shares a fun pizza special tied to a scholarship that he created, along with other marketing tactics.

    We talk about the unique needs and operational considerations (like supply chain, delivery, growth) present in small town pizzerias. He offers advice on what to consider if you want to start a pizzeria in a small community.

    Learn more about Log Home Wood Fired Pizza at https://northwoodspizza.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/loghomepizza/

  • This week on The Hot Slice Podcast, Josh and Denise chat with Ryan Ososky, owner of DTown Pizzeria in Hollywood, California. He caught our attention on Instagram for marrying two great pizza styles into one: Detroit and Tavern. We get into how and why, as well as what the response has been.

    We dive into the challenges of the fickle Los Angeles market and how DTown grabs attention. Ryan is always floating new ideas out, including creating a dog-friendly pizza.

    Ryan has competed well at the International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. Find out what has worked well for him and how he’s capitalized on the wins in his shop.

    Ryan details how he plans to grow DTown

    Show Notes:

    October is NATIONAL PIZZA MONTH, the best month of the year! Start planning now! We are here to help you plan to have the BIGGEST & BEST October National Pizza Month with the official NPM logo, graphics, fillable social media images, press release, customizable social media calendar, pizza fun facts and more. Go to the Toolkit.

    Register for PizzaCon, the fun new event is November 7 in Philadelphia. Registration is live, so secure your spot to attend today! Learn more about PizzaCon.

  • It’s National Cheese Pizza Day, September 5. We celebrate the quintessential holy trinity of pizza, the cheese pizza. It is the classic combination of cheese, red pizza sauce and crust. Check out more on Cheese Pizza Day. Our guest today is thriving in one of the most competitive pizza markets in the world, New York City. Frank Kabatas has amazing story of building the American Dream. He actually tried his first pizza at the pizzeria where he would land his first job when he came to America in 1997. That first job was at the pizzeria he owns today, East Village Pizza.

    Listen to Frank share how he advanced in the pizza business. He details how much education and learning has played a significant role in his life.

    He also shares his passion for being in the kitchen and working with pizza. He loves to experiment, which has resulted in viral dishes. We talk cheese pizza.

    The pizzeria has amassed 1.7 million followers on Instagram. Learn more about his livestreaming approach.

    Learn more about East Village Pizza at https://www.eastvillagepizza.net/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/eastvillagepizza/ .

    Show Notes:

    Take the 2024 Pizzeria Operator Survey now at https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7926725/Pizza-Today-s-Pizzeria-Operator-Survey-2024 .

    October is NATIONAL PIZZA MONTH, the best month of the year! Start planning now! We are here to help you plan to have the BIGGEST & BEST October National Pizza Month with the official NPM logo, graphics, fillable social media images, press release, customizable social media calendar, pizza fun facts and more. Go to the Toolkit.

  • This week we’re exploring tech in pizzerias with George Panagopoulos, owner of Dedham House of Pizza, in Dedham, Massachusetts. This tech-savvy operator has taken over an over 50-year-old pizzeria. He is driving the business into future by developing a custom AI chatbot. As he has stepped into the owner role, George has implemented self-ordering kiosks, mobile app, rewards program, online specials and third-party delivery companies.

    Listen as George shares what motivates him to advance his business technology and offers insights on how other operators can do the same.

    We talk about what the future of Dedham House of Pizza will look like and how he is helping educate his customers to get there.

    Here is a brief overview from Dedham House of Pizza:

    Dedham House of Pizza is a Greek family-owned pizzeria located in the heart of the historic Dedham Square, a suburb of Boston. Serving up an array of New England Greek pan-style pizza prepared with daily-made, in-house dough, calzones, subs, roll-ups, pastas, salads, beer, wine, desserts and more, DHOP has been providing fresh food to the local community for over 50 years. Through implementing recent innovations such as self-ordering kiosks, a mobile app, a rewards program, online specials, catering offerings, gluten-free pies and three third-party delivery companies, third-generation owner & operator George Panagopoulos has taken an individually-owned mom & pop pizza shop to a nationally-recognized pizzeria.

    The pizzeria’s patriarch, Andreas Panagopoulos, immigrated from a small Greek village called Eleochorio (Village of Olives) outside of Greece’s third largest city, Patras. Andreas and his siblings were farmers growing grapes and olives, and they made their humble living producing wine and olive oil. In search of the American Dream, Andreas arrived in the U.S. in his mid-20s, working a variety of jobs and falling in love with pizza. Andreas arrived in the U.S. in 1981 and by 1983 was working as an employee at the pizzeria. By 1991, he was managing it and by 1996, he and his wife Maria owned it, eventually enlisting their entire family to work as well including their son, George, who serves as the current owner and operator.

    Learn more about Dedham House of Pizza at www.dedhamhouseofpizza.com and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/dedhamhouseofpizza.

    Show Notes:

    Take the 2024 Pizzeria Operator Survey now at https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7926725/Pizza-Today-s-Pizzeria-Operator-Survey-2024 .

    October is NATIONAL PIZZA MONTH, the best month of the year! Start planning now! We are here to help you plan to have the BIGGEST & BEST October National Pizza Month with the official NPM logo, graphics, fillable social media images, press release, customizable social media calendar, pizza fun facts and more. Go to the Toolkit.

  • This week on The Hot Slice Podcast, Denise and Josh chat with Jessica Hellaine and Nick MacDonald, owners of Black Dog Pizzeria in Dublin, Ohio.

    First, we learn what Columbus-style pizza is. Black Dog also serves New York-style pizza. Nick is the mad scientist of the business always experimenting with the dough and menu. Explore the evolution of its New York-style pizza. We talk menu development and employee input. Learn about their playful pun pizzas and marketing.

    Jessica runs the marketing, social, front of house and other operations. We talk about how the pizzerias is gaining attention and grassroots growth through community and neighborhood events and competitions.

    A mostly DELCO operation, they talk about converting third-party to their in-house delivery program.

    Listen until the end when we find out what is top of mind in pizza business with Jessica and Nick and how the business recovered from a fire.

    Show Notes:

    Check your Email for the 2024 Pizzeria Operator Survey. Learn more about the survey get a link to the survey. 

    October is NATIONAL PIZZA MONTH, the best month of the year! Start planning now! We are here to help you plan to have the BIGGEST & BEST October National Pizza Month with the official NPM logo, graphics, fillable social media images, press release, customizable social media calendar, pizza fun facts and more. Go to the Toolkit.

    Register for PizzaCon, the fun new event is November 7 in Philadelphia. Registration is live, so secure your spot to attend today! Learn more about PizzaCon.

  • This week, Jeremy and Denise chat with Jeff Cincotta, Chef Owner of Molinari's Italian Eatery & Pizzeria and Ravello Italian Kitchen in Watertown, Massachusetts. Prior to opening Molinari nine years ago, Jeff spent his career as an executive chef at private clubs.

    He was ready for a change and opened Molinari. We dive into his background and transitioning to ownership and talk about the culinary creativity he brings to the business.

    Molinari uses local seasonal ingredients. Jeff talks about his approach to local and shares some of his menu creations.

    Don’t miss the end when Jeff shares tips and motivation for fellow operators.

    Show Notes:

    Jeremy and Denise highlight Pizza Today’s Pizzeria of the Year, Camporosso in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky. Read the full story.

    Check your Email for the 2024 Pizzeria Operator Survey. Learn more about the survey get a link to the survey. 

    Check out the recent Pizza of the Week and how your pizza special can be considered at https://pizzatoday.com/topics/people-pizzerias/pizza-of-the-week-boxcar-pizza-portland-oregon/