PMQ Pizza – June/July 2023

PIZZA MEDIA

TRUE ROMANCE

How Peter Izzo, the dough slinging bad boy of The Bachelorette, found the love of his life: pizza PAGE 20

YOU DIDN’T GET INTO THIS BUSINESS TO BE AVERAGE. NEITHER DID WE.

Tony Gemignani Wants to Take Slice House Concept Nationwide

Slice House by Tony Gemignani said it has more than 24 units in development across California and is in discussions to sign 12 additional franchisees. pmq.com/slice-house-franchising

CEO: New Menu Item Is Papa Johns’ “Biggest Innovation Ever”

The Cool Ranch Doritos Papadia, a flatbread-style sandwich, debuted as Papa Johns reported flat same-store sales growth in the first quarter of 2023. pmq.com/papa-johns-doritos-papadia

Does Minnesota Really Have Its Own Pizza Style?

Founded in 1965, Red’s Savoy Pizza started marketing its thin-crust pies, featuring a “passive-aggressive” sauce, as a unique regional style in 2017. pmq.com/minnesota-style-pizza

Nancy Silverton Debuts New Vegan Cheese at Pizzeria Mozza

New Culture replaced the essential dairy protein in cheese—called casein—with its own animal-free version, produced using precision fermentation.

pmq.com/nancy-silverton-vegan-cheese

MOD Pizza Program to Create Jobs for Overlooked Populations

The nationwide MOD Opportunity Network will focus on serving justiceinvolved individuals and those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

pmq.com/mod-opportunity-network

Hynum, rick@pmq.com

ART DIRECTOR

Eric Summers, eric@pmq.com

SENIOR COPY EDITOR

Tracy Morin, tracy@pmq.com

DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH

Blake Harris, blake@pmq.com ext. 136

TEST CHEF/USPT COORDINATOR

Brian Hernandez, brian@pmq.com ext. 129

REPORTER Chris Green, chris@pmq.com

FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER

David Fischer, david@pmq.com

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Shawn Truss, shawn@pmq.com

ADVERTISING

SALES DIRECTOR Linda Green, linda.pmq@gmail.com ext. 121

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Tom Boyles, tom@pmq.com ext. 122

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jerry Moschella, jerry@pmq.com ext. 137

SALES ASSISTANT Brandy Pinion, brandy@pmq.com ext. 127

INTERNATIONAL PIZZA MARKET

Italy: Enrico Fama Fama.Enrico@gmail.com

Russia: Vladimir Davydov

Vladimir@pmq.com

Pizza + Burgers: How Donatos

Landed in Red Robin’s Nest

“When a guest tries a Donatos pizza, they have a positive experience and frequent Red Robin more often,” according to Red Robin executive Jason Rusk.

pmq.com/donatos-red-robin-partnership

China: Yvonne Liu Yvonne@pmq.com

PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE 605 Edison St. • Oxford, MS 38655 662.234.5481 • 662.234.0665 Fax

PMQ Pizza Magazine (ISSN #1937-5263) is published 10 times per year.

Cost of U.S. subscription is $25 per year. International $35. Periodical postage pricing paid at Oxford, MS. Additional mailing offices at Bolingbrook, IL. Postmaster: Send address changes to: PMQ Pizza Magazine, PO Box 9, Cedar Rapids, IA 52406-9953.

Opinions expressed by the editors and contributing writers are strictly their own, and are not necessarily those of the advertisers. All rights reserved. No portion of PMQ may be reproduced in whole or part without written consent.

PIZZA MEDIA ADVANCING THE PIZZA BUSINESS COMMUNITY

RED ROBIN GOURMET BURGERS

SLICE HOUSE

• Savings up to $7,000 monthly per store

• Makes 100-300 pizzas per hour

• Supported pizza sizes: 8”–16”

• Makes a 16” pepperoni pie in under 50 seconds

• 15-minute installation

• No-pain training

• Quick, easy setup and cleaning

• Food-grade materials

EVENTS & PROMOTIONS

SUMMER 2023

Industry Events

European Pizza & Pasta Show: June 21-22

Here’s your excuse for a summer vacation in London! This show is a one-stop shop for pizza and Italian restaurant owners and managers looking for Europe’s top products and services, from pizza, pasta and

Promote This!

Discover all of the events impacting the pizza industry this year at PMQ.com/calendar Hosting an event? Send your submissions to editor@pmq.com.

and a Changing Consumer; and Technology, Drive-Thru and an Omnichannel World. Keynote speakers include Andrew Cathy, CEO of Chick-fil-A, and other industry leaders. Learn more at qsrevolutionconference.com

June: National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month

Help your customers kick off a healthier summer by putting your vegetarian and vegan offerings front and center. June is also a great time to create new dessert pizzas topped with fresh-from-the-garden fruits. Start planning now to work with local and/or regional growers and farmers markets to source your veggies and fruits, and remember to spotlight these partners on your website and in your social media.

DON’T FORGET THESE NATIONAL FOOD AND BEVERAGE DAYS IN JUNE AND JULY 2023!

National Cheese Day

Sunday, June 4

Fresh Veggies Day

Friday, June 16

Juneteenth

Monday, June 19

National Onion Rings Day

Thursday, June 22

Independence Day

Tuesday, July 4

National Mac & Cheese Day

Friday, July 14

National Ice Cream Day

Sunday, July 16

National Chicken Wing Day

Saturday, July 29

THE TOUCH OF AN ARTIST

Chef Mariano Codoñer was just 23 when he founded Terra Nostra in 2018. And he’s proven to be a culinary innovator with the touch of an artist, firing up gorgeous pies in a Central American metropolis that you probably wouldn’t normally associate with great pizza: Guatemala City. “One of my recipes includes oregano and rosemary as part of the ingredients for the dough,” he told PMQ. “Normally, all year-round, I use other ingredients [in the dough], such as beets, basil, tomato paste, blue spirulina, pumpkin, coffee, etc. This is part of giving our customers an experience, from the dough to the toppings of the pizza.” The oozy, creamy edges of Codoñer’s artfully braided crusts also pop with flavor. “At this moment, we have three different kinds of filled crust—cream cheese and catupiry cheese; chipotle made with Guatemalan chilies; and pesto and ricotta cheese,” he said. “I try to incorporate different native ingredients and present the dishes with technique and color.” You can read more about chef Mariano at pmq.com/terra-nostra.

AN EYE ON INDIA

Figaro’s, a 42-year-old U.S. pizza brand headquartered in Salem, Oregon, opened its first store in Hyderabad, India, in early April and quickly set out to make an impact on the community. The new Figaro’s location hosted a group of students from the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (NIEPID), provided them with fresh, hot pies and showed them how pizzas are made from scratch. The event was organized by a pair of local nonprofits to provide the students with a memorable experience. Figaro’s is poised for rapid growth in India, according to Ron Berger, the company’s chairman and CEO, with several development agreements for master franchises already signed in various parts of India. “Thus far, commitments are for more than 250 units over the next 10 years,” Berger told PMQ. Following the first store’s opening on April 5, he said, a second location is scheduled to open soon (as of press time) in Delhi, with a third one coming to Mumbai. Franchisee Vamsi Kapilavai told The Indian Express that freshly made dough and sauce will be two unique selling points for Figaro’s stores, “as compared to the centralized or frozen doughs that we [usually] see” in India.

Students from India’s National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities learned about pizza making at the country’s first Figaro’s location.

