Issuu

CHEF OF THE YEAR

Millennial Matteo Cesarotto charms with the Mush ’n Boar

www.wowoven.com

Contact your local repesentative to arrange a demonstration MARITIME PROVINCES Flanagan Agencies, Inc. Moncton, New Brunswick 506.387.8757 Fax: 506.387.8750 sales@fai.ca

QUEBEC Distex M&M, Inc. St. Laurent (Quebec) 514.382.3620 Fax: 514.382.7837 info@distex.ca

ONTARIO Distex M&M, Inc. 905.565.5992 or 1-800.645-7324 Fax: 905.565.5992 info@distex.ca

MANITOBA and SASKATCHEWAN Simpson Wilson Ltd. Winnipeg, Manitoba 204.632.6941 or 1-800.342.3626 Fax: 204.633.9254 cam@simpsonwilson.com

ALBERTA Bert Johnson Ent., Ltd. (BJE) Calgary, Alberta 403.870.4763 Fax: 403.287.7788 Calgary: dave@bje.cc Alberta: erin@bje.cc

BRITISH COLUMBIA Distex M&M, Inc. Port Moody, BC 778.989.3620 cvandenhoven@distex.ca

Volume 24 Issue 1 January/February 2018

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14 CHEF OF THE YEAR

Millennial Matteo Cesarotto of Edmonton charms pizza lovers with the Mush ’n Boar

COVER: 2018 Chef of the Year Matteo Cesarotto gets set to craft his winning Mush ’n Boar pizza at the Canadian Pizza Show.

12 NEW TWIST ON TRADITION 12

A demo by renowned Italian chef Franco Pepe was a highlight of CentItalia week in Toronto

16 DISRUPTIVE DINERS:

A TALE OF 6 FOOD TRENDS The biggest shifts for 2018 are in how we get the food we eat

OF PIZZA CHEFS 19 GALLERY Meet the chefs who competed at 16

ONLINE

the Canadian Pizza Show – and look to their innovative pizzas for ideas and inspiration!

DEPARTMENTS 6

editor’s desk

pizza bites

the pizza chef

new products

making dough

guest column

Giorgio’s corner

TRAIN, TRAIN, THEN REINFORCE! The only way to make superior customer service part of a restaurant’s culture is to train and reinforce. Customer service training should not be something you did for your employees but something you continuously do for your employees, Shep Hyken explains. Learn more at www.canadianpizzamag.com.

CANADIAN PIZZA EXTRAS | CETA protects ‘geographic indications’ on food products, App aims to lower restaurants’ food waste, Blaze Pizza expands … plus, the latest news and new products. www.canadianpizzamag.com

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 pizza 3

from the editor’s desk January/February 2018, Vol. 24, No. 1

Winning the grocerant war T

he pizza business is competitive, but how well do you know your competition? Canadian city streets are thick with pizzerias offering various combinations of quality pizza and good prices. When you search for a nearby pizzeria on your smartphone, the list is long and top-heavy with the big chains. But do you consider the local grocery store your rival? If not, you should. Grocery stores are locked in a battle for your customers. They are smart, powerful and not to be underestimated. Here’s the thing: grocery stores want to be you. In-store bakeries and pizza counters are competing for restaurants’ customers by providing eat-in experiences – often strategically near the front door – aimed at not just keeping customers in store longer but also drawing in hungry newcomers (your potential customers). There is a word for this new hybrid: the grocerant. Canadian customers are in the habit of buying prepared and made-to-order foods from the grocery store, says new research from Mintel. Eighty-five per cent of Canadians have purchased prepared or made-to-order foods from a retailer that sells groceries from June through August. Younger Canadians aged 18-34 are most likely to do so, the report said. About one-third of customers buying prepared meals find themselves suddenly hungry and tempted to stop at the grocery store. You need to focus on that one-third. ADVANTAGE: GROCERY With more buying power, grocery stores can provide a whirlwind of products to choose from and one eye-opening discovery of Mintel’s research is that more than 30 per cent of those who buy these grocerant products find them at least as good as those from restaurants. You heard that right! You can’t do too much about the pricing. But to pizzerias that use high-quality

6 pizza JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

ingredients, creative topping combinations and know-how that sets their crusts apart, as Bugs Bunny’s rival Yosemite Sam would say, “Them’s fightin’ words!” Fortunately you as a pizzeria have a couple of six-shooters in your holster. ADVANTAGE: RESTAURANTS You have a principle called the Paradox of Choice in your favour. According to a report out of the University of Guelph entitled Food Focus 2018, people generally like the idea of choice. However, if customers are given too much choice they may be overwhelmed. In an influential book called The Paradox of Choice psychologist Barry Schwartz argues that eliminating consumer choices can greatly reduce anxiety for shoppers. Here’s where restaurants have an advantage, the Guelph researchers suggest. Because you as a restaurant have customers’ attention, you can direct them to choices by providing more information. Also in your holster: the freedom to buy in small quantities, long experience in delivery, and the potential to provide takeand-bake pizza and sell proprietary products such as sauces from your restaurant to help people re-create the experience of your restaurant in their homes. The key to winning on this battleground is selling yourself as the pizza expert. Now that you know what this key competitor is up to, and what those key customers want, put on your marketing hats and steer some pizza-loving millennials over to your camp. •

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Managing Editor Laura Aiken laiken@annexweb.com 416-522-1595 Editor Colleen Cross ccross@annexweb.com 519-428-3471 ext. 261 Publisher Christine Livingstone clivingstone@annexweb.com 519-429-5173 888-599-2228 ext. 239 Account Coordinator Shannon Drumm sdrumm@annexweb.com 888-599-2228, ext. 219 Media Designer Alison Keba Circulation Manager Anita Madden amadden@annexbusinessmedia.com 416-442-5600 ext 3596 Group Publisher Martin McAnulty mmcanulty@annexbusinessmedia.com COO Ted Markle tmarkle@annexbusinessmedia.com President & CEO Mike Fredericks Mailing Address P.O. Box 530, 105 Donly Dr. S., Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5 PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT #40065710 Printed in Canada ISSN 1203-6838 Published seven times per year (Jan/Feb, Apr/May, Jun, Jul/Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov, Dec) by Annex Business Media Circulation email: lmalicdem@annexbizmedia.com Tel: 416-510-5187 • Fax: 416-510-6875 or 416442-2191 Mail: 111 Gordon Baker Rd., Suite 400, Toronto ON M2H 3R1 Subscription Rates Canada – 1 Year $ 26.00 (+ applicable tax) Best pricing (Can/USA/foreign) available online at www.canadianpizzamag.com Occasionally, Canadian Pizza Magazine will mail information on behalf of industry-related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above.

