Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Hot Slice
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 291. Happy New Year from Pizza Today | 01 Jan 2026 | 00:29:52 | |
Join us for this special New Year’s Day edition of The Hot Slice Podcast. The new year is full of new opportunities. The Pizza Today team gathers to commemorate the New Year with 2026 thoughts and reflections. We highlight goals we have to help the pizza community. Denise highlights priorities in her first full year as Editor in Chief. We look at pizza trends and share our forecasts for the upcoming year. Don’t miss as we share pizza styles that we are personally excited to perfect and styles we hope gain traction around the country. Happy New Year, pizza fam! | |||
| 290. REPLAY Slow Day Turnaround / AI Integration with George Gilliam | 25 Dec 2025 | 00:39:15 | |
Listen to George Gilliam, owner of Uncle G’s Pizza in Birmingham, Alabama on The Hot Slice Podcast with Pizza Today Merry Christmas from all of us at Pizza Today and Pizza Expo. This week on The Hot Slice Podcast with Pizza Today, we are replaying one of the most popular episodes of 2025 with George Gilliam, owner of Uncle G’s Pizza in Birmingham, Alabama. George reached out to us to do a story on how he has doubled and tripled slow days at the restaurant. The conversion was so captivating that we wanted to share it on the podcast. Gilliam set a strategy into motion to turn his slowest days into high-volume sales days. He focused on increasing sales with daily specials one slow day at a time until he covered the entire week. “This kind of aggressive weekday programming has brought in the traffic and revenue we needed on nights that used to be dead,” he says. “I’ve built out a weekly schedule that gives people a clear reason to visit every single day.” He approached each day with a new special and/or event and shares which days he started with. Uncle G’s promotes the days through its social accounts, e-mail and in store. It’s designed as weekly programming that Gilliam says people can build into their routines. The conversation on social media led into a genuine talk on AI and advanced technology and their role in small independent pizzerias. Read our article with George “Doubling to Tripling a Restaurant’s Slow Day Sales” at https://pizzatoday.com/topics/brand-marketing/doubling-to-tripling-a-restaurants-slow-day-sales/ Learn more about Uncle G’s Pizza at https://unclegspizza.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/unclegspizza/ | |||
| 281. Get Ready with Pizza Today – Pizza Expo Columbus Edition | 23 Oct 2025 | 00:31:15 | |
Before we jump into last-minute prep for Pizza Expo Columbus, happening this Sunday and Monday, we have HUGE news share! Jeremy has been appointed as Brand Director of International Pizza Expo, while Denise steps up as the new Editor-in-Chief of Pizza Today magazine. We talk promotions and what they mean for Pizza Today and Pizza Expo. Onto the show, we are days away from the inaugural Pizza Expo Columbus. Jeremy, Denise, Josh and Kate share all the excitement that you won’t want to miss. Learn more about Pizza Expo Columbus. Don’t forget to download the app. See you in Ohio! Can’t make it to the show? Follow us on our socials for live updates. Find out more details on Jeremy and Denise’s new roles. | |||
| 190. Going Mobile with Siler Chapman | 01 Feb 2024 | 00:34:38 | |
On this week’s Hot Slice podcast, Editor-in-Chief Jeremy White and Executive Editor Denise Greer sit down with mobile operator and Pizza Expo speaker Siler Chapman. A long-time member of the World Pizza Champions, Chapman has most recently found success in the “food truck” realm. From weddings to corporate events, his catering gigs have taken his business to the next level. Chapman will lead a four-hour pre-show workshop on Monday, March 18 at Pizza Expo. “Launching and Thriving with a Mobile Pizzeria” will take place from 8 a.m. to Noon at the Las Vegas Convention Center. You can purchase tickets to the workshop at PizzaExpo.com. For more from Chapman, check out this article he wrote for PizzaToday.com in 2021 on mobile pizzerias: https://pizzatoday.com/topics/finance-growth/how-to-launch-a-mobile-pizza-business/ | |||
| 189. Catching up with Pizza Master Audrey Kelly | 25 Jan 2024 | 00:28:36 | |
This week, we catch up with Audrey Kelly, co-owner of Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage in Boulder, Colorado. Audrey 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. Since opening in October of 2015, the Pizza Garage has been featured in numerous publications and even on the Food Network. 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/. Read Audrey’s most recent Pizza Today article: The versatile Pesto sauce can be used as topping, base, marinade, dressing Check out Audrey’s Education Sessions at Pizza Expo: Wednesday, March 20 | 10:15 am to 11:15 am Room No: Show Floor Demo Area D05 Demo: How to Build a Better Pie Audrey Kelly Owner/Pizzaiola Audrey Jane's Pizza Session Description Speaking of elevating your pizza game, Colorado-based operator Audrey Sherman is here to demo methods and processes to make your pizza better.
Tuesday, March 19 | 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm S23 Panel Discussion: Women-Owned Pizzerias Audrey Kelly, Owner/Pizzaiola, Audrey Jane's Pizza Leah Scurto, Owner-Operator, PizzaLeah Type: Seminar | Track: Seminar | Room No: W222-223
Learn more about Pizza Expo at https://pizzaexpo.pizzatoday.com/. | |||
| 188. What happens after an 8.9 review score? | 18 Jan 2024 | 00:24:43 | |
Gabriella Ottaiano said receiving an 8.9 score from Dave Portnoy’s One Bite at Barstool was life-changing for Calabria Restaurant & Pizzeria in Livingston, New Jersey. It was just what the pizzeria needed in the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Since the review, Calabria’s has seen remarkable growth, a streamline operation and a marketing focus capitalizing on the review. The pizza that received the score was the Calabria’s Crunchy Thin. After the review, people seeking the high-scoring pizza confused other Calabrias with the Livingston restaurant so Gabriella had the pizza trademarked. Listen to the process she went through to trademark their signature pizza. She also made several changes in the kitchen to help accommodate the increase in volume and maintain food quality. Check out how she did it. Calabria’s added nationwide shipping. See how they were able to incorporate the frozen line in the kitchen flow. Calabria’s also participated in the inaugural One Bite Pizza Festival. Found out how the experience went. For 40 years, Calabria’s has been family and Gabriella is part of the second generation to run the business. Learn more about Calabria’s at https://calabrianj.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/calabriarestaurant/ Watch Calabria’s One Bite Review: https://youtu.be/-HsElQR9drU?si=1E549VNOjICLIou Read Pizza Today’s article, Pizza Festivals: Getting Involved with a Pizza Fest -- https://pizzatoday.com/topics/brand-marketing/pizza-festivals-getting-involved-with-a-pizza-fest/ Other Show Notes: 35 Pizzerias to Watch in 2024 We received hundreds of outstanding submissions for our Pizzerias to Watch feature and have painstakingly whittled them down to this list of 35. https://pizzatoday.com/topics/people-pizzerias/35-pizzerias-to-watch-in-2024/ Pizza Expo 2024 Registration is Open Pizza Expo turns 40 in March. Register now to attend the industry’s premier event! https://pizzatoday.com/topics/industry-news/pizza-expo-2024-registration-now-open/ | |||
| 187. Failing DELCO to High-Volume Pizza Company | 11 Jan 2024 | 00:32:34 | |
Listen to Sean Rowe, owner of St. Angelo’s Pizza in Atlanta, Georgia. Join this one-on-one conversation with Executive Editor Denise Greer and Sean Rowe, owner of St. Angelo’s Pizza in Atlanta, George. St Angelo’s is a pizza company with two locations with very high volume. Sean has a philosophy that he’s always only about 60% there which keeps him striving to improve his business. The company wasn’t always successful. Sean kept dialing in different areas. Hear how he fixed the product, streamline operations, dialed in delivery and most importantly enhanced his employee retention and employee culture. Denise visited St. Angelo’s in 2022. They talk about how the business was and how it has changed. In the article, he also shared St. Angelo’s origin story…. Very successful in the software business for six years, Rowe was ready for something new. His uncle approached him in 2002 to invest in a carryout and delivery pizzeria. “Well sure, how hard can that be as I’m strutting?” he says. “Big mistake.” But hindsight being 20/20, Rowe says, “The place is a disaster. The food is horrible.” His only recourse he felt was to open a new location and change everything. Wait, what? “The definition of an entrepreneur is to be able to pay for your mistakes,” he says. “But the ego will not let me let this go away. So, I find (a location next to the) Kroger. It’s $35 a square foot in 2003. But it’s not more than 1,000 square feet.” Rowe eventually bought out the business from his uncle. “I upgraded the cheese, pepperoni and sausage,” he says. “I didn’t change everything immediately, but the dough did change and slowly then the sauce. Everything was wrong,” he says. “The first day we opened over there we did like $850, and I thought it was made from Heaven,” he says of St. Angelo’s 2004 launch. “Then we started tweaking the menu and then I developed those garlic knots.” He tackled reformulating the pizza dough. “I must have made 300 to 400 batches of dough that I threw out in the course of a few months,” he says. “With enough of the expertise from the guys I had working for me, we sort of came into figuring out the dough. That took a good year or two.” Read the entire St’ Angelo’s entire On the Road feature: https://pizzatoday.com/topics/people-pizzerias/on-the-road-st-angelos-pizza-atlanta-ga/ | |||