Mariano Codoñer’s Arrachera pizza features a crust oozing with a peppery chipotle cream sauce and toppings like beef, roasted corn and mini mustard sprouts.

A group of students with intellectual disabilities get off the bus for a visit to Figaro’s Pizza in Hyderabad, India.

Mariano Codoñer founded Terra Nostra in Guatemala City when he was just 23 years old.

HEAVY ON THE GARLIC

Hengam “Enga” Steinfeld says she’s a “proud garlicoholic,” so it’s no wonder she made a big stink over National Garlic Day at Mattenga’s Pizzeria, which has six locations in the San Antonio area. Steinfeld used funny videos, social media posts and even a press release to call attention to the Great Garlic Gathering, her celebration of garlic’s big day, on April 19. The restaurant chain went heavy on the garlic from 5 to 7 p.m., putting garlic knots, cheesy garlic bread, and a pizza with a garlic-paste base center stage on the menu. Steinfeld and her husband, co-owner Matt Steinfeld, also gave away free black garlic and Japanese garlic bulbs, garlic gardening kits and samples of garlic-flavored foods, such as garlic chips. The Steinfelds’ imaginative approach to social media marketing has drawn more than 10,000 followers to Mattenga’s Facebook page, while their Instagram Reels get up to 2,000 views. The owners are both former engineers who quit their jobs to take over a failing pizzeria in 2014 without any prior experience.

FIRST STARTS AND SECOND CHANCES

Still struggling to hire staff? MOD Pizza co-founder Ally Svenson says you might be overlooking someone: people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and those who have been involved with the justice system. As part of its social mission, the fast-casual pizza chain has launched the MOD Opportunity Network (MOD O.N.) to connect its restaurants nationwide with nonprofit organizations that help job seekers who might ordinarily get passed by. Give these workers a chance and solid training, and they will often turn out to be your most reliable and loyal employees. At least, that’s been the case for Seattle-based MOD Pizza, which has made it a point to hire workers from overlooked populations since it was founded in 2008. “We know firsthand the impact inclusive hiring can have on our Squad, our culture and the communities we serve,” Svenson said in a press statement. To recruit job seekers looking for a first start or a second chance, MOD O.N. will “leverage the power of for-profit business working alongside nonprofit partners,” including Goodwill Industries, FareStart, Hospitality Opportunities for People (Re)Entering Society (HOPES) and Best Buddies International. “Together, we will break down barriers, create more opportunities, and help contribute to a world that works for and includes everyone,” Svenson said.

MOD Pizza founders Scott Svenson (back row, far left) and Ally Svenson (front row, far right) want to create more job opportunities for overlooked populations.

Without any prior experience, Hengam “Enga” Steinfeld and her husband, Matt, took over a failing pizza shop in 2014 and have turned it into a six-store chain.

Mattenga’s offers limitedtime Feed the Family Deals, including this one that featured breadsticks and a 16” one-topping pizza for $19.85.

Fortune magazine named MOD Pizza in its “Change the World” list in 2019 and has ranked it among the “20 Best Workplaces in Retail” in several categories.

Find your Ispirazione Italiana

ICONIC: DESIGNING THE PERFECT LOGO

BY ALEX KOONS

Branding is crucial to standing out in the vast sea of competition. It imparts and implants meaning and establishes your pizzeria’s identity in the minds of customers and future customers. It encompasses your service, products and presence in the community. It includes your visual identity, color palette, design, typography, imagery and— arguably the most essential piece—your logo.

A logo is a single image that can say so much about your pizzeria without using any words. Not putting enough time and thought into your logo, I think, is a big mistake that will cost you money in the long run. It’s one of the best tools to help push your brand on every platform. And it has the potential to make your brand iconic.

For instance, what’s one of the most used items in a pizza shop? The pizza box! It’s going to wind up at meetings, parties, schools and soccer games. Missing the opportunity to stand out in these situations would be foolish. Your box and logo should yell (YOUR PIZZERIA’S NAME) loud enough to be heard a mile away.

There’s also merchandise, hats, T-shirts—I’ve even seen businesses selling socks that sport their logos. Creating a

distinctive, personalized image that your customers want to proudly flaunt around town—with your logo on their back—is some of the best advertising there is. And they’ll pay for it!

Marketers talk about touch points—all the places your guests find and visit you via the internet. A good logo helps make all those touch points cohesive. Your customers may find you on Yelp, but when they click to your website, there should be a cross-pollination of images that stick in their minds, ensuring consistency everywhere they find you on the internet.

Consistency keeps your food on track every day, and it’s similarly important throughout your branding process. A similar feel across all your touch points builds an identifiable presence for you on the web. An eye-catching logo is the easiest way to make sure your pizzeria is instantly recognized and remembered. People think in patterns. We like to make connections. So creating a logo that yells out (YOUR PIZZERIA’S NAME) without even using a word is huge.

Finally, your logo and brand should encapsulate your shop’s vibe, ethos and food. What does your brand stand for? What does your logo say about you? Is it exciting? Captivating? These should all be easily answered questions. If they’re not, my advice is to hit the drawing board or have someone else do it for you.

Alex Koons is an industry consultant and the owner of Hot Tongue Pizza, an all-vegan pizzeria, and Purgatory Pizza in Los Angeles.

Your logo is the single most identifiable image associated with your pizzeria. Make it memorable and authentic and use it everywhere.

MATT POLIZZI

CRISPY PEPPERONI AND EGG BREAKFAST PIZZA

Add true Italian zest to your breakfast with this recipe from Margherita.

Sponsored by:

INGREDIENTS

Pizza:

12 oz. sliced Margherita Pepperoni

12” parbaked pizza crust

¼ c. Alfredo sauce

1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

3 hard-cooked eggs, coarsely chopped

1 tbsp. fresh chives, minced

Alfredo sauce:

1 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. minced shallots

½ tsp. minced garlic

2 c. heavy cream

1 tbsp. cornstarch slurry

½ c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 pinch black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Spread pepperoni on tray and parbake for 3 minutes at 375°F to render some fat off.

2. Spread Alfredo sauce on crust, spreading to edges.

3. Top evenly with shredded mozzarella and Parmesan.

4. Add chopped hard-cooked eggs over top.

5. Scatter parcooked pepperoni over top.

6. Bake at approximately 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes.

7. Slice in 6 to 8 pieces per pizza and scatter chives over top.

8. For Alfredo sauce, sauté shallots and garlic in butter until lightly golden.

9. Add heavy cream and bring to boil.

10. Turn to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

11. Add cornstarch slurry to thicken.

12. Whisk in Parmesan cheese and black pepper.

GO DELIZIOSO!

SAY ARRIVEDERCI TO AVERAGE

Celebrate authenticity and bring old-world style, tradition and flavor to your menu with recipe inspiration from Margherita. Our authentic Italian meats are here to help you ramp up the culinary creativity needed to serve the distinctive flavors your guests are sure to savor.

Get recipe inspiration at smithfieldculinary.com/margherita Scan for samples

true mance

He

might be known as the bad boy of The Bachelorette, but pizzaiolo

Peter Izzo, owner of Peter’s Pizzeria in South Florida, brings a laser-sharp focus to his craft.

BY RICK HYNUM | PHOTOS COURTESY OF PETER’S PIZZERIA

eter Izzo has famously looked for romance on reality TV shows—specifically, ABC’s The Bachelorette and —but he never had much luck. No big deal. After all, the Long Island, New York, native has already found his one true love: pizza.