Annex Privacy Officer privacy@annexbusinessmedia.com • Tel: 800-6682374 No part of the editorial content of this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission. ©2018 Annex Publishing and Printing Inc. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher. No liability is assumed for errors or omissions. All advertising is subject to the publisher’s approval. Such approval does not imply any endorsement of the products or services advertised. Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising that does not meet the standards of the publication. www.canadianpizzamag.com

PROFITS IN THE PIE Effective Marketing Tactics to Seize Your Slice of the $38.1 Billion Pizza Pie! • Learn marketing ideas that are tried and true – not wasting money, but making thousands of dollars • Learn to easily implemented marketing tactics – have an action plan you can act on, making you a local celebrity • Tweak ideas and make them your own – be the talk of your town with innovative ideas that generate free press Author Scott Anthony is recognized by the pizza industry as an Operator Expert and a marketing guru. Today he operates an award-winning pizzeria, Fox’s Pizza Den of Punxsutawney and he also does private consultation for operators around the country.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 pizza 7 Pizza Book Ad sept 13.indd 1

2013-08-07 11:27 AM

pizzabites BRIEFLY | CETA protects ‘geographic indications’ on food products, App aims to lower restaurants’ food waste, Ottawa charity rejects donated pizzas | FOR MORE pizza news, check out our website, www.canadianpizzamag.com

Restaurants must offer ‘reason to visit’: NPD Group estaurants and food-service outlets can increase sales and become more relevant by focusing on what consumers want, said the NPD Group in a news release. The research company forecasts flat to sluggish traffic growth in the U.S. industry for 2018, but the trend could change if restaurants learn to align their marketing strategies with customer demand, said NPD restaurant industry analyst Bonnie Riggs in the release. According to Riggs, in 2018, customers are likely to be more strapped for time, given that the demand for convenience is growing; order digitally, via text messages and mobile apps, both of which have posted strong growth in 2017; eat more meals at home; and expect excellent customer service, even though the labour pool is shrinking. NPD expects restaurant and food-service operators will respond by offering value menus, Enticing with limited-time offers and Encouraging visits with loyalty programs. “Engaging customers remains the key to every operator’s success. In this challenging environment there are many examples of major chains, micro chains, and independents that thrive because they give consumers a great experience, superior food quality, and excellence in service,” Riggs said. “In other words, they give people a reason to visit. These fundamentals are necessary for success across every industry segment – today and beyond.”

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Neapolitan pizza making given ‘intangible cultural heritage’ status NESCO has added the art of Neapolitan pizza making to its Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list in an effort to boost international awareness of its significance. The designation aims to ensure better protection of important “intangible cultural heritages” worldwide and the awareness of their significance. UNESCO describes the “Art of the Neapolitan ‘Pizzaiuolo’ ” as a culinary practice made up of four different phases relating to the preparation of the dough and its baking in a wood-fired oven, involving a rotatory movement by the baker. According to the organization, the practice originates in Naples, the capital of

the Campania region of Italy, where about 3,000 Pizzaiuoli now live and perform. There are three categories of bearers – the Master Pizzaiuolo, the Pizzaiuolo and the baker – as well as the families in Naples who reproduce the art in their own homes. Neopolitan pizza making fosters social gatherings and intergenerational exchange, and assumes a character of the spectacular, with the Pizzaiuolo at the centre of their “bottega” sharing their art. Every year, the Association of Neapolitan Pizzaiuoli organizes courses focused on the history, instruments and techniques of the art in order to continue to ensure its viability, UNESCO says on its website.

Restaurants Canada Show to explore future of food T

he 2018 Restaurants Canada Show, set for Feb. 25-27 at Toronto’s Enercare Centre, will focus on what’s new in taste, trends and technology, and what the future of food will look like.The show will highlight Canada’s world leadership in satellite technology that supports farmers, the supply chain and our food, and feature a panel discussion on sustainability with creative scientist and food futurist Irwin Adam, Restaurants Canada said in a news release. The show also will feature more than 1,000 booths and include pavilions focused on the world (featuring Italian Bellavita Expo, Mexico and Jamaica); eco-friendliness; bar and beverage; specialty foods; technology; and coffee, tea and sweets. For more information, visit rcshow.com.

pizzabites

Independent pizzeria franchise network X

O Pizza is seeking independent pizzerias who are interested in joining what it calls a “franchise of the independent.” Alon Zohar, co-owner of XO Pizza in Concord, Ont., shared the pizza business’s vision with Canadian Pizza, which is to create a network of pizzerias that could work in tandem with his business and potentially convert their locations to the XO Pizza brand. He likened it to the FTD Florist model, in which orders come in through a central service and are farmed out to local shops for delivery. XO, which is based in Concord, Ont., will provide access to its online ordering systems, email marketing, direct sales programs, XO branding, recipes and a network to call upon for advice, in exchange for a percentage of the pizzeria’s sales. The network provides two possible approaches. Through the first option businesses can test the concept before committing to it. XO Pizza would install a mini fridge full of its signature ingredients, train staff on how to make its pizzas and send online orders to the pizzeria. The products and orders complement the individual business without requiring any changes to its identity, signage or established products A second option is to fully convert a pizzeria to the XO brand, selling only the new brand’s pizzas and changing the front signage to the XO Pizza name. Pizzerias pay four per cent of current sales. As Zohar explains it, when a pizzeria chooses to fully convert, “if they had $4,000 in revenues prior to conversion they will pay four per cent on the first $4,000 and eight per cent on anything over.” The model is different from traditional franchising in that XO does not require an up-front investment and takes a lower percentage of sales, Zohar said. The business, whose pilot location opened in August, currently does delivery-only from a shop in an industrial park with no storefront. They make eight types of pizza all the same size (14 inches) and price ($20). “We don’t discount our pizzas,” he said. “We opened our pilot location to hone in on making the best pizza, perfecting our sales and marketing techniques and procedures,” Zohar said, adding that members of the network can then use this same model, pricing and technology. The network is designed to help independent pizzerias increase their revenues and profit margins, streamline processes and costs, and expand their customer base to include corporations and catering, he said. Another goal is to increase equity already invested in a pizzeria should its owner decide to sell the business, he added. For more information, visit XO Pizza’s website at xopizza.com/ xo-network.