| 186: PIE Awards Winners, Industry Report, Competitions & More | 04 Jan 2024 | 00:21:13 | |
Jeremy White and Denise Greer Welcome 2024 on The Hot Slice Podcast | |||
| 185. REPLAY: Bringing Her Style to an Established Pizzeria | 28 Dec 2023 | 00:30:00 | |
Happy New Year! While we take a little break, we’re replaying one of our favorite episodes of the year. Mya Anitai, Franny’s Pizzeria & Restaurant, Highlands, New Jersey, on The Hot Slice Podcast | |||
| 184: International Pizza Challenge Update | 21 Dec 2023 | 00:40:50 | |
IPC Coordinators Michael LaMarca, Jeremy Galvin with Master Pizza on The Hot Slice Podcast Pizza Expo 2024 in Las Vegas in March is our 40th Anniversary. There are some huge updates to the International Pizza Challenge, so we have brought Michael LaMarca and Jeremy Galvin on the show to give us the skinny. Michael, Jeremy and their team at Master Pizza and beyond make IPC a success each year coordinating the largest pizza-making competition in the U.S. What is International Pizza Challenge? International Pizza Challenge has evolved and grown in stature and prize money to become the most prestigious pizza-making competition in North America, if not the world. This year, we’ll have 5 divisions: Traditional, Non-Traditional, Neapolitan/STG, Pan, & World’s Best Cheese Slice, which will be represented in the pizza bake-off that will showcase 240 of the world’s best pizza makers. Each competitor will have the opportunity to bake their signature pizza on the spot at Pizza Expo, which will then be presented to a renowned panel of accredited chefs. The bake-offs will take place Tuesday through Thursday in the International Pizza Challenge contest area. The winners of each division will face off against each other in a mystery-ingredient bake-off to determine who will be named the 2024 Pizza Maker of the Year Learn more about International Pizza Challenge at https://pizzaexpo.pizzatoday.com/giveaway-rules-regulations/international-pizza-challenge/. | |||
| 183. Dough Talk with Peter Reinhart, Part II | 14 Dec 2023 | 00:22:20 | |
This week, we continue our conversation with Peter Reinhart about everything bread and pizza dough. Peter Reinhart is an instructor at Johnson & Wales University, founder of the Pizza Quest video and blog site, American baker, educator and author of numerous books, including “Bread Upon the Waters: A Pilgrimage Toward Self Discovery and Spiritual Truth”; “Crust and Crumb: Master Formulas for Serious Bread Bakers” and “American Pie: My Search for the Perfect Pizza." Most notably, four of his books have been nominated for James Beard Awards, with three of them winning, including the “Book of the Year” in 2002 for The Bread Baker’s Apprentice. Listen as Peter shares his wealth of knowledge on bread baking and pizza baking and just how much crossover exists. We talk sourdough and dough adaptions in the pizza making process. Listen until the end when Peter shares his 2024 predictions. Show Notes. The 2024 PIZZA INDUSTRY TRENDS REPORT is here! We bring you this year’s hottest trends and pizza industry analysis, including independent operation stats, concept and sales stats, pizza and topping trends, marketing trends, labor trends and an industry outlook. Go to the report now: https://pizzatoday.com/topics/industry-news/2024-pizza-industry-trends-report/
Registration is open for Pizza Expo 2024 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, March 19-21. Register for Pizza Expo 2024. To learn more about Pizza Expo, visit https://pizzaexpo.pizzatoday.com/. | |||
| 182. Dough Talk with Peter Reinhart, Part I | 07 Dec 2023 | 00:29:23 | |
This week, we talk everything bread and pizza dough with Peter Reinhart. Peter Reinhart is an instructor at Johnson & Wales University, founder of the Pizza Quest video and blog site, American baker, educator and author of numerous books, including “Bread Upon the Waters: A Pilgrimage Toward Self Discovery and Spiritual Truth”; “Crust and Crumb: Master Formulas for Serious Bread Bakers” and “American Pie: My Search for the Perfect Pizza." Most notably, four of his books have been nominated for James Beard Awards, with three of them winning, including the “Book of the Year” in 2002 for The Bread Baker’s Apprentice. Listen as Peter shares his wealth of knowledge on bread baking and pizza baking and just how much crossover exists. We talk shifts and movements in the pizza making process. Stay tuned for Part II when Peter shares his 2024 predictions. Show Notes. The 2024 PIZZA INDUSTRY TRENDS REPORT is here! We bring you this year’s hottest trends and pizza industry analysis, including independent operation stats, concept and sales stats, pizza and topping trends, marketing trends, labor trends and an industry outlook. Go to the report now: https://pizzatoday.com/topics/industry-news/2024-pizza-industry-trends-report/ Registration is open for Pizza Expo 2024 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, March 19-21. Register for Pizza Expo 2024. To learn more about Pizza Expo, visit https://pizzaexpo.pizzatoday.com/. | |||
| 181. Marking 50 Years | 30 Nov 2023 | 00:34:54 | |
This week on The Hot Slice Podcast, we’re exploring the story of a 50th anniversary and a love story and growth and change at Perry’s Pizza in Huntington Beach, California. We chat with owners Jess and Dawn Bingaman, and Lynette Swanson. Perry’s Pizza started long before Jess and Dawn came in the picture. The original Perry’s opened in 1973. Jess was a manager at Perry’s in the 80s where he met and married Dawn, who was a frequent customer. In 1996, the owner was ready to sell and Jess and Dawn were ready to take on the adventure. It’s been a wild and amazing ride ever since. Listen to where they have taken the business. On November 4, Perry’s Pizza celebrated its 50th anniversary with an event that included giveaways and fun. Momentum built after the anniversary celebration as local media including the Los Angeles Times shared their story. Perry’s Pizza has grown and evolved in its five decades. The Bingamans moved the location from Newport Beach to Huntington Beach gaining more square-footage and to their surprise a huge influx in customers that they had to figure out how to manage the increased volume. They recently expanded into the space next door to help give them even more space as the business went from counter service to sit-down casual dining. Don’t miss the end when they share advice for other operators from their decades in the business.
Learn more about Perry’s Pizza at https://www.perryspizza.net/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/perryspizza/
Read the LA Times story on Perry’s Pizza at https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/story/2023-11-24/perrys-pizza-celebrates-50-years-in-orange-county Show Notes Registration is open for Pizza Expo 2024 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, March 19-21. To register for Pizza Expo 2024, visit: https://registration.experientevent.com/ShowPZA241?flow=attendee&MarketingCode=WSPT24 To learn more about Pizza Expo, visit https://pizzaexpo.pizzatoday.com/. Denise mentioned tips on how to keep your team from burnout during the holidays. Check out that article: https://pizzatoday.com/topics/employee-management/a-gameplan-to-avoid-team-burnout/ | |||
| 280. Spinato’s Pizzeria goes 49% Employee Owned (ESOP) | 16 Oct 2025 | 00:42:14 | |
Tempe-based Spinato’s Pizzeria has embarked on an ownership structure that only 7,000 businesses around country and only one percent of Arizona companies offers, an Employee Ownership Stock Plan (ESOP). Since opening 51 years ago, Spinato’s has grown to six Phoenix-area locations with more than 420 employees. The pizza company is the Official Pizza of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury (NBA and WNBA basketball teams) and the Official Pizza of the Arizona Cardinals (NFL football team). With the ESOP announcement, 150 Spinato’s employees join the six family members as owners. This week on The Hot Slice, we sit down with Anthony Spinato, President & CEO, to learn all about the new ESOP. We dive into what led the family to create the ESOP and the process to make it a reality. Listen to the goosebump moment when Anthony shared the news with longtime team members. Read Spinato’s ESOP Announcement. Learn more about Spinato’s and on Instagram @ spinatospizza. | |||
| 180: REPLAY Joe Carlucci Makes Pizza Challenge History | 23 Nov 2023 | 00:29:37 | |
On The Hot Slice podcast this week is veteran pizza maker/pizzeria owner Joe Carlucci. Joe owns Valentina’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar in Madison, Alabama. He followed up first-place win in the Traditional Division at last year’s International Pizza Expo with a Non-Traditional victory this year. He went on to win and be named Pizza Maker of the Year. This is the first time in challenge history that a competitor has won categories back-to-back and nabbed the Pizza Maker of the Year title. See Joe’s reaction speech to being named Pizza Maker of the Year on Pizza Today’s Instagram Reel. | |||
| 179. Day 2 Workshops & Seminars — Pizza Expo 2024 | 16 Nov 2023 | 00:18:52 | |
Pizza Expo 2024 turns 40 and we’re going all out. While we’re not disclosing what we have planned, we’re marking the occasion in a major way. This week, Jeremy and Josh talk Pizza Expo. Attendee registration opened last week. This also means competitors can register for the show and sign up for the International Pizza Challenge and World Pizza Games. | |||
| 178. Big News on Pizza Expo 2024 | 09 Nov 2023 | 00:33:20 | |
Pizza Expo 2024 turns 40 and we’re going all out. While we’re not disclosing what we have planned, we’re marking the occasion in a major way. This week, Denise and Jeremy talk Pizza Expo. Attendee registration opened this week. This also means competitors can register for the show and sign up for the International Pizza Challenge and World Pizza Games.