As the co-owner/chef of Peter’s Pizzeria in Florida—one in Port St. Joe and another in Boca Raton—Izzo cultivated a “bad boy” image for TV. He’s the guy who threw a rival’s prized jacket into the swimming pool in The Bachelorette in 2021 and last year called bachelorette Brittany Galvin—with whom he went on an awkward date on Bachelor in Paradise—a “clout chaser.”

Izzo’s stints on both shows were short-lived, but that’s likely by design. Every good reality TV show needs a villain. And it’s a role Izzo played to the hilt. But, in an interview with PMQ, the young pizzaiolo came across as goodnatured, friendly, smart—and highly knowledgeable about pizza. If you want to see him get excited, ask him about his dough. Ask him about his Sicilian pie or his sandwiches. He’s all smiles and positive, upbeat energy.

And it’s doubtful this young Italian stallion needs to go on TV to get a date. Besides, his two pizza shops keep him plenty busy. “I’m very happy with the relationship I’m in with Peter’s Pizzeria,” Izzo says, with a chuckle. “She’s always really good to me. There’s no fighting going on.

“I’m not just doing this to make money,” he adds. “I really am passionate about what I do. I tell my guests all the time, if I could do this for free and not have to worry about paying bills, I’d do it for free.”

Long Island Roots

Izzo’s father moved to the U.S. from Italy in 1969. Once settled on Long Island, the Izzo family became regulars at the legendary Umberto’s Pizzeria, owned by Umberto Corteo. “Every family party or celebration, pretty much every Sunday, we spent going to Umberto’s,” Izzo recalls. “That was like a second home to me. His son was like a big brother to me.” On his 13th birthday, Izzo’s parents pulled him out of school for the afternoon, finalized some paperwork that would allow him to work part-time, and drove him to Umberto’s. “Umberto

“I’m very happy with the relationship I’m in with Peter’s Pizzeria. She’s always really good to me. There’s no fighting going on.”

— Peter Izzo, Peter’s Pizzeria

Peter Izzo started out washing dishes at the legendary Umberto’s Pizzeria on Long Island before becoming an accomplished pizzaiolo in his own right.

put the apron on me—my first one— and it’s a really emotional story,” Izzo says. “To this day, I still put my apron on like he taught me, and every time I put it on, I think of Umberto.”

Izzo started out washing dishes, moved up to busboy and, at 15, began working the counter. But Corteo had bigger plans for the youngster. “I remember Umberto telling me to stand in the corner and just watch,” Izzo says. “For three months he kept me on the payroll to literally stay in the corner, not touch anything and just watch.”

There was a lot to take in: eight pizza makers plying their craft with 10 ovens, pounding out pies, making mozzarella, sausage, breads and meatballs, and chopping meats and veggies. So Izzo watched and learned. When he was 18, he helped the Corteo family open its second Umberto’s store. While attending the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) in Manhattan, he also worked at the company’s Garden City and Wantagh locations. Then, in 2016, he studied abroad in Italy, where he learned even more about the restaurant business and ran the floor at a high-end Florence eatery that sold tickets to fill up its 25 seats every day.

After graduating top of his class from NYIT in hospitality management, Izzo managed an American-dining restaurant and catering hall. “It was, like, a 110-hour work week,” he remembers. “Just grind the kid until he blows up! You know, making $600 a week, which was fine—I didn’t know any different. Six hundred bucks a week! I thought I was making out, you know!”

Managing the Variables

But Izzo soon needed a break. He temporarily left the restaurant business and moved in with his brother, Bobby Pokora, in Miami. After returning to New York for a two-year stint at Patrizia’s, a multiunit restaurant company, he headed south to Florida again. There, he and Pokora took the plunge in 2019 and opened the first Peter’s Pizzeria location in Port St. Joe, under the HYD (How Ya Doin’?) Hospitality Group.

COVID-19 wasn’t a problem for them—Peter’s Pizzeria was practically tailor-made for the pandemic era, he says. “It turned out to be a godsend opportunity, because the whole concept of Peter’s was quick, to-go, delivery,

curbside pickup, in and out. We just skyrocketed.”

Izzo put a lot of thought into his concept. Working with a company that specializes in creating the perfect water for chains like Starbucks and Chick-fil-A, he developed a proprietary water filtration system based on New York’s famous water. “I went online and got the water analysis on the top 10 pizzerias in New York and worked with that company to create a six-chamber reverse-osmosis water filtration system,” Izzo says. So the water he uses at Peter’s Pizzeria, he says, is identical to Long Island’s water, used to make dough for the pizzas he loved as a child.

“When you think about it, Starbucks is really a water-based company that sells

“I remember Umberto [Corteo] telling me to stand in the corner and just watch. For three months he kept me on the payroll to literally stay in the corner, not touch anything and just watch.”

— Peter Izzo, Peter’s Pizzeria

Izzo developed his own water filtration system to recreate the pizza dough he remembers from his youth in Long Island.

Beyond The Dough

Presented By

A night on the patio…  Megan came over, and I cooked dinner. Some nice steaks. They turned out perfectly.

I grilled some asparagus. I had never done that before, and it turned out great. A little EVOO and some salt. Muah!

I sliced up some cucumbers and soaked them in vinegar. A little ranch dressing to dip them in. Delicious! Some mozzarella pearls with grape tomatoes mixed in with some EVOO, salt and balsamic vinegar. Oh, my! We had a glass of wine (or two) as we ate and talked. Music was softly playing. It was a really perfect night. No phones. No TV. Just talking and laughing.

We all need more nights like that. We think we’re so “connected,” but are we really?

Slow down. Talk. Laugh. Smile. Connect.

To learn more about Perfect Crust’s pizza liners and other products, visit perfectcrust.com or email Eric Bam at Eric@perfectcrust.com

About Eric Bam:

Eric is the VP of Sales & Marketing for Perfect Crust Pizza Liners and Incrediblebags.com. Eric is a goal driven optimist that uses his positive attitude to lift up those around him. He’s a father to Nycholas, Alayna and Ruby. He’s a public speaker and show host. You can find him on all social media @TheEricBam.

coffee,” Izzo notes. “They have to manage every variable to offer the same cup of coffee everywhere. The same thing applies to pizza. We need to manage all of our variables—we use the same flour, tomatoes, cheese, oregano, etc., in each store. But, with some restaurants, you’ve still got different water at different locations. Not at Peter’s Pizzeria. Every variable is taken care of.”

The second Peter’s Pizzeria store opened in Boca Raton in late 2021. By September, Izzo and Pokora plan to open a third store that will serve as their flagship location in Pompano Beach. Pokora handles the finances, and Izzo is the pizzaiolo.

The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise, Izzo wasn’t exactly shy about promoting his pizzeria. Some of his castmates accused him of using the TV shows for that purpose alone. Izzo didn’t care. The man knows a marketing opportunity when he sees one. Even so, his pizza cred is unimpeachable. “Our pizza is like if Neapolitan meets New York-style and they get married,” he says. “I use a fresh yeast, which is difficult to obtain, work with and manage, because it’s alive. My kitchen is temperature-controlled, and I have a temperature- and humidity-controlled dough room only for making dough.”