Fig named top flavour by Swiss company S

wiss flavour company Firmenich has named fig its 2018 flavour of the year based on its appeal for customers who want health benefits and artisanal associations. Fig is becoming increasingly popular with consumers, with fig-flavoured products growing by more than 80 per cent between 2012 and 2016, said Chris Millington, president of Firmenich’s flavours division, in a news release. Long touted for its high fibre content and a variety of essential minerals such as magnesium, manganese, calcium and potassium – fig has surged in popularity in recent years, the release said. Firmenich’s research suggests fig resonates with consumers who perceive it to represent health and authenticity, two trends that topped Euromonitor’s outlook for 2017. As consumers look to replace processed sugar with alternative sweeteners, fig has become a common go-to substitute, the company said. In savoury dishes, fig provides a robust sweetness that pairs well with the salt-forward flavour of cured meats – and menu items such as bacon wrapped-figs, and prosciutto and fig pizza have become ubiquitous, the company said.

For more news updated daily, visit www.canadianpizzamag.com

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 pizza 9

pizzabites Cara Operations buys Keg Restaurants for $200M ara Operations will acquire Keg Restaurants Ltd. in a $200-million deal that will allow the companies to share marketing, real estate and overall costs, the companies announced in a news release. Vancouver-based Keg Restaurants Ltd. is the owner/operator and franchisor of casual dining steakhouse restaurants operating under the trade name “The Keg Steakhouse & Bar” in Canada and some markets in the United States. Cara is Canada’s largest operator and franchisor of full-service restaurants and the third largest restaurant group in Canada. It includes such brands as Swiss Chalet, Harvey’s and Milestones. Cara restaurants’ sales exceeded $2 billion last year, and The Keg’s exceeded $600 million. With this merger, Keg Restaurants Ltd. will assume oversight of Cara’s higher-end casual brands, namely The Bier Markt, the Landing Group and Milestones restaurants. Cara’s size combined with The Keg will provide synergistic opportunities in marketing, real estate and overall costs that will help further grow the Keg and Cara brands, the release said. David Aisenstat is currently president and chief executive officer of KRL and will remain in this position while overseeing the three additional Cara brands. Aisenstat will also join the Cara board of directors as vice-chairman. Bill Gregson will remain as president and chief executive officer of Cara and chairman of the Cara board. Cara intends to change its corporate name to reflect this new business composition following the closing of the transaction. The addition of 106 The Keg restaurants will bring Cara’s network to a total of 1,365 restaurants.

Pizza Hut and Toyota to create self-driving delivery vehicles izza Hut will work with Toyota to create a self-driving pizza delivery vehicle and improvements to existing driving and delivery. Toyota displayed designs of a concept vehicle called e-Palette at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January. Toyota’s proprietary Mobility Services Platform will be used to develop connected mobility software and hardware, and a flexible, autonomous vehicle. Toyota plans to start testing the e-Palette vehicle in several regions, including the U.S., as early as 2020, the pizza chain said in a news release. For Pizza Hut, the e-Palette solution could be used for delivery business or serve as a mobile kitchen in areas of the

world where there is demand. Pizza Hut is one of the founding members of a new “mobility service business alliance” that also includes Amazon, Didi, Mazda and Uber, the release said. Pizza Hut and Toyota also will immediately begin working on plans to improve existing driving and delivery. The companies will jointly test dual communication technology in Pizza Hut delivery vehicles to gather data on driver patterns and behaviour. Pizza Hut recently launched other delivery initiatives, including an algorithm that improves the accuracy and reliability of deliveries, pouches that keep pizzas up to 15 degrees hotter and a pilot test of alcohol delivery.

Bone-in chicken wings most popular in U.S. study he most popular type of chicken wing in the United States is bone-in, according to a study by NPD Group. The global information company carried out a study to help restaurant operators know the ratio of people who prefer boneless to bone-in chicken wings. More than 60 per cent of wings served at restaurants are bone-in, NPD said in a news release. In addition, over the past year, servings of bone-in were up six per cent while declining by a similar rate for boneless. The study, based on NPD’s receipt data service, examined the purchase patterns of wing buyers and how restaurant operators react to fluctuating wing prices. The study concluded most customers had a strong preference for either bone-in or boneless that survived fluctuations in price. “Foodservice operators and suppliers offering chicken wings need to understand purchase patterns of wing buyers in order to menu appropriately, price accordingly, and tailor marketing to grow in the headwinds of price increases,” said Bonnie Riggs, the company’s restaurant industry analyst.

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the pizza chef

Vegetarian and vegan pizzas are a thing, part 2 Diana Cline

ontinuing the topic from my last column, vegetarians and vegans folks are the largest growing market for our industry. Meatless Mondays aren’t just a fad: they’re consistently gaining popularity. In the last two years, the vegan market, for example, has grown by leaps and bounds, mainly because many of our aging population and millennials are turning to clean-living vegan diets. Google Trends shows a 90 per cent increase in searches for the word “vegan” in 2016. Research shows that the biggest shift in the growth is from meat eaters who are cutting back. The biggest challenge for many pizzerias is finding a product to use in place of dairy cheese. Let’s face it, cheese is a major component of our North American style of pizza – from Chicago deep-dish to Detroit-style, to hand tossed and all pan pizzas – if you accidentally omit the cheese on any of these styles of pizza, you are going to hear it from your customer! In addition to the vegan customers, an average of 30 per cent of North Americans are lactose-intolerant. For the lactose-intolerant, eating cheese is not an option. It brings on not “just a tummy-ache” but pain far worse than many can imagine. Pizza has been off the menu for many of these individuals and their loved ones, and they miss it very much! You might be tempted to overlook this segment, but you’d be overlooking a significant sized market. Think of all the office lunches and meetings you cater. I guarantee you there are one to three people in every crowd who can’t enjoy the same meal as everyone else. And think of the families. The parents of a lactose-intolerant child won’t be ordering pizza when