For those not familiar with Pizza Expo, the show remains unchallenged as the industry’s leading event. Network with thousands of pizzeria professionals as they convene in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 19-21, 2024 for 3-days dedicated to all things pizza. Suppliers from across the globe, educational sessions taught by top industry professionals, and national competitions, this event is one you simply cannot afford to miss!
We detail workshops that attendees can also register for. Here’s a quick look at the Sunday workshop that Jeremy described:
Sunday, March 17 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm W01 What to do BEFORE You Increase Menu Prices ($250) David Scott Peters, Restaurant Business Expert, Workshop Presenter, DavidScottPeters.com Type: Workshop | Track: Workshop 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm W02 The Million Dollar Pizzeria ($250) Dan Collier, Co-Owner and President, PizzaMan Dan's Glenn Cybulski, Executive Chef | Consultant | Speaker, Glenn Cybulski Restaurant Consulting Type: Workshop | Track: Workshop 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm W03 Maximizing Your Carryout & Delivery Revenue and Operations ($250) Tony Troiano, Owner-Operator, J.B.ALBERTO'S PIZZA Scott Anthony, Owner-Operator, Punxsutawney Pizza Type: Workshop | Track: Workshop 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm W04 Crafting Your Brand and Marketing Strategy ($250) Mike Bausch, Owner-Operator, Workshop Presenter, Andolini’s Pizzeria Type: Workshop | Track: Workshop
To register for Pizza Expo 2024, visit: https://registration.experientevent.com/ShowPZA241?flow=attendee&MarketingCode=WSPT24
To learn more about Pizza Expo, visit https://pizzaexpo.pizzatoday.com/. | |||
| 177. Refocus to Grow with Scott Rivera | 02 Nov 2023 | 00:39:39 | |
This week on The Hot Slice Podcast, we catch up with Scott Rivera, owner of Scottie’s Pizza Parlor in Portland, Oregon. We last visited Scottie’s in 2018 to profile the hot Portland pizzeria as an On the Road Feature. In the feature, he shares, “I think a lot of New Yorkers and people from the East Coast can relate to not finding good pizza when they move away,” Rivera says, adding that people question the water, the flour, etc. “So I decided to learn how to make pizza myself the way that I thought was good. I very quickly learned that it was not as easy as I thought it would be, and (I) started to use cookbooks and whatever I had, whatever tools I had (like) cookie sheets and made some really, really bad pizza. I think because it turned out to be so hard, I kept wanting to get really good at it. I was like ‘How can this be so hard? It’s just a pizza. There are three things you have to get right. It’s just dough, sauce and cheese.’” In the article, he also shared that slices were his shop’s bread and butter but that has changed. He spent much of the pandemic and after dialing in his pizza and operational systems. After much exploration, he decided to open a second pizzeria. We go in-depth into his process and what it took to make the new location happen happen. If you are a pizza dough geek, this episode is for you. Scottie details his pizza dough exploration and talks sourdough. Read the On the Road Feature in Pizza Today at https://pizzatoday.com/topics/people-pizzerias/on-the-road-scotties-pizza-parlor-portland-or/ Learn more about Scottie’s Pizza Parlor at https://www.scottiespizzaparlor.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/scottiespizzaparlor/
Show Notes: Pizza Expo 2024 will be our 40th Anniversary. If you have show memorabilia, photos or memories, please share those with Jeremy at jwhite@pizzatoday.com and Denise at dgreer@pizzatoday.com Submit your pizzeria for the 2024 Pizzerias to Watch List. Complete the form today at https://pizzatoday.com/pizzerias-to-watch-questionnaire/ | |||
| 176. Letters to the Editor | 26 Oct 2023 | 00:22:13 | |
Jeremy and Josh read and respond to some recent emails sent to Pizza Today by readers. They talk pizza tech, desserts and business in this episode. But the real gold is near the end when the 2024 Pizza Expo Opening Day Keynote speaker is announced. It takes a legendary person to get the 40th Anniversary of Pizza Expo call, and we know you won't be disappointed. Be sure to watch this one all the way to the end to find out who it is! Show Notes: Pizza Expo 2024 will be our 40th Anniversary. If you have show memorabilia, photos or memories, please share those with Jeremy at jwhite@pizzatoday.com and Denise at dgreer@pizzatoday.com Submit your pizzeria for the 2024 Pizzerias to Watch List. Complete the form today at https://pizzatoday.com/pizzerias-to-watch-questionnaire/ | |||
| 175. Perspectives from Pizza & Pasta Northeast 2023, Part II | 19 Oct 2023 | 00:19:26 | |
The Hot Slice was back on the pizza show floor interviewing pizzeria pros at Pizza and Pasta Northeast on October 1-2 at the Atlantic City Convention Center. This is Part II of a two-part series of short interviews. We get the pulse of the industry from the exhibit hall. In this episode, Jeremy and Denise chat with: Melissa Rickman, Wholly Stromboli, Fort Lupton, Colorado Othoniel Cruz, Tre Amici, Bayamon, Puerto Rico Pasquale DiDiana, Bacci Pizzeria, Chicago, Illinois Andrew Scudera, Goodfellas, Staten Island, New York Show Notes: Pizza Expo 2024 will be our 40th Anniversary. If you have show memorabilia, photos or memories, please share those with Jeremy at jwhite@pizzatoday.com and Denise at dgreer@pizzatoday.com Submit your pizzeria for the 2024 Pizzerias to Watch List. Complete the form today at https://pizzatoday.com/pizzerias-to-watch-questionnaire/ | |||
| 174. Perspectives from Pizza & Pasta Northeast 2023, Part I | 12 Oct 2023 | 00:18:25 | |
The Hot Slice was back on the pizza show floor interviewing pizzeria pros at Pizza and Pasta Northeast on October 1-2 at the Atlantic City Convention Center. This is Part I of a two-part series of short interviews. We get the pulse of the industry from the exhibit hall. In this episode, Jeremy and Denise chat with: Louise Joseph, owner of Dough Girls, Inc. in Greenwich, Connecticut Angie Bogacz, co-owner of Caliente Pizza in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Tyler Carlson & Mark Lacz, co-owners of Tymark Restaurant Group, in Westerly, Rhode Island Show Notes: PIZZA CON 2024! We teased our newest event that will take place at The Fillmore in Philadelphia on November 7, 2024. Sign up for updates from this one-of-a-kind event. https://pizzaexpo.pizzatoday.com/pizzacon-2024-attend/ Submit your pizzeria for the 2024 Pizzerias to Watch List. Complete the form today at https://pizzatoday.com/pizzerias-to-watch-questionnaire/ Happy National Pizza Month! We have ideas and marketing resources to help you. Visit: https://pizzatoday.com/national-pizza-month-october-2019-pizzeria-tool-kit/ | |||
| 173. Catching Up with Pizza Man Dan Collier | 05 Oct 2023 | 00:29:29 | |
This week on The Hot Slice, we sit down with Dan Collier. Dan Collier is co-owner and President of PizzaMan Dan’s, a regional chain in Southern California with 8 locations founded in 2012. Dan began his pizza career as a delivery driver in 1984. He served as President for a 20-store chain from 1987-2002 before becoming a Franchisee from 2002-2012. Dan has been a speaker and educator at Pizza Expo, sharing his successes and, more importantly, his failures with fellow pizza operators and owners since 2002. Dan has also written articles for Pizza Today magazine. We talk with Dan about his store growth and adding an additional unit. He shares concept direction, how the new store has performed and what has been key to that success. Dan also surprises us with a new concept development that required him to change his perception of third-party delivery. Find out more about his new Los Angeles-based ghost kitchen concept. Show Notes: Submit your pizzeria for the 2024 Pizzerias to Watch List. Complete the form today at https://pizzatoday.com/pizzerias-to-watch-questionnaire/ Happy National Pizza Month! We have ideas and marketing resources to help you. Visit: https://pizzatoday.com/national-pizza-month-october-2019-pizzeria-tool-kit/ | |||
| 172.Bringing Her Style to an Established Pizzeria | 28 Sep 2023 | 00:32:42 | |