Asked to describe the qualities of a top-of-the-line pizza, Izzo is off and running. “First, the crust should have that leopard-spotted undercarriage. And it should have a nice snap—you should be able to flick it and hear it. Just above the crust, you should be able to see a nice air pocket. Then you know your chemical balance came together the right way. Right where the dough meets the sauce, you should

“I’m not into a sweet sauce,” he adds. “We use the real-deal San Marzano DOPstamped tomatoes. I never add sugar to my sauce. I personally believe people

“The hardest pie I have ever had to make…is the Sicilian. It’s a pizzaiolo’s labor of love. If you see a pizzeria offering a Sicilian pie, it’s because they really love what they do.”

who use sugar in their sauce are trying to hide their tomato flavor because it’s lesser quality. The cheaper the tomato, the more acidic, and super-acidic gives you agita and makes your stomach upset. With my slice, two or three hours later you never feel bloated. You feel light. It’s a lifestyle slice.”

True to its New York roots, Peter’s Pizzeria offers a diverse menu that includes both a Sicilian and a Grandma pie. Florida, after all, is crawling with former New Yorkers and snowbirds, and Izzo wants to meet their high expectations for pizza. “The hardest pie I have ever had to make…is the Sicilian,” he says. “It’s a pizzaiolo’s labor of love. If you see a pizzeria offering a Sicilian pie, it’s because they really love what they do. I ferment the dough for 72 hours before I put a finger on it. I only use one flour for that dough, no blend. I use a dry yeast.” He leans in closer and smiles. “And I’ll let you in on a little secret: I put brown sugar and honey in that dough as well.”

And the Grandma pizza? “It’s baked in a cast-iron pan, so it’s essentially half-baked and half-fried in the oven,” he continues. “It’s super-thin, and it’s got a great snap, with really nice air pockets right between the snap on the bottom and where that dough meets the cheese on top.”

The Pizza King of Florida?

On social media, Izzo has proclaimed himself the “Pizza King,” a title he employs—for now anyway—with tongue in cheek. But he’s determined to change the way pizza is perceived in South Florida. He wants to give his customers a complete experience, an hour or so that they will remember and come back for again and again.

In short, Izzo wants Peter’s Pizzeria to be a “lifestyle pizzeria,” not just another pizza joint. If customers have to shell out their hard-earned money for pizza, they deserve to see a show. “We can go out for lunch or dinner anywhere,” he says. “I want something tangible when I go out to eat. I don’t just want a

slice. I want ambience and an experience. When you come to Peter’s Pizzeria, you’re gonna get that. We make the pies right in front of you. A lot of these pizzerias in South Florida, they’re doing everything behind a wall. You don’t even see them making the pizza. We’re a traditional New York pizzeria. We’re right there in front of you. Everything’s on display. You’re gonna see us stretching and balling the dough. You’ll see our imported San Marzano DOP-stamped tomatoes, our Caputo 00 flour….It’s a tangible experience.”

When Izzo talks about his pizzerias, you get a glimpse of his true romantic nature. “People fall in love in restaurants,” he says. “First dates happen in restaurants. It’s where you celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, reunions. It’s where you celebrate life. For me to own a place that facilitates that, it makes me very emotional. It’s very special to me. So when I say Peter’s Pizzeria is a lifestyle pizzeria, I wholeheartedly mean that.”

Izzo sees a lot of opportunity to grow his brand in the Sunshine State. “I feel like I’m in the Wild West, like I’m in Vegas before it was Vegas,” he says. “I definitely want to continue to expand in South Florida. I feel like there’s a tremendous market here. With the new store opening and truly revolutionizing how pizza is perceived here—making it tangible and experiential—I’d love to eventually get down to Miami and go as far north as Palm Beach, Jupiter, Orlando, Sarasota, Tallahassee, St. Augustine.”

All that TV notoriety can’t hurt either. But Izzo fully expects to live up to his own hype. “I definitely see myself as expanding in Florida,” he says, “and maybe one day being the actual pizza king of Florida. And I don’t see why we can’t present this concept to a private equity fund, get investors, and take our model and copy and paste it all over the country.”

Rick Hynum is PMQ’s editor in chief.

Because if your phones and web ordering are down, you may as well send everyone home. We become your phone company and provide a backup Internet connection

IP Phone Service

Increase revenue and lower cost

• No Busy Signals

• Call Recording

• Call Queuing / Auto Answering

• Multiple (random) start of call upsell messages

• On hold music/message loops

• Detailed reports hold times, lost calls etc

• Callerid delivered to POS system

• Auto attendants—”If you have arrived for curbside pickup press one”

Cellular Backup Internet Protect against outages

• When your Internet fails our cellular backup router keeps your phones, credit card processing and web orders all working.

• The backup kicks in automatically in seconds. So quickly you will not even drop calls in progress when your primary Internet goes down!

• The same router can be used to create chain wide virtual private network to connect your locations.

• SD WAN LTE/LTE A (4G/5G) modems.

We have launched our “A.I.”, virtual call center platform. Let our phone system literally answer the calls and take orders, answer questions and more.

Now offering SMS/Text message solutions Using your existing phone number!

On the PBX

“Press one to receive a text message with links to our onlne ordering”.

SMS Marketing

Manage bulk text message marketing from our system to drive increased revenue. As low as $0.01 per message.

Group text messaging to communicate with your employees (drivers, bartenders, all staff etc).

Pigging Out

BY TRACY MORIN

Everyoneknows that pepperoni is the king of pizza toppings in the United States—though, in some regions, sausage takes the top slot (looking at you, Chicago!). Both of these options will likely always be mainstays of your menu. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t branch out into different pork toppings as a way to create unforgettable specialty pies that help you stand out from the competition. Here, pizza chefs around the country share how they’re using a variety of less-expected pork products with memorable (and profitable) results. Prepare to be inspired!

When it comes to pork toppings, think outside the box— beyond sausage and pepperoni to more unexpected selections, from prosciutto and porchetta to ’nduja and guanciale.

The Porchetta pizza at Mercurio’s Artisan Gelato & Neapolitan Pizza is a white pie with porchetta roast, housemade burrata and mascarpone.

MERCURIO’S ARTISAN GELATO & NEAPOLITAN PIZZA

Anna Crucitt, owner, Mercurio’s Artisan Gelato & Neapolitan Pizza, Pittsburgh, PA

We try to keep a pretty traditional menu, but hopefully we can encourage some pizza makers to try something new. One of my favorite pies we make is called the Porchetta. We use a savory and fatty porchetta roast that has a garlic, rosemary and slight fennel flavor. It’s a white pie, with the porchetta laid on the crust; then we lightly cover it with a homemade burrata cheese. We add a little mascarpone to make it creamy and sprinkle with oregano before it goes in the oven. Once the pizza is cooked, we add crushed peppercorn and a drizzle of olive oil.

We also use prosciutto cotto on our Romana pizza (with tomato sauce and our housemade mozzarella cheese) and inside of our calzone. We slice the meat a bit thicker than

you would normally buy it, then chop it from there, so that the meat isn’t lost on the pie. I also think a thicker piece cooks better in the oven. For the Romana pizza, we write the description on the menu as “cooked Italian ham” to give our customers a better idea of what type of meat they’re getting. Our calzone has the prosciutto cotto, ricotta cheese, a little bit of tomato sauce, mozzarella and sauteed mushrooms. The cotto meat is perfect for cooking inside of the calzone.

“One of my favorite pies we make is called the Porchetta. We use a savory and fatty porchetta roast that has a garlic, rosemary and slight fennel flavor.”

