The Margherita at Al's Pizzeria
FOOD TRENDS
RAISING THE DOUGH FROM GREAT PROFIT MARGINS, EASE OF PREPARATION AND A CLASSIC THAT WILL NEVER GO OUT OF STYLE, THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS TO HAVE PIZZA ON YOUR MENU.
P
ublicans love pizza. It’s good for business in so many ways – it’s quick and cheap to make but you can still charge a premium on it, it’s a convenient eating option, it’s familiar enough to be a comfort food but your chefs can also get creative with their toppings. It’s an all-round top performer for any pub menu. “Pizza has been around for a long time and it’s an easy favourite of many. It’s quick to make and we make a great GP off it. We sell roughly 450-500 per week,” espouses Max Fox-Andrews, general manager of The Windsor Hotel in South Perth. As such a staple of pub menus, we take a look at the advantages and opportunities surrounding the humble pizza.
TRADITIONAL V CONTEMPORARY STYLES There is plenty of scope within pizzas to decide whether you want to present a very traditional pizza offering, more contemporary options, or a bit of both. When Lewisland Group opened the Al’s Pizzeria offering at The Fiddler in western Sydney last year, it allowed head chef Alfonso Santaniello to focus on the traditional Italian style of pizza with only a few simple toppings per pizza. Best sellers include the classic Margherita, with San Marzano tomatoes, fior di latte style cheese from Victoria, fresh basil, parmesan cheese and cold-pressed oil. The Naples native said it was a risk to steer away from the topping-heavy, supreme-style pizzas, but it was one that paid off. “We risked offending the pizza-pie and loaded-topping lovers from the beginning – but the quality and flavour always wins.” At Hotel Canobolas in Orange, New South Wales, there is an extensive pizza menu that is divided into the popular Australian favourites like meatlovers and ham and pineapple; and gourmet creations like
18 | JUNE 2018 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER
asparagus and ricotta and Moroccan lamb. Both sections of the menu do exceedingly well. At The Lansdowne in Sydney, Detroit-style square pizza makes up 60 per cent of the menu. Mary’s Group head chef James Garside decided to go ahead with this style because of the crispy caramelised cheese around the edges that differentiates it from other styles of pizza. “Instead of going down the route of a massive menu with heaps of things on it, we have just done a few things really well,” states Garside.
OVEN ENVY Not only is pizza a favourite among patrons, but the ovens used to cook it also make for a great aesthetic addition, as evidenced at The Fiddler where Al’s Pizzeria and it’s Italian-imported oven sit separately from the bistro. “Al’s Pizzeria has really added value and a new dynamic to the venue. Creating a buzz at the entrance of the venue, something interesting to watch and experience and of course revenue are some of the value additions it has introduced,” states general manager Sara Belling. Glen Taylor, head chef at Hotel Canobolas agrees, stating that the hotel’s pizza oven has tongues wagging in many ways. “The wood fired oven is an amazing centrepiece which imparts such an amazing natural wood smoke to the dishes we prepare in it. It gives a crust to the pizza which only a wood fired oven can achieve.”
QUALITY OF INGREDIENTS While there are excellent profit margins to be made on pizzas, many operators and their chefs are willing to decrease that a little in order to use higher quality ingredients. “Margins on pizzas as a rule are very good but, with anything, once you start using premium products and keeping things in house rather