that meal excludes a family member. Around the fourth batch, even the meat When you’re the independent pizzeria eaters were asking for the last slice, and I that everyone in the family can enjoy, there was ready to test it on a larger scale. is no competition. I promoted a vegan pizza cheez tasting Dairy-free cheeses are becoming more night in May. The evening sold out. Evreadily available, mostly due to the size eryone filled out surveys and the feedback and demands of the lactose-intolerant was phenomenal so we put it on the menu, community. There are several plant- held another tasting night in September based vegan cheese prodand continue to have it as ucts available. However, an option. The promotions none are designed for the helped me pack my restauWhen you’re the rant on two Monday nights. high temperature of a pizza oven. Most melt into We price it the same independent a puddle and have little as all the dairy cheeses we pizzeria that “bite” to them after being carry. It is actually a little baked at 500 F or highmore expensive than dairy everyone in er. Others are more like a cheeses. However, it has inthe family can sauce you drizzle on after tense flavour, and its texture the pizza has been baked. is more like a soft, ripened enjoy, there is no fresh buffalo mozzarella or I urge you to research products, buy small quangoat cheese, so it is topped competition. tities and play with them the way those are, meaning, on your pizzas. This step is not edge-to-edge coated, or an investment in a starving covered, but rather more market. Give it some attention and you’ll be sparsely. glad you did. It’s worth mentioning that vegans and Another option is to create your own lactose-intolerant folks are used to paying alternative product. That’s what I did. more for their food, very much like the Earlier this year, dozens of my vegan and gluten-free community. They aren’t price dairy-free clientele suggested I could cre- shopping for the cheapest option, and ate something better tasting than the mar- they are definitely appreciative of the efket-available product we currently offered. fort to cater to them. • Since adding it to the menu in 2008, I have heard from customers that they either love Diana Cline is a two-time Canadian Pizza magazine Chef of the Year, three-time winner of “Canada’s Best or loathe it on pizza, with no in-between. Pizza Chef” at international pizza competitions, a judge I researched a lot of different plant- for international pizza culinary competitions in Las based ingredients, brainstormed the char- Vegas, Italy and France, and a partner with Diana’s Cucina & Lounge in Winnipeg. In addition to creating acteristics I wanted to have in my vegan award-winning recipes, Diana is a consultant to other pizza “cheez” – mispelled purposely to pizzeria owner/operators in menu development, creating distinguish it from cheese – and then start- systems to run a pizzeria on autopilot, along with marketing and positioning to help operators grow their ed creating. I baked up samples and had business effectively and strategically. She is available my brave staff taste them. About one-third for consulting on a limited basis, for more information of my staff are either vegan or vegetarian. contact her at diana@dianascucinaandlounge.com

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 pizza 11

pizza event

New twist on tradition A demo by renowned Italian chef Franco Pepe was a highlight of CentItalia week in Toronto BY COLLEEN CROSS

iva Napoli Pizzeria in Toronto was the setting for an area, chickpeas from the surrounding hills, onions from Alife and exciting demonstration by a renowned Italian chef whose conciato romano, a kind of seasoned cheese. “My dialogue is through my flavours and cuisine, and that passion it is to master the traditional techniques and put is how I will communicate with you today,” Pepe his own spin on them. told a gathering of about 40 people. Chef Franco Pepe, a third-generation master His sons Stefano and Salvatore join him to help baker from Italy, held a demonstration as one of ‘My dialogue with a demonstration of two types of pizza – fried several industry and educational events staged by is through my and baked. the Italian Chamber of Commerce of Ontario for For the fried pizza – “pizza fritta” – the dough its annual CentItalia week in Toronto. flavours and was fried in olive oil and made with fried rice, Pepe, who has been ranked high in Italian cuisine,’ which he said is good for the digestion. Ingredients restaurant guides such as Gambero Rosso and included arugula pesto, grana padano cheese and Identità Golose, is known for his singular focus on –Chef Franco a sprinkling of dehydrated olives. using the highest quality traditional food. Pepe It was made, with the help of busy assistants, He makes his pizzas using regional Italian like a panzerotti and served in a cup by the chef flavours to promote the spread of Italian products himself. and producers and is always searching for highPizza number 2 he called the “Margherita ha quality and representative products from Alto Casertano, the northern part of the Campania region of Italy sbagliato,” which translates roughly to “Margherita made wrong.” he calls home. These include oil made with the olives from his It represents his own twist on the traditional Margherita. Pepe home town of Caiazzo, cured meats from black pigs bred in this took it upon himself to refute the Margherita’s claim to the title of Chef Franco Pepe’s “Margherita ha sbagliato” translates roughly to “Margherita made wrong” and represents his own twist on the traditional Margherita.

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Chef Pepe serves up his fried pizza – “pizza fritta.” The dough is fried in olive oil and contains fried rice, and ingredients include arugula pesto, grana padano cheese and a sprinkling of dehydrated olives.

first pizza, instead giving that distinction to a white pizza made with oregano, pork, lard, basil and pecorino cheese. But he said he is remaking it after his own style. The cheese he uses is from Naples and is made of sheep’s milk and wine and stored in a terra cotta jar to build flavour. It featured tomato purée and a basil reduction he “blitzed together” using basil leaves, salt and extra virgin olive oil. He arranged buffalo mozzarella on the crust and drew lines with the tomato purée. “Dot the basil purée all over the pizza and serve,” he said through a translator. To achieve a contrast of raw and cooked tastes and textures, Pepe suggested adding raw tomatoes, basil and olive mixture. Contrasting the cold and hot lets you taste the ingredients, he said. Two years ago it was pizza of the year from Gambero Rosso, an Italian magazine that ranks a list of top chefs every year. A third pizza featured a lean, soft textured tuna special to Campania and made especially for Pepe in Grani, his restaurant in Caiazzo. He topped it with curled celery. Tony Altimari, co-president of the ICCO, introduced Pepe, saying the chef has almost singlehandedly revived agriculture in Caiazzo, a town of 4,000 people in the Campania region where he grew up. His newest venture, a multifunctional restaurant and product research enterprise, employs many young people in farming and food service. Pepe said he likes to use traditional products that are now forgotten. He credits young people for helping revive some of the old growing techniques and products. “I give thanks for the food and the work that went into it,” he said. Giustino Iorio, owner of Viva Napoli Pizzeria, which played host to the demo, paid tribute to Pepe’s talent. “You have to have passion. Pizza making is so finicky – just one distraction and the product changes,” he said. Iorio also said he admired Pepe’s way of doing something for his town and community. “In Italy there are so many pizzerias, so you have to be different,” he said. “That is how Chef Pepe differentiates himself.” Among other CentItalia week events were master classes by Michelin star chef Cristina Bowerman and chef Ugo Mura, a fundraising and networking dinner dedicated to women in business, and the launch of a book focusing on the origins and culture of pizza. “This year CentItalia, our week-long program for the promotion of excellence in Italian food and cuisine, focused on authentic pizza,” said Corrado Paina, the ICCO’s executive director. “Special attention was given to tradition, traceability of ingredients and simplicity, which are at the basis of Franco Pepe’s recipes which date back hundreds of years. “ICCO is proud to present the Pizza Cultura book as well as amazing initiatives like CentItalia, which allow us to act as facilitator of trade exchanges and business development in the food industry.” •