— Anna Crucitt, Mercurio’s Artisan Gelato & Neapolitan Pizza

MERCURIO’S ARTISAN GELATO & NEAPOLITAN PIZZA

Mercurio’s Artisan Gelato & Neapolitan Pizza tops its Pizza Della Casa with thinly sliced prosciutto.

Lee Hunzinger, owner, PizzaLee33

Consulting,

World Pizza Champions team member and Caputo Cup champion, Addison, TX

I like to use ’nduja, a spicy, spreadable pork sausage from the Calabria region in southern Italy. There are many ways to use or infuse it into any pizza, but I like to mix it with ricotta cheese—it lends an incredible smokiness. It will tint the color to beige, and the ricotta takes on an entirely different flavor. I also like to make jams/marmalades out of pork, which reimagines even traditional meats. Recently, at a trade show, I made some spicy pepperoni marmalade/jam. After making a classic New York-style white pizza, I added some of the jam post-bake. We do not want to “cook” the jam, which has sugar in it (as well as onions, garlic, roasted jalapeños, etc.) and could burn on a pizza with a longer bake. We received many compliments on this pizza over the three-day show!

EXTRA CREDIT

Anna Crucitt, owner of Pittsburgh-based Mercurio’s Artisan Gelato & Neapolitan Pizza, shares some additional tips for working with—and marketing— lesser-known pork toppings:

Cooking and texture: We offer the option of adding prosciutto crudo to any pizza after it is cooked, but one of our best-selling pies is called the Pizza del Re, which is made with a mascarpone truffle spread, sauteed mushrooms and our housemade mozzarella. After the pizza is cooked, we lay the prosciutto crudo on top. Some of our guests ask us to cook the prosciutto on the pizza to give it a crispy texture, and we will do that for them, but I prefer the prosciutto to be soft with this pizza. We generally like to pair these soft meats with a softer cheese, like burrata, ricotta or mascarpone. I just like how the texture pairs with our crust.

Marketing and sales: We add pictures of these pizzas to our online menu, on Google, and on our social media so that customers can see what the pie looks like. A quality picture will help sell the pizza. Also, if you use a quality meat that has a lot of flavor, you don’t generally need a lot of it. Pairing a quality meat with a high-margin ingredient helps the overall profit margin. But people shouldn’t be afraid to charge what the ingredients are worth. If they’re in a market that isn’t as familiar with these types of pork, maybe try doing a special pizza, to start educating their customers. Once people try it, it’s what they’ll come back for!

LEE HUNZINGER

LEE HUNZINGER

GETTY IMAGES

Blaine Parker, author, Free the Pizza!

For nontraditional pork toppings, one of my go-tos is smoked hog jowl. It’s the poor man’s guanciale. People always look at me like I’m crazy when I say this, but then they go and pay 30 times the price for imported guanciale. (The word “guanciale” literally translates as “jowl.” What more do you need to know?)

Slice it thin, and it’s great. We also use andouille sausage, boudin and Tasso. We usually pair these with other Creoleor Cajun-friendly toppings. We like hot peppers, sometimes crawfish tails or shrimp, and fresh herbs and scallions as garnishes. The boudin is a head-turner when you put it on pizza with a vodka sauce and some fresh garlic.

Custom, native online ordering... Direct integration online ordering...

BLAINE PARKER

Pizza author Blaine Parker taps Creole and Cajun tastes by topping pizzas with pork toppings like andouille sausage and Tasso (left) and boudin (right).

Enzo Algarme, co-founder, Pupatella (8 locations in Virginia and Washington, D.C.)

Pepperoni, sausage, bacon and ham are definitely the top meat options that Americans love, but in Italy, it’s all about cured meats and sausage. We’re an award-winning Neapolitan pizzeria (named in the “10 Best Pizza Places in the U.S.” by TODAY), and I personally love pizza with porchetta, brisket and even pulled pork. But you have to be really talented to pull it off, because these can often make the pizza too rich and heavy. You have to start with a well-executed product with great flavor and make sure to not overload the pizza. It’s also important to pair these toppings with something fresh and light, like balsamic glaze or fresh lemon or lime zest. Pickled red onions and/or pickled veggies can also be used to cut the grease of the meats, and a mild cheese is great to let the flavors of these unique meats really shine.

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor and the editor of PizzaVegan.com.

THE EVER-POPULAR PIG

If you’re not already a dork for pork, here’s a quick rundown of some of the classic Italian meats.

Capicola and Coppa: These are very similar dry-cured meats that hail from different regions of Italy and are taken from the neck muscle of a pig. Sometimes sweet and sometimes spicy, they’re versatile and great with anything from salads to cheese plates to sandwiches. (As fans of The Sopranos may recall, capicola is sometimes pronounced “gabagool.”)

Lardo: Taken from the fatback of a pig and cured with herbs and spices, lardo has a rich, creamy, fatty flavor and pairs well with other bold flavors on pizza or bruschetta.

Mortadella: Ground pork is mixed with lardon, pepper and often pistachios to make this popular Italian sandwich meat. Some call it Italy’s version of bologna.

Pancetta: Like bacon, but cured and not smoked, pancetta is taken from pork belly, seasoned with salt and pepper, and hung to cure within a casing. Unlike prosciutto, which is often served uncooked, pancetta requires cooking. It’s great cubed and served over salads and pastas and in soups.

Prosciutto: Taken from the hind leg of a pig (sometimes boar), prosciutto is dry-cured and can be served cooked (cotto) or uncooked (crudo). Due to its traditional Italian flavor, many restaurateurs recommend prosciutto di Parma for use on meat and cheese plates and as a pizza topping. Prosciutto di San Daniele is another favorite that’s a little sweeter and darker in color.

Sopressata: Made from pork that’s ground into sausage, the flavor of this dry-cured meat—hot or not—depends on where it originated in Italy.

At the eight-location Pupatella, the Ham & Mushroom (above) combines prosciutto cotto, sautéed mushrooms and fresh mozzarella, while the Diavola (below) features spicy salami.

Some major brands have installed food pickup lockers to allow for streamlined, contactless to-go orders. Would they benefit your pizzeria?

BY TRACY MORIN | PHOTOS COURTESY LITTLE CAESARS

While pizzeria owners pride themselves on providing the personal touch to customers— even when handling to-go orders—there are many people today who would rather not interact with human beings in the course of ordering and retrieving their food. And it’s these types of customers who are most likely to take advantage of food pickup lockers installed in pizzerias—technology that major brands like Detroit-based Little Caesars are investing in.

First introduced in 2018, the Pizza Portal—a heated, self-service mobile order pickup station—is now available at nearly all Little Caesars locations in North America.

“Little Caesars has a legacy of innovation, and we are always focused on how to make customers’ lives easier,” explains Patrick Cunningham, vice president of U.S. development. “We revolutionized the pizza industry nearly 20 years ago with the introduction of Hot-N-Ready, and the Pizza Portal pickup—the first heated, self-service mobile order pickup station in the restaurant industry—was a natural next step.”

The Pros

of Pickup

Lockers Cunningham notes that through this innovation, which was launched in 2018, Little Caesars execs wanted to combine the convenience of mobile ordering and pre-payment with heated self-service pickup to create a new experience for QSR customers, offering guests value, convenience and quality. “Through direct-to-consumer marketing, as well as in-store, digital and TV advertising,

along with PR, we quickly spread the word, and our nationwide rollout was extremely successful,” Cunningham adds. “Our proprietary Pizza Portal pickup is now available at nearly all North American locations.”