Our guest this week is Mya Anitai. She owns Franny’s Pizzeria & Restaurant, Highlands, New Jersey. She took over a longstanding pizzeria Francesco’s Italian Restaurant in May 2019 and rebranding the business into Franny’s in February 2020. Mya discussed the rebranding with us in a previous Conversation. She said, “Francesco’s had been in business for 40 years before I purchased the restaurant and took over. With great bones and a neighborhood of nostalgic support, I worked steadily to modernize the menu and increase ingredient quality across the board. The most popular dishes from Francesco’s stayed as well as specials directly from my Richmond, Virginia restaurant Dinamo (@dinamorichmond). I spent months monitoring sales and learning my customer’s dining desires before fully rebranding and becoming Franny’s.” Mya also owns Dinamo in Richmond, Virginia. We explore each restaurant’s menu and what makes Franny’s different. Franny’s has a full menu with pizza at its center. Franny’s serves three types of pizza: classic, New York style flour-tossed round, oil-pressed, square granny pie and deep-dish Sicilian. And we get into what makes those styles unique and what’s behind that oil-pressed grandma pie. Other menu items include pastas, entrees, sandwiches, appetizers, salads and soups. We talk about Franny’s menu focus, as well as its new seasonal menu and what produce she will highlight. Listen that and more on this week’s The Hot Slice Podcast. Explore more on Franny’s at https://frannyshighlands.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/frannyshighlands Read Mya’s Conversation in Pizza Today at https://pizzatoday.com/topics/people-pizzerias/conversation-mya-anitai-frannys-pizzeria-restaurant-highlands-new-jersey/ Show Notes: Learn more about Pizza and Pasta Northeast in Atlantic City on October 1-2 at https://ppne.pizzatoday.com/ Don’t forget October is National Pizza Month. We have ideas and marketing resources to help you. Visit: https://pizzatoday.com/national-pizza-month-october-2019-pizzeria-tool-kit/ | |||
| 171. New Haven-style Pizza | 21 Sep 2023 | 00:37:22 | |
This week on The Hot Slice Podcast, we chat with Frank Zabski of New Haven, Connecticut. After a corporate career wore him thin, Frank got into the pizza business with a mobile unit he named "Fired Up Pizza Truck". With the catering business, Frank aimed to "bring the party to you, not just the pizza." The truck catered parties and events for 50-125 people and specialized in New Haven-style pizza. Show Notes: Don’t forget October is National Pizza Month. We have ideas and marketing resources to help you. Visit: https://pizzatoday.com/national-pizza-month-october-2019-pizzeria-tool-kit/ Frank has since gone on to launch New Haven Pizza School (https://thepizzagavones.com/new-haven-pizza-school/). The school teaches home cooks/pizza enthusiasts how to make the iconic pizza style that remains a hidden secret from many consumers nationwide.
Read Franks's bio at at https://thepizzagavones.com/frank-zabski-a-k-a-the-polish-pizzaiolo/.
Frank will be leading a hands-on demo on New Haven-style pizza at the upcoming Pizza & Pasta Northeast show in Atlantic City. The demonstration is slated for October 1 from 3-4 p.m. Check the PPNE show schedule and learn more at https://ppne.pizzatoday.com/.
Learn more about New Haven-style "apizza" here https://pizzatoday.com/topics/menu-development/apizza/. Then check out our Pizzeria of the Year feature on Modern Apizza, a New Haven staple, here. https://pizzatoday.com/topics/people-pizzerias/2023-pizzeria-of-the-year-modern-apizza-new-haven-connecticut/ | |||
| 279. Going big at the New York State Fair | 09 Oct 2025 | 00:33:30 | |
When you are looking for an added revenue source, have you ever considered a state fair? This week’s guest, Nick Sanford went all in at the New York State Fair. Nick owns Toss & Fire with three locations and a fleet of food trucks around Syracuse, New York. This is the third year Toss & Fire has had a presence at the New York State Fair, but this year, Sanford took over a prime location. From fair-exclusive pizza specials, a pre-fair marketing blitz to the logistics of temporarily closing and store and adjusting staffing, you won’t believe how big it paid off. Stick around on the podcast to listen to how many pizzas Toss & Fire sold at the state fair. Nick is no stranger to high traffic output. With food trucks running at concurrent events and high-volume stores, Nick shares how he and his team are able to execute at a high level. Toss & Fire was the 2024 Pizza Company of the Year Northeast Region in Pizza Today’s P.IE. Awards. This year, the pizzeria celebrates its 10th anniversary. Learn more about Toss & Fire at https://www.tossnfirepizza.com/ and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tossnfirepizza/. Show Notes: Nominations are open for the 3rd annual Pizza Industry Excellence (PIE Awards). We are looking to give awards in seven categories, plus Pizza Company of the Year by Region. Apply today at:https://pizzatoday.com/pie-awards/ National Pizza Month in October is approaching fast. Go to the National Pizza Month Pizzeria Tool Kit: https://pizzatoday.com/nationalpizzamonth/ There is no better way to celebrate National Pizza Month than by attending Pizza Expo Columbus! Register now! https://registration.pizzaexpocolumbus.com/event/2025 | |||
| 170. Pizza & Pasta Northeast Preview | 14 Sep 2023 | 00:21:22 | |
Jeremy, Denise and Josh hop in this week’s podcast give all the skinny for the upcoming Pizza & Pasta Northeast at the Atlantic City Convention Center on October 1-2. Pizza & Pasta Northeast showcases top suppliers for pizzerias and Italian restaurants. The two-day show features a schedule of pizza and pasta demonstrations by top chefs, seminars and workshops given by industry leaders, and special presentations from featured keynote speakers. Presented by International Pizza Expo, the annual trade show in Las Vegas for the pizzeria industry, this event gives the region of the U.S. the highest concentration of independent and small chain Italian-concept restaurants its very own focused gathering of buyers and sellers. With a full line up of events, educational sessions, demonstrations and competitions, get the PPNE app to plan your trip: https://pizza.a2zinc.net/PPNE2023/Public/Content.aspx?ID=42829 For more info on Pizza and Pasta Northeast, visit https://ppne.pizzatoday.com/ Show Notes: Pizza Expo 2024 will be our 40th Anniversary. If you have show memorabilia, photos or memories, please share those with Jeremy at jwhite@pizzatoday.com and Denise at dgreer@pizzatoday.com Don’t forget October is National Pizza Month. We have ideas and marketing resources to help you. Visit: https://pizzatoday.com/national-pizza-month-october-2019-pizzeria-tool-kit/ | |||
| 169. Destined for Pizza | 07 Sep 2023 | 00:33:20 | |
This week on The Hot Slice Podcast, we chat with Drew Butler, who perhaps has been destined to be in the pizza industry. Things aligned for Drew when he was making pizzas out of his house as fundraisers for youth sports. He had been looking for a building to start his business when friends shared that a beloved local market had an unused pizza oven. Instead of undertaking a costly buildout on a new facility, Drew opted to set up shop, Market Pizza by Drew Butler, at the Jackson Market in Culver City, California. We dive into what goes into making his neo-Neapolitan pizza including the use of a three-flour blend, sourdough and a long fermentation process. Drew was named a Rising Star in the Pizza Industry in July. In his Q&A, Drew says, “I am striving for excellence in pizza and service experience for Market Pizza. My highest priority is the uniqueness of my dough and the special time my 67-hour process deserves. It all starts with the crust — the rest is just toppings! Gourmet toppings for sure, but we have a pretty level playing field for tomatoes, cheese, meats and veggies. The crust is my signature. It’s what defines my pizza from everyone else’s. It’s got my name on it, so it’s got to be great!” See how he’s adding to the momentum as he grows in the pizza business. Find out his ultimate goal. Read Drew’s Rising Stars Q&A at https://pizzatoday.com/topics/people-pizzerias/drew-butler-market-pizza-by-drew-butler-culver-city-ca-rising-star-2023/ Follow Market Pizza by Drew Butler on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/marketpizzabdb/ Show Notes: Attention ALL PIZZERIA OWNERS AND OPERATORS: As a valued member of the pizzeria community, we would like to invite you to participate in an industry survey. Be counted in this annual gauge of vital pizzeria insights, issues and trends. Take the survey now: https://pizzatoday.com/be-counted-pizzeria-operator-survey-portal/ Last chance to submit your pizzeria for one of the 20 categories in the PIE Awards. Learn more at https://pizzatoday.com/pie-awards/ Celebrate National Pizza Month in October! Pizza Today has you covered this October with our National Pizza Month Pizzeria Tool Kit. We’ve pulled together resources to help you mark the occasion and promote your National Pizza Month campaigns in your store, in the community, virtually and on social networks. | |||
| 168. Will Grant on Elevating the Pizza Industry | 31 Aug 2023 | 00:35:44 | |