TASTE THE

TRADITION

Manufacturers and Distributors of Italian Specialty Cheeses and Food Products

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cover story

Chef of the Year Millennial Matteo Cesarotto charms with the Mush ’n Boar BY COLLEEN CROSS

ost operators in the pizza business in Canada will tell you it’s hard to find – and keep – good staff. A good employee is like gold. Enter our newest Chef of the Year, Matteo Cesarotto, a shining example of what’s right with the millennial workforce. Cesarotto was not afraid to start at the bottom and he’s not afraid to work hard. The 29-year-old pizza chef paid his dues in the food industry by taking on junior positions at several restaurants and bakeries as crew member, assistant pizza maker and assistant baker. “I have wanted to be in this business since I was in culinary school,” says the young chef, who hails from near Padua, Italy, and has made Canada his home since 2015. Cesarotto started out on a very different career path before landing in culinary school. “I used to be a nurse for the handicapped,” he says, adding that he couldn’t envision the work as a long-term career. Undaunted, he enrolled in a pastry and bakery course at a culinary school, in nearby Vicenza and after three years graduated as a pastry chef. He then set to work

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in the Italian food industry for six years It’s important to open the pizza as quickly at bakeries, pastry shops and restaurants. as possible, Matteo Cesarotto says. “The most difficult thing is also the most fun.”

TRUE CALLING OF PIZZA But Cesarotto found his true calling only after working in Italian pizza shops, including one in the Calabria region where he got the chance to use a wood-fired oven. He knew he wanted to specialize. “I thought of pizza,” he says. “I tried to make a couple of pizzas and I liked it!” Cesarotto also found he enjoyed the challenge of spinning the pizza around to make sure it cooks properly – without burning himself on the wood oven. “The oven was really big and holds eight or nine pizzas,” he says. He likes using wood-fired ovens because they allow him to get the crust really soft and crispy on the outside. After a few years of learning the craft, including a stint at Ottimi Motivi in Tortora run by the family of past Chef of the Year Carlo Raillo, he decided to move to Canada. He obtained a working holiday permit for six months and worked at The Parlour Italian Kitchen and Bar in Edmonton as well as other kitchens in the area. When the permit expired, he went back to Italy for a brief time then returned

to Canada to work at Buco Pizzeria & Vino Bar in St. Albert, Alta., a city just north of Edmonton and quick commute from his home in north Edmonton. He has worked at Buco for more than two years, first as a line cook and most recently as food-service supervisor in charge of managing the kitchen. The restaurant is part of the Sorrentino’s Restaurant Group owned by Carmelo and Stella Rago. Cesarotto knows a lot about Neapolitan-style pizza making but is eager to know more. “I’m always trying to learn more, and improve myself, my techniques and my recipes,” he says. The trickiest thing for him was learning how to stretch the dough. It’s important to open the pizza as quickly as possible, he notes. “The most difficult thing is also the most fun.” Cesarotto likes training the kitchen staff and also being part of a team. On a typical night, there is a team of three on. “When we’re working on the pizza side, usually somebody is dressing the pizza and putting the toppings on it, and the

Mush ’n Boar Chef of the Year Matteo Cesarotto says he really wanted to find the perfect “union of tastes” between Italian pizza and the products of Canada, particularly from Alberta. That was the inspiration for his winning Mush ’n Boar pizza featuring wild boar sausage.

INGREDIENTS

other person is cooking and cutting the pizza,” he says. That team spirit is on display at Buco, where the bar, pizzeria and kitchen are all lined up, allowing customers to sit in front of staff and observe the pizzas being made. Customers can see everything he does, Cesarotto says. “Sometimes it’s embarrassing, if you make a mistake,” he adds with a laugh, but he enjoys chatting with customers. “Sometimes people are sitting in front of us, and they say, ‘Hey, ‘aren’t you the guy who was in Toronto?’ ” he says, recalling the memorable moment he was named Chef of the Year. MEANINGFUL WIN “It is a big honour for me. I came to Canada with a lot of expectation. I really wanted to do well in the pizza industry,” he says. “It’s a big honour not only as an award but also because it helped me see I was a professional.” “I always try to put my passion on everything I do here and put in a lot of effort. So I’m really proud of it.” It’s easy to see that family is very important to the young chef. “My parents were so proud after I won,” he says. He

• Pizza dough • Tomato sauce

• Portobello mushrooms (marinated) • Wild boar sausages (cooked in white wine)

• Fior di latte mozzarella

• Extra-virgin olive oil

is on the phone weekly with his father, a policeman, and his mother, a florist, and stays in close touch with two younger brothers, in Italy. The day he got back to Edmonton from Toronto, he received his approval for permanent residency and a warm welcome from the team. “We’re really happy for him. He’s come a very long way in a very short time,” says corporate chef Chris Hrynyk. CANADA MEETS ITALY This chef may love the traditional Italian practices, but he also appreciates Canadians’ spirit of adventure. He created his winning pizza, the Mush ’n Boar, to put a Canadian twist on the traditional Neapolitan pizza. “I wanted to try something adventurous,” he says of the wild boar sausage he used on his pie. “It was hard to find,” he says. On a day off work, he went around to different butcher shops asking for it and finally found it. “Customers love it! I was surprised,” he says of the specialty pizza that found its way onto Buco’s menu after the competition. Cesarotto, sees the main difference be-

tween Italian and Canadian pizza preferences as a matter of crispness. “In Canada, people generally like it very crispy and very well done. That’s the only significant difference. Everybody has their own taste on the toppings.” Something else he’s developed a taste for since coming to Canada is craft beer. “I’d like to take a brewing course,” he says. “Beer is really friendly with pizza,” he says. “I used to brew with a friend in Italy,” he says, adding that wine making is far more common in Italy than beer making. “Love it!” he says of creating different beers, choosing the wheat, hops and yeast. “There are a lot of different yeasts and they can make a difference.” Asked how he imagines the future of pizza in Canada, he hopes to see more pizza-making tradition showcased to better advantage. “Pizza still has solid traditional roots,” he says. “In 10 years, I’d like to find more products for pizza.” His own modest plans for the future convey a sense of excitement. Before competing in Vegas, he wants to improve the sausage that will adorn his pizza. Aside from that, he is enjoying making pizza. “I am just focusing on work now,” he says. “But I am open to anything.” •