Mary King, an independentrestaurant adviser and senior staff writer for restaurants at Fit Small Business in New York, believes that pickup lockers are helpful for pizzerias, too—and they’re not just for hurried customers who want to grab and go.

“They’re a great way for independent pizza shop owners to expand their sales without increasing labor costs,” King says. “And, as with any digital-enabled tool, most of these locker systems log data—so you can drill down to granular details like the average time orders sit in the locker, peak order times, and other data points that can help you streamline or grow your operation.”

For example, King says, your locker system might confirm that most of your orders come in a short window,

“Most of these locker systems log data—so you can drill down to granular details like the average time orders sit in the locker, peak order times, and other data points that can help you streamline or grow your operation.”

— Mary King, Fit Small Business

such as the lunch-hour rush. So it might be worthwhile for you to spread out these orders, perhaps by offering a discount or complimentary item for orders that arrive before or after that window. “The lockers also hold your food at safe serving temperatures,” King adds. “So if you receive orders in advance, your team can get ahead on the pickup orders before your in-store rushes happen. This can also reduce food waste by extending the amount of time the food is safe to eat, before it ‘dies.’”

Cunningham points out that the Pizza Portal pickup option quickly emerged as one of the easiest ways for Little Caesars guests to access the brand. They simply order and pay ahead via the brand’s mobile app or website, then pick up their purchase in-store. “Once the order is placed, the app will notify guests when their order is ready,” Cunningham explains. “When guests arrive in-store, they can bypass the counter and go directly to the Pizza Portal pickup, where they’ll be asked to input a three-digit PIN or scan a QR code.”

The door on the secured compartment will then open, and they can leave with their hot, fresh order in seconds. “The convenience is vital to today’s guest—they want to be able to access a brand as easily and efficiently as possible, and leave with their food as quickly as possible,” Cunningham notes. “From an operations perspective, the Pizza Portal pickup allows us to streamline ordering and reduce wait time for in-store orders, while contributing to digital sales. The Pizza Portal pickup offers guests a seamless transaction process. We have had an overwhelmingly positive response.”

Improving the Experience

To ensure the pickup locker experience is the best it can be, King recommends that operators set aside a designated pickup space, just like you would for a service counter, ensuring that you leave enough room around the unit for customer flow in and out and for line-forming. “And don’t forget to account for the width of the open locker doors—you want other customers to be able to easily navigate around people who are picking up a locker order,” King says. “It’s a great idea to set

up your locker system near a little-used building entrance, to spread the customer traffic around your shop. And if you have the budget, a digital menu board showing what orders are ready, along with their locker number, is a great way to keep waiting customers informed about their order status (and keep your cashiers from fielding a ton of ‘Can you check on my order?’ questions).”

Then, for your staff, you can streamline the pickup locker workflow by integrating your lockers with your POS and online ordering platforms. King notes that a lot of locker manufacturers will build a custom integration for you that assigns a locker number to orders as they arrive, reducing guesswork and user error.

Thus, the first thing an operator needs is the budget for the locker system and installation (which may require the help of a carpenter and/or electrician). “The main disadvantage to pickup lockers is the up-front cost—they can be pretty high, from around $5,000 for a simple heated holding shelf without lockers, up to more than $15,000 for a unit with heated lockers and a touchscreen to enter custom codes to unlock the individual lockers,” King explains. “If you don’t have the proper electrical outlets and a sturdy countertop or wall mount to secure the unit, you’ll need to budget for additional construction costs. It’s not unusual for a system like this to cost more than $20,000, all-in. But depending on where you source your unit, you may be able to finance some of the purchase or work out a plan to spread payments over several months.”

You’ll also need to budget for higher electric bills whenever you have the unit running, King adds—so the ongoing costs can definitely be prohibitive for some smaller operators. Ultimately, just like any other service or product you’re adding, do the math to determine when you might see a return on your investment, and make sure it’s an option that your customers are going to take full advantage of.

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor and the editor of PizzaVegan.com.

The Print Magazine That Powers the Largest Digital Audience in the Pizza Industry.

Is it just a coincidence that the pizza magazine with the largest print circulation (by 10,000 copies) also has the largest digital audience in the pizza biz?

We think not.

When PMQ’s 40,000 monthly printed magazines are delivered into the mailboxes of our 40,000 readers, that’s not the end of the journey. Our readers tell us that they share their copy of PMQ’s print magazine with an average of 2.9 readers.

In turn, print readership drives traffic to PMQ.com. It all starts here—on the printed page.

PMQ: Print Proud and Digital Smart

BelEvo: A Better Olive Oil Blend for Pizza Restaurants

Joe Calcagno, a food lover and third-generation chef from New Jersey, has been in the restaurant business for more than 40 years. He is the founder of Capizzi Pizzeria, BelEvo and Edesia Oil Co.

Calcagno’s background began in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, where he enjoyed his grandmother’s great Italian cooking and helped her shop all over Brooklyn for ingredients. Food was a passion for his family, especially on the holidays. The shopping trips included the chicken market, pork store, a bread bakery, another bakery for pastries, and another for pasta. Many of their other ingredients were grown in the backyard.

Calcagno founded Capizzi Pizza in Hell’s Kitchen using woodfired ovens the old-fashioned way, which he learned from his grandparents. Capizzi features fresh, homemade pizza, salads and desserts and has become a major hit on the New York pizza scene. Capizzi, which is the name of the Calcagno family’s hometown of origin in Sicily, now attracts movie stars and celebrities among its many customers.

Calcagno has always used 100% extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) in his restaurants. EVOO is the holy grail of oils, one of only two fruit-based oils (the other being avocado oil). A pizzeria typically has two options: lose money using EVOO or use a cheap, soybeanbased substitute. There is also a “midnight-oil” industry of scam mixes that are not only counterfeit but also can produce dangerous consumption risks. Calcagno spent years looking for the happy medium in blending his own oils, traveling many times to Italy and eventually becoming an oleologist.

With more than 1,000 olive varieties growing in dozens of countries on six continents, the process of blending extra-virgin olive oils with vegetable oil took years. Joe buys olives from Greece, Spain and Italy, blending mostly extra-virgin olive oils, with an eye on how the blend cooks, smells and tastes, and uses it in his own restaurant. The name BelEvo came from “believe” and “evo.” Calcagno now has a 30,000-square-foot warehouse and is currently in 16 states and growing.

Calcagno believes BelEvo is the best multi-purpose oil on the market today. BelEvo can be poured at the table for dipping or used for pan-frying chicken and meatballs or as a finishing oil. Calcagno welcomes you to try his product with a 100% return guarantee.

Shred and Blend Cheese Faster with the TOP Shredder

The TOP Shredder from ReddyMade offers cheese-shredding capacity up to 100-plus pounds in one minute. This means your business can get through prep work quickly and efficiently. ReddyMade’s high-speed, high-torque shredders are designed for consistency and dependability. Having consistency is key to spreading cheese across the pizza so that the coverage is uniform and cooks evenly.

Along with efficiency and consistency, the TOP Shredder is designed to be durable and long-lasting. Machine construction starts with high-quality materials, and the shredder is assembled with robust components made in the USA so they can withstand heavy usage without breakdowns. The TOP Shredder is backed by an industry-leading two-year full parts and labor warranty, which assures you these are quality machines that will last for decades.