This week on The Hot Slice Podcast, we have our upcoming Pizza and Pasta Northeast Keynote Speaker Will Grant on the show. Will owns That's A Some Pizza in Bainbridge Island, Washington and Sourdough Willy’s in Kingston, Washington. One of four Master Pizzaiolo in the United States Will has been making pizzas for 39 years with his family pizzerias. He has opened 13 restaurants since 1984 and has won and placed in over 5 food competitions in the last 5 years. Currently Will teaches professional classes out of both his restaurants "That's A Some Pizza" and "Sourdough Willy's" which serve a combined five styles of pizza, all using a heirloom sourdough starter. As a World Pizza Champion team member, restaurant consultant and Master Pizzaiolo Will has the experience you need to help be successful in your restaurants. We dive into how Will is able to motivate his team and create excellence in his product. He goes beyond his story walls to help consult and instruct pizzeria operators across the country. He is a frequent speaker and demonstration presenter at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas and Pizza and Pasta Northeast in Atlantic City. Listen to find out how Will is elevating the pizza industry. Show Notes: Attention ALL PIZZERIA OWNERS AND OPERATORS: As a valued member of the pizzeria community, we would like to invite you to participate in an industry survey. Be counted in this annual gauge of vital pizzeria insights, issues and trends. Take the survey now: https://pizzatoday.com/be-counted-pizzeria-operator-survey-portal/ Follow That’s a Some Pizza at https://www.thatsasome.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsasomepizza/ Follow Sourdough Willy’s at https://www.sourdoughwillys.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sourdoughwillyspizzeria/ Learn more about Pizza and Pasta Northeast in Atlantic City on October 1-2 at https://ppne.pizzatoday.com/ | |||
| 167. Melissa Rickman – Pizza & Pasta Northeast Keynote & More | 24 Aug 2023 | 00:38:46 | |
This week on The Hot Slice Podcast, Jeremy and Denise sit down with Melissa Rickman, owner of Wholly Stromboli in Fort Lupton, Colorado. Rickman, a seasoned pizza business maven, regularly contributes to the educational lineup at Pizza Expo and Pizza & Pasta Northeast. She has written articles for Pizza Today and has led a variety of seminars and food demos at the two aforementioned shows. Now, she’s prepping for her biggest stage yet — delivering a keynote address at PPNE 2023 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. We talk with Melissa about the keynote as well as her online ordering platform, who she sees as some of her biggest inspirations and her future plans in the industry. Read her article from earlier this year about why you should keep chicken wings on your menu: https://pizzatoday.com/topics/menu-development/keeping-chicken-wings-on-the-menu/. Learn more about Wholly Stromboli at whollystromboli.com. And, finally, register to attend PPNE so you can hear Rickman’s keynote in person: https://ppne.pizzatoday.com/. | |||
| 166. Gemma Cataldo -- Pizza Champion at 18 | 17 Aug 2023 | 00:33:21 | |
This week on The Hot Slice Podcast, we are chatting with Gemma Cataldo, manager at Antonio’s Italian Restaurant in Elkhart, Indiana. We recently named Gemma a Rising Star in the Pizza Industry. She competed in her first International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo this year and took home first place in the Traditional Division. Her only other competition showing was in the Young Pizza Maker of the Year at Pizza & Pasta Northeast in Atlantic City last year. After also winning the Traditional Division in 2019, her father Paul set a legacy for competing and winning as both Gemma and her sister Carmela. As Gemma heads to university soon she plans to continue to elevate the pizza industry. She has collaborated with Carmela to be a beacon for women in pizza. She is working with the Women in Pizza movement to help amplify the successes of women in the industry. In a Q&A with Gemma for Rising Stars, says, “I recently graduated high school early in March and I will be attending Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan, this fall. I plan on studying Dental Hygiene, though I have no intention of leaving the pizza industry behind. The pizza industry has always had a special place in my life, and going to college will not prohibit my desire to continuously improve and learn. My sister, Carmela, and I are already working on new pizzas and flavors for the 2024 IPC. In terms of more immediate action, I am becoming more involved with Women in Pizza to support and highlight the talents of women in the pizza industry, especially young women who are just starting.” Hear more about Gemma big IPC win, the pie that won, her future plans and continuing her Women in Pizza charge. Read Gemma’s Rising Stars Q&A: https://pizzatoday.com/topics/people-pizzerias/gemma-cataldo-antonios-italian-restaurant-elkhart-in-rising-star-2023/ Learn more about Antonio’s Italian Ristorante at https://antoniositalian.com/ Follow Gemma and Carmela’s Instagram: @thecataldosisters. | |||
| 165. Desserts, Pizza & Pasta Northeast & More! | 10 Aug 2023 | 00:18:31 | |
This week on The Hot Slice Podcast our Editor-in-Chief, Jeremy White, reads some letters he's received recently from pizzeria operators regarding dessert sales in their shops. Desserts can often be challenging to move, but they can create great incremental revenue when a well-thought-out dessert program is put into place. In this installment, two operators chime in via e-mail with what's working for them. These letters came in as a response to a Commentary Jeremy wrote asking for insight into dessert sales and how to improve them. The attention also is on Pizza & Pasta Northeast in New Jersey. This year's show runs October 1-2 at the Atlantic City Convention Center. In this episode of the Hot Slice we cover the two Keynote addresses that will be given on Day 1 by Melissa Rickman and Day 2 by Will Grant. We also briefly touch upon a couple of the workshops attendees will want to be sure to hit up while at PPNE. Registration for PPNE is open, so don't delay in punching your ticket to attend by visiting https://ppne.pizzatoday.com/. | |||
| 164. The Rise of Yukon Pizza | 03 Aug 2023 | 00:46:07 | |
This week on The Hot Slice Podcast are 2023 Rising Stars in the Pizza Industry Alex White, Dani Garcia-White, Cameron White, Justin Ford, co-owners of Yukon Pizza in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. Read their Rising Stars Q&A at https://pizzatoday.com/topics/people-pizzerias/alex-white-dani-garcia-white-cameron-white-justin-ford-yukon-pizza-downtown-las-vegas-nv-rising-stars/. | |||
| 163. Adapting to Extreme Heat | 27 Jul 2023 | 00:35:19 | |
Thiago Vasconcelos and Alissa Gibson, owners of Pedroso’s Pizza in Austin, Texas, on The Hot Slice Podcast. Pedroso consists of a permanently placed trailer and a commissary kitchen. The couple opened Pedroso’s in the middle of the pandemic in a much smaller food trailer than their current trailer. Thiago spent a decade working as a pizza maker for Tony Gemignani in San Francisco. Thiago was recently named a Rising Star in the Pizza Industry by Pizza Today. Alissa spent her career in the front of the house. Thiago and Alissa’s backgrounds complement each other in their own venture. Their concept became the buzz of Austin and the little food trailer began making local pizza lists and garnering the attention of local influencers. That helped elevate the business and the couple looked to grow. They upgraded to an 8-foot by 20-foot trailer and increased its oven capacity. The business was flourishing. Then the Texas heat wave struck, a troubling situation for a food trailer dependent on customers to stand in line in 110 F-plus temperatures. The couple set a policy to close the trailer when temperatures reach above 100 F. Instead, they run carrout and delivery out of their commissary kitchen. It’s a move that takes the stress off Thiago, Alissa, their team and their customers. Listen to more of their story. Follow Pedroso’s Pizza at https://www.pedrosospizza.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/pedrosospizza/ | |||
| 162. Growing from a Ghost Kitchen | 20 Jul 2023 | 00:39:43 | |