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 pizza 15

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Disruptive diners: a tale of 6 food trends The biggest shifts for 2018 are in how we get the food we eat BY MICHELLE BRISEBOIS

very year Canadian Pizza has traditionally reported on key trends impacting food consumption patterns. The trends have largely evolved over time with each year building on the previous one. From health concerns to ethnic influences to the yen for comfort food…it’s generally been about the product itself – the pizza. This year is different. While flavour profiles and health concerns are still key factors, the big shifts aren’t only in what food we eat: they’re also in how we get the food we eat. Innovation, or disruption, isn’t happening at the product level. It’s happening in the business model.

DISRUPTION DEFINED A business model is by definition the structure by which the business operates. It includes such things as customer base, revenue streams, products and financing. Products are a component of the business model, and traditionally, companies have innovated by coming up with new products or variations on existing products. The term “disruption” first popped up in business literature in the mid-1990s to define a small company getting a toehold in an industry and stealing share from established players, eventually doing significant damage to their business and overtaking them. Disruptors are successful at this quest because

16 pizza JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

they create a new business model that connects with an unmet consumer need. In the food industry, that disruption is largely coming from new and innovative distribution models. Let’s look at what’s happening and think about how independent operators can take advantage of their strong customer relationships and nimbleness to continue to thrive. DELIVERY: GOOD AND BAD NEWS FOR PIZZA Delivery isn’t anything new but people’s appetite to consume food offsite has escalated dramatically. NPD Group reports that the 80/20 split between food sourced from home and that sourced from food service, including restaurants, respectively has shifted in recent years to be evenly split between the two sources. This is good news for pizza because it is a sector experienced in the delivery model and bad news because there is now more competition. Independent operators can stay more competitive by focusing on menu items and packaging that work well for a delivery model, says Erik Thoresen of research firm Technomic. “Operators need to limit delivery to those items that travel well and really have the flavour and freshness to The demise of the day part and the rise of grazing mean pizzerias should consider broadening their marketing. Time your advertising to promote your products all through the day.

Trend takeaways 1. Delivery: Be open to third-party delivery services as the cost of losing market share may be heftier than paying a user fee. 2. Blurred lines: Forty per cent of Canadians use snacks to replace a meal – is it time to offer all of your menu items throughout the day? 3. Snacking attitudes: Try timing your advertising to promote your products all through the day. 4. Fight food waste: Promote the fact you encourage customers taking the uneaten part of their meal to go. 5. Plant-based proteins: Think beyond vegetarians when you consider plant-based menu items. 6. Breakfast: Encourage people to order your larger pizzas and have them again for breakfast.

impress the consumer,” Thoresen says. Given this, it would be dangerous for the pizza sector to rest on its laurels because delivery is such an integral part of the business model already. Third-party delivery services such as UberEats and Just Eat do charge a fee but the cost of losing market share may be heftier than paying a user fee. Consumers don’t care about backend operational issues and they increasingly want the convenience of delivery. Pizza should learn from department store chain Sears’ mistakes when it comes to defending a channel it has traditionally dominated. The company pioneered direct-to-consumer selling when it launched its catalogue more than 100 years ago, but its failure to continue innovating has cost it dearly. Sears should own e-commerce in today’s retail environment; instead it’s now extinct.

When participants in a University of Surrey study were given the exact same amount of food, they ate 50 per cent more if it was labelled a snack as opposed to a meal. The demise of the day part and the rise of grazing means that anytime is a good time to talk about food consumption, so look at your marketing in a broader manner too. Time your advertising to promote your products all through the day. EAT IT ALL We are starting to view food as a precious resource to be honoured. There is an increasing awareness of the environmental impact of food waste, not to mention the sheer arrogance of throwing out something that sustains life. In 2012, Statistics Canada estimated food waste per person to be 109 kilograms of fruits and vegetables, six kilograms of dairy and 16 kilograms of beef. The trend is showing up in a variety of ways: one example is “ugly fruit” – fruit that may not be perfectly shaped – popping up in grocery stores as a cost-effective alternative to pristine fruit. Technomic’s Thoresen points out that the acceptance of more variation in food presentation is driven by a consumer desire for authenticity. “We’re seeing more restaurants serving food that’s all shapes and sizes,” he says. “Even things like french fries of different lengths and vegetables that aren’t all uniform in size; it’s similar to the in-home dining experience.”

BLURRING THE CHANNELS Another trend is being expressed by both the product and business model innovation. Flavours are fusing, day parts are shifting and industries are melding. Look for food trucks to continue to be on the leading edge of flavour trends. And while Caribbean, Japanese and African cuisines are becoming more and more mainstream, you know the streams have been crossed when a delicacy like the sushi burrito pops up. The definition of mealtime also is blurring. Neilsen Company data suggests that 40 per cent of Canadians use snacks to replace a meal. Perhaps it’s time to offer all of your menu items throughout the day? SPECIFICALLY TALKING SNACKS According to Facebook IQ, which monitors social conversations about everything, including food, #isameal is frequently used as a hashtag alongside of posts about snacking. Facebook’s data indicates that foods traditionally considered part of the meal come up in conversations about snacking. These foods include salads, french fries and sandwiches. The social media site also reports that 63 per cent of U.S. consumers snack in place of a meal, 84 per cent snack between meals and the #snack hashtag on Facebook grew 20 per cent faster than other hashtags in 2016-17.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 pizza 17

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As animal proteins increase in price and awareness about the environmental impact of farming livestock grows, plant proteins such as hemp flour are gaining appeal.