The TOP Shredder stands apart from other machines by offering additional features that enable the machine to either shred two blocks of cheese at one time (for custom blends) or even slice vegetables. In just a few minutes, the TOP Shredder converts from a cheese shredder to a slicer so you can cut your whole onions, peppers and mushrooms or even slice your own pepperoni!

For cleaning, the user-friendly design does not require any tools for disassembly. The NSF-approved components that contact the food can be cleaned in minutes. The smooth surfaces allow easy sanitation and cleaning after each use. The TOP Shredder is also maintenance-free, so there’s no need for oil changes or grease to be applied over the life of the machine. Also, a semi-automatic system is available that will let you shred whole blocks of cheese at the push of a button. ReddyMade’s patent-pending semi-auto system can be added to either the single-block or double-block machine. Knowing safety is at the top of everyone’s list, the safety mechanism that ReddyMade has designed will detect an operator’s hand and, without harm, retract the cheese plunger.

Additionally, ReddyMade’s patent-pending Double Hopper attachment allows you to shred and blend two blocks of cheese simultaneously. This means you can shred 100-plus pounds of cheese in one minute. The Double Hopper attachment works both with the automatic system as well as the manual lever arm. Learn more at cheesegratershredder.net.

Why is the TOP Shredder the SUPERIOR commercial cheese shredder?

Our Patent Pending Double Hopper Attachment allows you to shred and blend 2 blocks of cheese simultaneously. This means you can shred up to 100lbs of cheese per minute, which surpasses EVERY other shredder on the market. The Double Hopper Attachment works with both the automatic and manual machine.

The Top Shredder is incredibly versatile. We offer attachments that shred not only cheese, but vegetables and pepperoni as well.

All Top Shredder machines come with a 2-year warranty.

NEWEST U.S. PIZZA TEAM MEMBERS

Fresh flavors, faces and ideas led the pack at the 30th annual World Pizza Championship.

The U.S. Pizza Team (USPT) traveled to the World Pizza Championship (WPC) in Parma, Italy, in search of pizza glory, and they were not disappointed. With a competing team of 12 members from across the USA, the USPT entered the Fieri di Parma in April with hopes of reaching the awards stage for their culinary innovations. This hope was fulfilled by two of its newest members, casting a winning light on the future of the team.

Team Captain Michael LaMarca, owner of Master Pizza in Cleveland, received the first award of the evening: the Premio Fair Play Award. A prestigious recognition from the entire pizza industry, both international and domestic, this accolade honored and thanked LaMarca for all his work on the International Pizza Challenge in Las Vegas and Atlantic City—and in the industry as a whole. Prior to that, the USPT was presented with a similar informal award from the competitive team for Tavatru Gran Canaria, a pizzeria in the Canary Islands and a previous Vegas champion. This honor can also be largely attributed to LaMarca’s congeniality and personality.

Taking top honors for the USPT was newest member Vitangelo Recchia of Bella Napoli Pizzeria & Restaurant in Port Charlotte, Florida. Recchia took 2nd place in the world for Pizza in Teglia. He also earned the highest score in the entire competition for the USA, wowing the judges with his Heart of Parma pizza featuring hand-grated porcini dust, Lardo di Colonnata, trumpet, oyster and pioppini mushrooms, mozzarella, sausage, stracchino, arugula, and a Parmigiano-Reggiano aged 30 months.

It was only Recchia’s second competition. “Being a part of a world competition on such a grand stage was always a dream,” he said. “Seeing all the competition areas, the ovens, the sponsors, all the competitors—it was incredible. I was told to just have fun and do your best. Being in Italy at the competition, I had already won.

“I didn’t hear my name [when it was called], but my teammates at the tables went absolutely crazy,” Recchia continued. “Then it all hit me. It was incredible. To stand on the podium, second place in the world in Teglia, was an incredible honor. I met some incredible pizzaiolos, and it’s an honor to be a member of the U.S. Pizza Team competing with them.”

Vitangelo Recchia

Michael LaMarca

Cristina Aceves Smith

MEMBERS SHINE ON THE WORLD STAGE

For more information about the U.S. Pizza Team, its members and sponsors, visit uspizzateam.com.

In her second trip to the WPC, Cristina Aceves Smith, co-owner of State of Mind Public House in Los Altos, California, grabbed 5th place in the world for her Pizza in Pala submission. Tugging on the judges’ memories with familiar flavors, all sourced locally, Smith showcased a light and fluffy Roman-style crust topped with a winter squash puree, speck, fresh mozzarella, olive oil, chicory dressed in white balsamic, roasted walnuts and a 36-month aged Parmesan.

Multiple-time world champion Jamie Culliton, owner of The Nona Slice House in Safety Harbor, Florida, took 7th in the world in Teglia with his Truffle Parmesan frico crust, Galbani aged and fresh mozzarellas, panseared potatoes, guanciale cream sauce and crispy pancetta, finished with herb-crusted Parmesan Reggiano and burrata.

In the Gluten-Free realm, Lenny Rago of Panino’s Pizzeria in Evanston, Illinois, secured 13th place out of a field of 75 competitors. Using Panino’s own Via Pizzeria 123 Gluten-Free dough mix, Rago’s Barese pie featured a 90% hydration dough, homemade Barese sausage, tomato sauce, a blend of Galbani whole and part-skim mozzarella, rapini sautéed with garlic, olive oil, salt and crushed red pepper, stracciatella, red sweet drop peppers and field greens.

Top USPT recognition for Pizza Classica went to Galbani Professionale Pizza Cup Champion Jose Flores of Crust Lovers Pizza in Sanford, Florida; McKenna Carney of The Nona Slice House; and Dave Sommers of Mad Mushroom in West Lafayette, Indiana, who all finished in the Top 40 out of 431 competitors in the category. Flores ranked 31st, while Carney and Sommers finished 34th and 36th respectively. For Flores, this was just his second competition ever, while it was Carney’s first attempt at the Classica category in Italy.

Additional USPT competitors were Wilhelm Rodriguez, Papa’s Pizza, Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico; Lars Smith, State of Mind Public House, Los Altos, California; Sean Dempsey, Danger Von Dempsey’s, Aberdeen, South Dakota; and Drew French, Your Pie, Athens, Georgia.

Congratulations to all our USPT members for another great performance!

Jamie Culliton

Dave Sommers

Drew French Sean Dempsey

Jose Flores

McKenna Carney

Lars Smith

Lenny Rago

Wilhelm Rodriguez

Bellissimo: Built to Service Independent Pizzerias and Casual Italian Restaurants

The Bellissimo brand of Italian ingredients has been trusted by the pizza and casual Italian food service segment for over 25 years. Founded in 1995 and born out of a partnership between the largest independent specialty pizza and Italian distributors in the country, the Bellissimo brand has been built to service the independent pizza and casual Italian operator with a product they can confidently rely on.

Driven by the independent pizza and Italian restaurateur’s need for quality, diversity and performance, Bellissimo items are carefully crafted to provide an authentic, home-cooked Italian flavor while standing up to the demands of modern back-of-the-house kitchen needs. Bellissimo’s comprehensive product line spans from everyday pizza items to appetizers, cheese, flour, meats, sauces, poultry and unique specialty imported and domestic products that exceed everyday menu and business needs.