This week on The Hot Slice Podcast, our guest is Anthony Petralia. We last caught up with Anthony over a year ago to talk ghost kitchens for a Pizza Today Magazine article Going Ghost: A Look at Ghost Kitchen Operations and Setup (https://pizzatoday.com/topics/finance-growth/a-look-at-ghost-kitchen-operations-and-setup/ ). His dad Don reached out to us to share that Anthony has grown his ghost kitchen into a brick-and-mortar restaurant, Tralia, in Sarasota, Florida. Getting there has taken persistence and strategic expansion. Anthony, like many executive chefs, was furloughed during the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic birthed a new class of business owners, already battle tested. As the ghost kitchen operation grew, Anthony looked for ways to expand into more. His current ghost kitchen location in Your Culinary Place, a shared commercial commissary kitchen (https://yourculinaryplace.com/ ), allowed him to gradually expand into a 20-seat restaurant in its facility. Anthony shares how the ghost op helped him transition into a full-service pizzeria. With an extensive culinary background, Anthony likes the challenge of offering multiple styles. Find out his approach to doing an artisan pizza and a Detroit-style pizza without overwhelming the kitchen operations. Now that Anthony has streamlined the business for dine-in and carryout, He’s focused on the pizzeria and even what’s next. Listen as Anthony shares his pizzeria story. Show Notes: Learn more about Tralia at https://www.traliasrq.com/ Follow Tralia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/traliasrq/ | |||
| 161. Pizza Fusion | 13 Jul 2023 | 00:39:43 | |
Neel and Palak Vaidya, Troy’s Italian Kitchen on The Hot Slice Podcast On this week’s The Hot Slice Podcast, Executive Editor Denise Greer and Senior Creative Director Josh Keown chat with Neel and Palak Vaidya, co-owners of Troy’s Italian Kitchen in Arlington, Virginia. Neel was recently named a Rising Star of the Pizza Industry by Pizza Today. Neel and Palak’s journey to pizza was a unique one. They capitalized on the sale of an existing pizzeria. Though they kept the name, Troy’s Italian Kitchen, the couple overhauled the business and its menu to create the successful business they have today. Learn about how their interest in pizza sparked the flourishing business. Troy’s Italian Kitchen was never meant to be a vegan-focused pizzeria. But the couple developed plant-based pizzas that pulled a fusion of other cuisine such as Indian, Mexican and BBQ. The vegan pizzas became a hit amongst the local plant-based community and drove huge vegan pizza sales during the pandemic. That demand has persisted, and vegan pies make up 60 percent of Troy’s sales. Neel and Palak also jumped on offering catering and expanded their pasta menu to diversify catering. They have three team members dedicated to private catering. Listen on as Neel and Palak share the story of Troy’s Italian Kitchen and its fusion pizza menu. Read a Q&A with Neel. https://pizzatoday.com/topics/people-pizzerias/neel-vaidya-troys-italian-kitchen-arlington-virginia-rising-star-2023/ Learn more about Troy’s Italian Kitchen. https://www.troysitaliankitchen.com/ Follow Troy’s Italian Kitchen on social. https://www.instagram.com/troysitaliankitchen/ https://www.tiktok.com/@troysitaliankitchen?lang=en | |||
| 278. An 18-Year-Old Rookie of the Year Owner | 02 Oct 2025 | 00:28:10 | |
This week on The Hot Slice Podcast, we chat with a visionary young operator who bought her first Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake Pizza franchise as while she was still in high school. Lily worked at a local Papa Murphy’s before jumping at the opportunity to become a franchisee. Though savings and a loan from a family friend, Lily and her family made the purchase. Lily is the majority owner and runs the day-to-day operations. During her first year, she has remodeled her store, embraced her leadership role with a fresh approach and integrated herself and the restaurant into the community. Her store has achieved double-digit year-over-year growth, including a February week where sales more than doubled compared to the year prior. The brand has recognized that they have a shining star in their ranks. Lily was recently named “Rookie of the Year” by the brand during its Minneapolis conference. We chat all about how she was able to get into the business so young, as well as managing a team. Don’t miss how martial arts helped her take the lead at her shop in Sioux City. Find out what she’s focused on now and what comes next.
Show Notes: Nominations are open for the 3rd annual Pizza Industry Excellence (PIE Awards). We are looking to give awards in seven categories, plus Pizza Company of the Year by Region. Apply today at:https://pizzatoday.com/pie-awards/ National Pizza Month in October is approaching fast. Go to the National Pizza Month Pizzeria Tool Kit: https://pizzatoday.com/nationalpizzamonth/ There is no better way to celebrate National Pizza Month than by attending Pizza Expo Columbus! Register now! https://registration.pizzaexpocolumbus.com/event/2025 | |||
| 160. More than a Bakery | 06 Jul 2023 | 00:30:01 | |
This week, we have Steve Carcarey co-owner of Collegeville Italian Bakery Pizzeria Napoletana in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. Collegeville first opened as a bakery. Steve and his wife Patrizia took over the business from her parents. Since then, the couple has added on a dining room, full menu, catering and a thriving packaged goods business. According to its “About Us”, Patrizia says, “My family is from Nusco, Italy in la Campagnia (mountain region) south of Rome. In 1970, my parents, Giovanni and Caterine moved to America. 24 years later they started Collegeville Italian Bakery and have been baking fresh bread from scratch ever since. My husband, Steve, and I are happy to run our retail store and carry on all of our family traditions. With its slogan “we’re more than just a bakery!”, the couple have worked to create a diversified business. In a previous Conversation with Pizza Today, Steve said, “When they hear, “bakery,” most people instinctively think sweets — cakes, pastries, cookies, etc. While we offer all of those items, there’s so much more to our business. We have such a rich history, authentic culture and unique offerings that we want people to know about, so it’s just getting past those initial assumptions to show customers what we’re all about. Collegeville has captured a diverse market in its small college town. Steve shares the unique interior flow system that encourages diners to purchase its packaged goods such as donuts and desserts. Listen as Executive Editor chats one-on-one with Steve on the following topics:
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| 159. A Product of the Pandemic | 29 Jun 2023 | 00:40:21 | |
This week, we hear the story of Futuro in Indianapolis, Indiana. Owners Luke Tobias’ and Sarah St. Aubin’s incomes halted during the COVID-19 Pandemic. With a newborn, the two looked for direction. With Luke restaurant experience and Sarah’s business and customer contact savvy, they started a popup pizzeria from their home. They specialized in multiple pizza styles and made up to 50 pies a day from a home oven through a preordering process. Fast forward nearly three years, they have a growing brick-and-mortar pizzeria in the Holy Cross neighborhood of the Motor City. We talk to Luke about how the home popup evolved into the thriving restaurant it is today. Learn more about Futuro on this week’s episode, including:
Show Notes: Explore more about Futura at https://futuroindy.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/futuroindy Pizza & Pasta Northeast Registration is NOW OPEN! Registration for the 5th annual Pizza & Pasta Northeast is now open! Don’t miss out on one of the biggest pizza trade shows taking place on October 1-2, 2023 at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Register online now before prices increase! Special note to COMPETITORS: Sign up now before spots fill up. Learn more at https://pizzatoday.com/topics/industry-news/pizza-and-pasta-northeast-registration-now-open/ | |||
| 158. Pizza Today Mail Bag | 22 Jun 2023 | 00:34:21 | |
Pizza Today talk Letters to the Editor This week on The Hot Slice Podcast Editor In Chief Jeremy White and Executive Editor Denise Greer talk Letters to the Editor. We touch on some big industry topics, including Pizza Expo, education, entering the pizza industry, pizzeria valuation, our pizzeria operator survey and more. Here are some excerpts from a few of our Letters to the Editor: Drew Butler, Market Pizza by Drew Butler: For the last six months I have operated Market Pizza by Drew Butler and it has been life changing. As a longtime excellent home cook, I never wanted to make my passion into a profession for fear of it turning into “work.” And Im sure we all know the saying, “if you love what you do you’ll never work a day in your life.” Its absolutely true. I’m doing what I love, and my customers are loving my pizza. The plethora of positive feedback has filled my tank abundantly, more than anything else I’ve ever done. I now live for it and it has made me very happy. Of course any business owner knows, it is hard work with long hours that you wouldn’t trade for anything. I am now training my son and he is improving rapidly. To work beside him is a highlight of parenting, really my life. Truly. The pizza world has amazing people, community and consumers. It’s a fantastic industry that I’m blessed to part of.