Nose-to-tail cooking that uses the whole animal has been a wave in fine dining for several years, and as tends to happen, the trend is becoming mainstream. Promote the fact you support reducing food waste and encourage customers taking the uneaten part of their meal to go. Make sure you have the appropriate packaging to make this easy for you and the customer, and don’t miss the opportunity to use that packaging to have fun with your branding. An engaging message about the food being so good it’s worth “enjoying twice as much” will remind them of you with a smile when they eat it at home later. PLANT-BASED PROTEINS The trend to eating plant-based proteins is driven by a consumer desire to support the environment, but it is also influenced by that consumer’s budget. As animal proteins increase in price and awareness about the environmental impact of farming livestock grows, plant proteins are gaining appeal. There have also been great strides made in terms of making plant proteins taste great, for example, many delicious black bean burgers are on the market and on menus. In Europe, The Vegetarian Butcher is a new retailer making vegetable meat substitutes. The company is able to mimick the texture of meat fibre by using machine pressure to make a paste made from soybeans. Millennials are key drivers of this trend. The Hartman Group reports that 14 per cent of millennials consider themselves vegetarians while the number drops to four per cent for generation X and one per cent of baby boomers. Millennials are promoting a plant-based culinary lifestyle through social media. Millennial blogger “Chocolate Covered Katie” showcases a variety of recipe hacks using plant-based proteins in place of flour and

18 pizza JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

fat. “Flexitarians” consume a plant-based diet with occasional animal protein, so think beyond vegetarians when you consider plant-based menu items. The segment is much larger. BREAKFAST ALL THE TIME The notion that there is “breakfast food” to be consumed only before lunch is disappearing as large food-service companies such as McDonald’s start offering breakfast menu items all day. According to the National Restaurant Association, 72 per cent of people are keen to see restaurants offer breakfast items all day. Datassential reports that 63 per cent of restaurants now serve breakfast, and about a third of all restaurants are include breakfast items on the dinner menu. A 2015 report by Heraldonline says that 80 per cent of the 242 Americans surveyed admit to having leftover, cold pizza for breakfast. That breakfast pizza recipe you passed over because your operation isn’t open in the morning may just find new life on the dinner menu. Consider a call to action on your larger pizzas to tell people to “go for the big size…you can have it again for breakfast.” This year promises to be another year of great change. Technology is affecting how we feel about our food and how we acquire and pay for our food. This disruption is actually good for the smaller operators because nimbleness and innovation are strengths of a less bureaucratic culture. When David fought Goliath he chose not to wear the King’s armour because it was cumbersome. Instead he opted for a slingshot. Nimble is good. • Michelle Brisebois is a marketing consultant specializing in e-commerce and digital content strategy and retail/in-store activation. Michelle has worked in the food, pharmaceutical, financial services and wine industries. She can be reached at michelle@textrixconsulting.com

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Our Chef of the Year competitors

MATTEO CESAROTTO CANADIAN PIZZA MAGAZINE CHEF OF THE YEAR

RUNNERUP

2ND PLACE Traditional Division

2ND PLACE Open Division

3RD PLACE Traditional Division

GIUSEPPE CORTINOVIS

MARCO ZAMBRI

Nightingale Restaurant Vancouver, BC. Pizza: Covent Garden

MIKE GIRESI

Giresi’s Pizza Sarnia, Ont. Pizza: Pepperoni Pizza

ANTONIO RUPOLO Gusto Pizzaria Inc. Brampton, Ont. Pizza: Pizza du Cicco

Uxbridge, Ont. Pizza: Bacon and Shrimp Sausage Pizza

3RD PLACE Open Division

WINNER Seasonal Pizza Challenge

TRADITIONAL & WINNER, Great Pizza Box Fold-Off

OPEN

ALON ZOHAR

MAURIZIO MASCIOLI

JASON SEITANIDIS

GIOVANNI CAMPISI

KHRYSTYNA COLLINS

Buco Pizzeria & Vino Bar St. Albert, Alta. Pizza: Mush ’n Boar

XO Pizza Concord, Ont. Pizza: Perfect Pair

Maurizio’s Inc. Parry Sound, Ont. Pizza: Great Canadian Apple Bacon Cheddar Pizza

Matador Pizza and Steakhouse Calgary, Alta. Pizza: The Mata-Rita

Casa Mia Ristorante Niagara Falls, Ont. Pizza: Cinderella Pizza

OPEN

SEASONAL PIZZA CHALLENGE

WAYNE DEGROOT

JOE LEROUX

ALIZA LEVY

Zen’Za Pizzeria London, Ont. Pizza: The Renaissance

Amadio’s Pizza Mississauga, Ont. Pizza: Down Under and Upside Down

XO Pizza Concord, Ont. Pizza: Fall in Love

Applestone Pizzeria Burlington, Ont. Pizza: Pina Pancetta

OPEN

HASSANE OUTZGUI

Matador Pizza and Steakhouse Calgary, Alta. Pizza: Algreeco Vegan Pizza

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 pizza 19

pizzabites BRIEFLY | From equipment to ingredients to business technology, Canadian Pizza keeps you in the know. FOR MORE on new products for the pizza industry, check out our website, www.canadianpizzamag.com A pizza mix that takes the heat Ardent Mills developed its new Primo Mulino Neapolitan-Style Pizza Mix for making authentic,

delicate bite. In addition, it performs well with long fermentation

Hand-towel dispenser helps high-traffic washrooms

thin pizza crusts in the tradition of Naples, Italy, where the famous pizza is hand-tossed and baked quickly in extremely highheat gas or wood-burning ovens.

and simple hand tossing. “If you’re looking for an easy way to deliver traditional thin crust pizzas and flatbreads, Ardent Mills’ Primo Mulino

to create a positive washroom experience for both the end-user and cleaning staff. This dispensing system features a high capacity of 2,132

The mix is made with a blend of select Canadian prairie wheat varieties and other functional ingredients so all you need to add is water and yeast, said Elaine

Neapolitan-Style Pizza Mix is the ideal solution,” O’Doherty said. The company has posted a demonstration video entitled “Italian Pizza in 60 Seconds” on

towels, flexible re-filling capabilities and faster dispensing that serves guests in less than three seconds, creating a more positive washroom experience.

management to serve more than 1,000 guests between refills, 600 more than traditional folded towel dispensers

O’Doherty, marketing manager, in a press release. It delivers a supple dough that bakes into a crust with a crisp exterior and

its YouTube channel. For more information, visit ardentmills.ca or call 1-888-2959470.