The Bellissimo team is not only invested in the products they provide, but in the customers that they service. They know that striving to provide the best product and customer experience possible will keep their respective businesses healthy and stable in the long run. Their dedicated sales staff is on the street every day working hand in hand with current and new customers to create new items, develop menu ideas, and use the wide range of Bellissimo items to their fullest potential.

Bellissimo-branded products are available exclusively through the national BFC distributor network, a select group of specialty and broadline distributors that provide a level of service and product expertise unmatched in the market. BFC distributors service roughly 35,000 pizza and Italian customers weekly and represent the largest network of specialty distributors in the country.

Bellissimo is your trusted partner for consistent quality products. They aim to provide the best possible buying experience using Bellissimo’s wide range of reliable ingredients, direct customer attention and support of the independent pizza and Italian foodservice customer. It’s no wonder Bellissimo is one of the most recognized specialty brands in the country. Delivering what you need when you need it….That’s Bellissimo!

Interested in Bellissimo items? Please visit bellissimo.com to contact them or find an authorized distributor in your area.

East West Embroidery

East West Embroidery, a leader in the headwear industry, has the ability to develop all products in-house and to accommodate each customer’s needs, sourcing the best materials, delivering on time and exceeding expectations. East West also offers custom in-house embroidery stateside for quicker turnaround (eight to 12 days) and has several million caps of all styles/colors in stock.

eastwestemb.com

Watch the video at PMQ.com/east-west-embroidery.

Floatie Kings

Floatie Kings is a leading provider of custom pool floats and inflatables. With a focus on high-quality materials and unique designs, including pizza themes, Floatie Kings offers a wide range of products that are perfect for pool parties, corporate events and marketing campaigns. Their custom designs and branding options make them a popular choice among businesses and organizations. floatiekings.com

Watch the video at PMQ.com/floatie-kings.

Forever Green Tech

Offering competitive solutions to environmentally harmful plastics, Forever Green Tech has facilities throughout the United States to cater to companies’ business needs. Forever Green Tech specializes in manufacturing affordable plant-based, biodegradable products such as straws, wood cutlery, reusable, recycled to-go bags, caps/closures and biopolymer material. All of its products are manufactured in the U.S. forevergreentech.com

Watch the video at PMQ.com/forever-green-tech.

Taiv

Taiv’s box add-on connects to your existing system to make the content more relevant and interesting to your customer. Taiv is totally seamless, so your customers won’t notice anything different. You also get ad slots to advertise your own upsells, specials and events. Or you can play music during commercial breaks to improve your atmosphere. You’ll get a percentage of the revenue Taiv makes from other non-competing advertisers. taiv.tv

Watch the video at PMQ.com/taiv-tv.

Tuesday-Wednesday, August 22-23, 10am to 4pm (Exhibits & Seminars)

DOUGH BOWLS

DOUGH DIVIDERS/ROUNDERS, PRESSES/ROLLERS

• Dough Trays Standard & Artisan Sizes – extremely durable and airtight. Outlasts all other Plastic & Fiberglass Dough Trays!

• Dough Tray Covers – designed to fit.

-- Standard & Artisan Sizes – extremely durable and airtight. engineered to fit.

• Dough Scrapers – two ergonomic designs.

• Dough Tray Dollies – heavy duty. The preferred dough tray of pizza operators in the US and Abroad for over 30 years!

Order by phone or online.



Call 908-276-8484 www.doughmate.com

908-276-8484.............. www.doughmate.com

JOSEPH’S PIZZA PARLOR

BY TRACY MORIN

Joseph DiLullo may not have completed high school, but, with help from his mother, he was business-savvy enough to open Joseph’s Pizza Parlor in northern Philadelphia in 1968—and to enjoy fast success. Two years later, it moved to its current location and expanded further. “He worked hard, and it was one of the most popular pizza places in Philadelphia,” recalls manager Steve Sillman, who has worked at the business for 42 years. “He even opened a high-end Italian restaurant next door that was very successful.”

“We bought the whole building, which is 25,000 square feet— the pizza parlor is one side, the restaurant (most recently called Moonstruck) is what we’re working on to reopen as a fine-dining concept, and on the second floor is a banquet room, where we do parties,” adds Matthew Yeck, current co-owner with Jimmy Lyons and Joseph Forkin. The trio, in the bar business since 2016, bought Joseph’s in 2021 and has since worked to refine everything, from perfecting the pizza recipe to introducing tech-driven marketing tactics.

One thing they’re not messing with is the distinctive old-school vibe of the pizzeria—a true ’70s throwback parlor with stained-glass ceiling inserts, a double fireplace, and cozy high-backed booths in dark wood. But, as the pizzeria aged and weathered a pandemic, they found certain facets of the business had suffered, including the food quality. Thus, the new owners have been perfecting the dough—which uses a poolish and a two-day fermentation process—since purchasing.

They even brought in a master pizzaiolo and dough consultant to help out, and they tasted 15-plus tomatoes before settling on an Italian brand. “We’re all about the dough, and we’re still tweaking it daily to get that consistency,” Yeck says. “It’s been a yearlong journey. We use the finest ingredients, the best rolls and cheese—but our dough is still evolving.”

A streamlined menu allows the pizza to remain the focus, though Joseph’s was featured on the TV show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives for its wings, marinated in a seasoned brine before cooking. The new owners are also vocal about advertising their takeover and improved food quality, with the ultimate goal of “making the pizza parlor great again, restoring it as a family institution,” Yeck notes. “We don’t do delivery; we want people to dine in. We see people from the neighborhood, but we also get people who come from far away, and we want to make it a destination pizzeria. I’ve eaten pizza in Philly my whole life, and I wanted to create my own perfect version. We’ve learned that making pizza is easy, but making good pizza is difficult.”

A trio of young entrepreneurs launch a Philadelphia neighborhood pizzeria into the modern day—while retaining plenty of its historic old-school charm.

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor and the editor of PizzaVegan.com.

(Clockwise from top left) Joseph's finished exterior renovations in the early 1970s; employees work the dining room; Joseph DiLullo's wife and original co-owner, Claire (right), hangs with her restaurant's hostess and pizza maker; a sign contractor finishes his handiwork; the staff preps for dinner service.

FLORIDA

Register

www.pizzatomorrow.com

the second annual Pizza Tomorrow Summit.

Here you’ll have two full days to explore hundreds of exhibitors with a wide range of products, an expanded conference program, and exciting and informative pizza competitions and demonstrations. All while celebrating our pizza community in easy-to-reach Orlando, Florida. And with our co-location with the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Show, you’ll be sure to find everything you are looking for this November!

Our Family of Foodservice Shows

today to join your fellow pizza operators, franchise owners, and pizzaiolos from across the Eastern United States at

PIZZA MEDIA

TRUE ROMANCE

How Peter Izzo, the dough-slinging The Bachelorette the love of his life: pizza.

HERE’S HOW YOUR MENU LOOKS BETTER WITH

FRESH MOZZARELLA

See back for more details

OUR FRESH MOZZARELLA

IS THE CHERRY ON TOP OF YOUR SALAD

We o er a selection of fine Italian cheeses for restaurants, and our Cigliegini are the perfect addition to any summer dish. Create an exquisite salad or cold antipasto with our fresh mozzarella bites. Drizzle them in sweet balsamic or enjoy them on their own.

Learn more about Caputo’s unique cheese solutions at CaputoCheese.com. Call to request your free sample at (708) 450-0074.

Celebrating Cheese…Since 1978