Brenda's Pizzeria: There were so many great seminars but a few of the really good ones were on at the same time. I think the seminars I attended were some of the best ones. There was one day we almost didn't get to finish seeing everything on the show floor, we were running out of time because of the seminars. Tyler Carlson: Our experience at the Pizza Expo was excellent; our team found both the expo floor and seminars very educational, well-organized and full of great networking/partnership building opportunities.
Show Notes: We mentioned several topics, so we are taking time to share some of the article and recipe references: Pizzeria Valuation: https://pizzatoday.com/topics/employee-management/valuation-whats-pizzeria-worth/ First Steps to Selling a Pizzeria: https://pizzatoday.com/topics/employee-management/first-steps-selling/ Deep Dive into Restaurant Lawsuits in the News with Thomas Reinhard John Gutekanst’s Dough Articles: https://pizzatoday.com/topics/dough-production-development/a-better-pizza-crumb-structure-the-guts/ Knead to Know: Making Pizza with Sourdough — Beauty and the Yeast The Rise of Italian Pizza in Teglia is Upon Us And finally recipes on the two Upside Down Pizzas we dream about: Tony’s Trending Recipe: Upside Down Pizza | |||
| 157. The Vinnie’s Pan Pizza Brand | 15 Jun 2023 | 00:44:23 | |
On this week’s The Hot Slice Podcast, Executive Editor Denise Greer chats with Peter Falzo, owner of Vinnie’s Pan Pizza in Millburn, New Jersey. Peter created Vinnie’s to honor his uncle who owned a successful pizza restaurant for decades. Peter shares his story of transforming his Italian restaurant into a high-demand carryout pizzeria. He details how he created Vinnie’s Pan Pizza brand and vital tenants to allow it to thrive. Vinnie’s has received high marks local and nationally for its unique take on pan/bar pie. The pizza garnered such a reputation that Dave Portnoy gave it 8.3 score out of 10 on his Barstools Pizza Review. The review sparked an infusion of new interest in the pizzeria. Peter reveals what happened at the restaurant after the review and tips for other restaurants who receive a visit from Portnoy. Learn more about Vinnie’s Pan Pizza at https://www.vinniespanpizza.com/, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vinniespanpizza/ and on TikTok at https://www.tiktok.com/discover/vinnies-pan-pizza-nj. Thanks to our sound engineer and designer Katie Wilson. | |||
| 156. From Chef to Food Truck top Brick and Mortar Pizzeria | 08 Jun 2023 | 00:37:25 | |
This week, we hear the pizza journey of Evan Eriksen, who owns Pie 95 Pizza in Jacksonville, Florida, an artisan style, neighborhood pizzeria. His path to owning a pizza shop wasn’t a direct route and took him to some far-off places. After culinary school Evan worked with leading chefs in New York City, San Francisco and Sydney, Australia. But it was a pizza trailer that sparked his passion for pizza. Listen to Evan’s episode now. Evan reached out to us on social wanting to share his journey to pizza. He sent us such a great story that we asked if we could share that with our followers. Here’s his story in his own words: “As a young child I always was interested in food. Family gatherings and the group gatherings where everyone would partake in the dinner. So, this caused me to start cooking at a young age. After graduating high school, I had no idea what to do even though I worked in restaurants dish washing, bussing tables, and prepping. I thought of what was my childhood dream to be. I then recalled watching a series “Great Chefs” as a young boy and praised these chefs. I decided to move to south Florida and go to culinary school. “Florida Culinary Institute” was the name at the time. All through college I paid rent, bills and tuition cooking around West Palm Beach. After graduating I realized to be great, I had to train with the best. Then moved to NYC. Sent my resume out to over 25 places and only heard back from 1. Gotham Bar and Grill. I set up an Interview and bought my plane ticket. Within 2 weeks I was working as veggie cook for an amazing 3-star New York time restaurant. It was incredible for a 21 yr old. After many years of working in NYC for great chefs like Alfred Portale, Eric Ripert, Gabriel Kruenther and Ben Pollinger I had to go overseas. On a whim got my visa and was headed down under to Sydney, Australia. There I staged at Quay and briefly worked at Tetsuyas. While sitting in Manly work I had a pizza and beer. Realized life was about the simple things and not overly fancy food. After coming back to the States I headed west to good old San Francisco. Became Executive Sous at Ame restaurant in the St. Regis Hotel. Something was not right in my career. Some passion was gone I wanted to learn something. Then something happened. I saw this adorable concession trailer in Fishermans Wharf. Carmel Pizza Company. It was a 18ft concession trailer with a 120 Mugniani wood fired oven on the back. They were hiring! I said get the job and learn pizza in a few weeks then quit! Well, I got the “cook” position and absolutely fell in love. Knew that pizza was in my life forever. After working there for almost 1.5 yrs I knew it was my moment. The moment I had to open my own pizzeria. Decided to come back east to Jacksonville Florida. The food truck scene was booming here. So built a concession trailer almost exactly like “Carmel” had across country sight unseen and spontaneously. Yeah, I know it was crazy. Then hit the road with my trailer. I was taking every gig I could. Just wanted people to eat and try our pizza. It’s different, it’s unique, it’s artisan, it’s Pie95 Pizza! Food trucking come with a lot of great, but also hard scary times. From weather dangerous driving to blowouts on the trailer. The list can go on forever. Really wanted to showcase more of my skill then just what we served pizza and wings. Of course, for caterings we had more options, but showcase my passion “food”. After years of looking and saving all my money I found a quaint 950sqft juice bar in historic Riverside. Jacksonville, Florida. Signed the lease and started our build out. You only open your first restaurant once. So let’s enjoy this. Our menu | |||
| 155: Let’s talk Pizza Dough with John Gutekanst | 01 Jun 2023 | 00:38:31 | |
This week on The Hot Slice Podcast, we are chatting with creative pizza genius John Gutekanst about his and our favorite subject, pizza dough. John is a past keynote speaker at Pizza and Pasta Northeast. He owns Avalanche Pizza and Slice House in Athens, Ohio, is a contributor with Pizza Today, Emcee at the International Pizza Challenge and frequent demo and seminar presenter. He is an award-winning pizzaiolo, baker, teacher, speaker and author and has been featured in Gastronomica, Food Arts, National Geographic, Alimentum Food Journal, Food Network and Best Food Writing.
In the latest Knead to Know column, John goes in depth into building a better crumb structure in your pizza crust or what he calls the “guts”. Pizza makers and pizza enthusiasts are captivated by the interlocking web of gluten on sideview photos of pizza on Instagram. The gluten development isn’t magic. It takes continual experimentation. John talks about adjustments you can tweak during the dough-making process that will dramatically impact the pizza’s crumb structure. If you’ve never manipulated your dough formula, John provides where to start to experiment with various results in crumb structure.
Next Big Pizza Movement
Another climber is the pizza slice business. He shares his own experience with the serving pizza slices and where it is headed.
This week’s The Hot Slice Podcast hosts are Senior Creative Director Josh Keown and Executive Editor Denise Greer.
Thanks to our sound engineer and designer Katie Wilson. | |||
| 154: Deep Dive into Restaurant Lawsuits in the News with Thomas Reinhard | 25 May 2023 | 00:25:42 | |
Thomas Reinhard talks Wage Theft Lawsuits and Prevention, Importance of Estate Planning on The Hot Slice Podcast | |||
| 153. The Life of a Mobile Pizza Company – A Slice of New Jersey | 18 May 2023 | 00:35:45 | |
This week on the Hot Slice Podcast we talk mobile pizza business with Chris Hill, owner of A Slice of New Jersey in Byram, New Jersey. Before starting A Slice of New Jersey, Chris was a physical education/health teacher. After being laid off during the COVID-19 pandemic, Chris began his pizza odyssey with no background in the pizza or restaurant business. For 10 years though, he had always had a fascination with pizza, traveling the world to study pizza making. His pizza travels took him to Coalfire Pizza (Chicago, Illinois); The Dough Bros (Galway, Ireland); Joe’s Pizza (New York, NY), Zeneli Pizza (New Haven, Connecticut); No. 900 Pizzeria (Montreal, Canada); Sorbillo (Naples, Italy), Mission Pizza Napoletana (Winston-Salem, North Carolina); Metro Pizza (Las Vegas, Nevada); Settebello Pizzeria (Salt Lake City, Utah), Scottie’s Pizza Parlor (Portland, Oregon); Pizzeria Beddia (Philadelphia, PA); and Bonci (Rome, Italy).
The circumstances of the pandemic heightened that interest, and he began to pursue the perfect pizza and then scale it to sell pizzas at farmer’s markets. Those humble beginnings catapulted Chris into a thriving mobile pizza business. A Slice of New Jersey concentrates on prebooked public events and private catering. A big component of his public events is giving customers the opportunity to pre-order their pizza. It helps Chris manage the kitchen and operation side of the food truck.
The menu is grounded on a unique pizza crust made from dough that is fermented for 48 hours and uses a blend of artisan flours, including a local wheat sourced from Sussex County, New Jersey. Chris also sources seasonal produce from local farms.
The pizza menu has staple favorites like the margherita and pepperoni. There is also Drunken Pig with a house-made vodka sauce, fresh mozzarella, Italian sausage, parmigiano-reggiano, basil and extra virgin olive oil. The Cremini-Miny-Moe features roasted cremini mushrooms, ricotta, fresh mozzarella, garlic infused olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, thyme and black pepper. The seasonal pies are getting more attention as his customers look for something different, like the Life is a Peach with peaches, prosciutto, mascarpone, toasted walnuts, basil, balsamic drizzle and The Autumn-ic Bomb with house-made butternut squash purée, pancetta, fontina, red onions, fried sage and house-made spicy maple syrup.
Now that you’ve had a bit of an overview on Chris Hill and A Slice of New Jersey, here’s what’s this week’s The Hot Slice Podcast with Pizza Today:
This week’s The Hot Slice Podcast hosts are Editor in Chief Jeremy White and Executive Editor Denise Greer.
Thanks to our sound engineer and designer Katie Wilson. | |||
| 152. Joe Carlucci Makes History at the International Pizza Challenge | 11 May 2023 | 00:30:39 | |
On The Hot Slice podcast this week is veteran pizza maker/pizzeria owner Joe Carlucci. Joe owns Valentina’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar in Madison, Alabama. He followed up first-place win in the Traditional Division at last year’s International Pizza Expo with a Non-Traditional victory this year. He went on to win and be named Pizza Maker of the Year. This is the first time in challenge history that a competitor has won categories back-to-back and nabbed the Pizza Maker of the Year title. See Joe’s reaction speech to being named Pizza Maker of the Year on Pizza Today’s Instagram Reel. Born in the Bronx and raised in Carmel, New York, Joe studied under Tony Gemignani for 15 years and was a founding member of the World Pizza Champions. He is a six-time World Pizza Champion and three-time World Champion Pizza Acrobat. Joe is a Guinness World Record holder for largest pizza base spun in one minute measures 72 cm (28.35 in) and world’s highest pizza toss using 20 ounces of dough at 21 feet and 5 inches into the air. Carlucci has appeared several times on national TV shows – such as, The Today Show, Martha & Snoop, Master Chef Kids, Best In Dough Joe transplanted to Alabama to open Joe’s World Famous Pizza in Madison. His latest pizzeria, Named after his daughter, Valentina’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar opened in 2020. Valentina’s is expanding into a new 4,000 square foot building in four months. The Hot Slice Podcast host and Pizza Today Executive Editor Denise Greer has an in-depth conversation with Joe, focused on the following areas:
About the International Pizza Challenge The International Pizza Challenge is held annually in the spring at International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. Competitors battled head-to-head to find out who makes the best pizza in the world. We had five best pizza divisions: Traditional, Non-Traditional, Pan, CMAB California Style and Neapolitan/STG which will be represented in the pizza bake-off that will showcase 200 of the world’s best pizza makers and thousands of dollars in cash prizes. | |||
| 151: Pizza Expo Sessions 5 – Breakout Pizza Pros in the Business | 04 May 2023 | 00:25:11 | |
This week, we bring you the last of our Pizza Expo Sessions on The Hot Slice Podcast from the show floor at Pizza Expo. On the podcast, we have Bill and Cheryl Crawford and Ian Foster of Righteous Slice in Rexburg, Idaho; Robert Wagner, co-owner of Need Pizza in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Jhonathan Naranjo, founder and CEO of JoJo’s NY Style Pizza in Hollywood, Florida. Be patient with the sound. It will be worth it to hear the enthusiasm and energy of pizzeria professionals at the show giving us updates on their pizzerias, the pizza business and Pizza Expo. | |||
| 277. Plan Ahead to Say Yes With Big Green Truck Pizza | 25 Sep 2025 | 00:31:58 | |
Listen to Liane Varipapa Page, owner of Big Green Truck Pizza in Connecticut, on The Hot Slice Podcast with Pizza Today. Big Green Truck Pizza made history this month by serving more than 4,500 people at the 10th annual Apizza Feast in New Haven. The company’s lead dough maker prepared 750 dough balls ahead of the event, which served 10,000 slices and was recognized by Guinness World Records for the largest pizza party. Achieving the feat required lots of planning. Big Green Pizza brought six of its trucks, two trailers and 30 staff members and friends to cook pies onsite. If anyone is up to such a challenge, it’s a mobile pizza operator that regularly staffs multiple events simultaneously, has contingency plans in case of a car trouble and rounds out its eye-catching fleet with International Harvesters from the 1940s. Find out how Liane Varipapa Page went from operations manager to owner of Big Green Pizza Truck and how she is adding to the fleet so she can “say yes” to booking requests for years to come. Show Notes: Nominations are open for the 3rd annual Pizza Industry Excellence (PIE Awards). We are looking to give awards in seven categories, plus Pizza Company of the Year by Region. Apply today at: https://pizzatoday.com/pie-awards/ National Pizza Month in October is approaching fast. Go to the National Pizza Month Pizzeria Tool Kit: https://pizzatoday.com/nationalpizzamonth/ There is no better way to celebrate National Pizza Month than by attending Pizza Expo Columbus! Register now! https://registration.pizzaexpocolumbus.com/event/2025 | |||
| Pizza Expo Sessions 4 -- Women Redefining Pizzerias | 27 Apr 2023 | 00:14:08 | |
This week, we bring you more of Pizza Expo Sessions on The Hot Slice Podcast from the show floor at Pizza Expo. On the podcast, we have retired teachers/pizzeria owners Suzanne Francis, Ruth Matheny and Katie Agor of The Grove Wood Fired Pizza in Granbury, TX. We also have Phumzile Siboza who traveled from Johannesburg, South Africa representing the Debonairs Pizza chain. Be patient with the sound. It will be worth it to hear the enthusiasm and energy of pizzeria professionals at the show giving us updates on their pizzerias, the pizza business and Pizza Expo. Tune in next week for more Pizza Expo interviews. | |||
| Pizza Expo Sessions Part 3 - Innovative Pizza Concepts | 20 Apr 2023 | 00:21:30 | |
This week, we bring you more of Pizza Expo Sessions on The Hot Slice Podcast from the show floor at Pizza Expo. On the podcast, we have Jason Dascoli of Rock City Pie Ice, Superior, Colorado, and Bill Bartz and Emily Knudsen with Pleasant Grove Pizza Farm in Waseca, Minnesota. Be patient with the sound. It will be worth it to hear the enthusiasm and energy of pizzeria professionals at the show giving us updates on their pizzerias, the pizza business and Pizza Expo. Tune in next week for more Pizza Expo interviews. | |||
| 148. Pizza Expo Sessions, Part 2 – Experience and Education | 13 Apr 2023 | 00:13:25 | |
This week, we bring you more of The Hot Slice Podcast on the show floor at Pizza Expo. On the podcast, we have Jeremy Shirk of Conan’s Pizza in Austin, Texas; Stacey and Josh Kearney of Society Pie in Beaverton, Oregon; and Joseph Ledwidge of Ranger Joe’s Pizza in Kalispell, Montana. Be patient with the sound. It will be worth it to hear the enthusiasm and energy of pizzeria professionals at the show giving us updates on their pizzerias, the pizza business and Pizza Expo. Tune in next week for more Pizza Expo interviews. | |||