Because the hand towels are compressed it makes it easier for cleaning staff to carry a larger load and allows facility

according to a press release from parent company Essity. “Guest experience is a valuable currency and restrooms

Tork PeakServe, a new continuous hand-towel dispenser, aims

HR book for restaurants highlights hiring systems

have a direct impact,” said Claude Corcos, Essity’s mar-

A new book on restaurant human resources

more long-term benefit to your restaurant than will a trendy concept or a great location.

keting director of professional hygiene, in the release. “This can have a devastating

management is designed

Included are tips on the following:

and leaders • tracking employee performance and knowing when and how to start developing skills or take corrective action

effect on a venue’s business as food and drink is often an

to teach restaurateurs how to connect with their staff, rebuild relationships, and better manage

• creating a culture that attracts the right talent • prioritizing relationships with

• becoming an employer of choice and improving your long-term success

important part of its overall revenue.” The system is also compatible

systems and processes. Restaurant Operator's HR Playbook explores several concepts

your team to motivate and engage them • incorporating hiring practices

The book is written by restaurant human resources specialist Carrie Luxem, founder

with Tork EasyCube, a cleaning management software system, so that cleaning staff can focus on

related to restaurant human resources, building an argument

that set expectations early and reduce turnover

of Restaurant HR Group. It will be published in February and may

other important cleaning tasks and prevent problems before

that leadership and human resources processes will provide

• identifying employees who have the skills to be managers

be pre-ordered. carrieluxem.com

they arise. tork.ca

3D personalized food printing The Bocusini Pro 3.0 is designed to create foods such as pasta,

apart from the competition. The system allows users

in October by serving roman pizza crust sliced horizontally to create a crisp mortadella sandwich. The company, which started out in the pastry sector and now serves bakeries and pizzerias, makes a natural sourdough flour that

sausage and chocolate with precision. The printing system consists of the printer, the software and, if

to incorporate text messages, logos and plate tattoos

is higher in lactobacilli and thus sweeter, said company representative Sabrina Bellini. The Black Venus flour, which is rich in antioxidants, minerals and fibre, solves the problem of lengthy fermentation time, she said. Roman pizza dough typically takes four days to ferment as it is made up of 80 per cent water. That fermentation time is potentially reduced to 24 hours when using ItalMill’s formulation.

desired, food products specially designed to work with the Bocusini. The machine helps chefs create personalized food – pasta, sausage, chocolate, fondant, for

into their creations in addition to 3D objects. The cost of the system is 1,985 euros, or roughly $3,000 Cdn.

italmill.com

example – to set their businesses

bocusini.com

Black Venus roman pizza crust flour ItalMill, based in the nearby town of Cologne, Italy, was showcasing its sourdough and Riso Venere (Black Venus) flour at the HostMilano show

20 pizza JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

App trains front-line staff and tracks performance

Slicer designed for small restaurants

A new app provides mobile training with the goal of helping bricks-and-mortar stores compete with online retailers.

The app helps sales staff make an impact with customers and sell more effectively by delivering targeted training tools,

Hobart designed its new Edge 13A automatic slicer for smaller operations that require less than four hours of meat and cheese slicing per day. It includes several features to

Although online retail has altered the physical shopping experience in profound ways, the store still matters, according to NewKnow, a Montreal startup

modules and brand information to their smartphones. Operators can create, distribute, track, and communicate employee training across retail networks.

ensure safety and cleanliness, Hobart said in a press release. The Edge 13A features a one-speed, half-horsepower knife drive motor to ensure durability and performance, along with a poly V-belt drive system, a design that extends belt life while producing optimal

that provides training tools to create, distribute, track and communicate employee training. The company’s front-line staff training and communications

The app also can deliver promotions and marketing directly to staff; track training performance by individual, team, or store; and control what and when product

slicing results and quieter operation. The system also offers cost savings for maintenance and repair by reducing parts and service time. To ensure proper sanitation and provide labour savings for cleaning, the slicer features a one-piece anodized aluminum base with no cracks, crevices or bolt holes where product can lodge or

app is designed to make it easy and affordable for retailers and brands to collaborate and train their front-line workforce effec-

training is delivered to handle inventory fluctuations and profit and loss. It is available for a free trial.

bacteria can enter. Other features include no-volt release, which means the slicer must be restarted to operate after a power failure or being unplugged; a 13-inch-diameter chrome-plated carbon steel knife to

tively across their retail networks.

mynewknow.com

improve yield; and a top-mounted ceramic stone sharpener that sharpens and hones in 15 seconds, with a single action.

SpeeDelight grill versatile for all day parts

hobartcorp.com

Looking for a quick solution to satisfying customers during every day part? SpeeDelight is a new high-speed grill from Electrolux Professional designed with handy features to deliver a variety of grab-and-go dishes three times faster than traditional sandwich presses.

cent. Through a USB port and

The grill is designed for preparing a variety of quick

Wi-Fi capability, operators can track, store, upgrade and

dishes – including pizzas, wraps, pasta, pastries and vegetables – in seconds. Its contact plates combine infrared and microwave technology to cook food in under a minute in a way that keeps it crisp, while the upper plate is de-

share cooking menus; monitor warnings or malfunctions; improve and perfect workflows; and achieve consistency across multiple outlets. The unit comes with a kit that includes brush, spatula, scraper,

signed to settle on food with just the right amount of pressure and open automatically when ready to ensure busy operators can cook

removable teflon plate, baking paper, silicon protector, cleaning solutions and rapid grease remover.

with confidence, the company said in a press release. The idea is to produce big flavour with a small energy footprint. An exclusive Energy Saving Mode reduces energy

The machine and recipe system took top prize at this year’s Plus X Awards, which highlight the manufacturer’s commitment to delivering innovative and accessible technologies for its customers.

consumption by up to 60 per

electrolux.com/professional

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 pizza 21

making dough with Diane

How to take advantage of downtime in your pizzeria

Diane Chiasson

am sure you have seen it happen every year – your pizzeria business slows down after the holiday rush. Your pizza counter lineups may have been long during the holidays, but when January hits you may not have the same number of customers. This is the ideal time to get off your butt and do something different. Use this slow period to finally get some other chores off your to-do list. There are many ways you can turn downtime in your pizzeria into a productive time for your staff and overall business. This is a good time to meet with your accountant for a mid-year financial checkup, clean your office, revamp your menu, and come up with your new marketing and business plans. Here are six tips to get prepared for the next burst of business coming your way soon.

Set aside an hour each day to review your invoices, point-of-sale reports and other accounting statements. This exercise should help you analyze food and beverage costs, labour costs, total revenue and guest counts.

1. REVIEW YOUR CASH FLOW AND DO YOUR ACCOUNTING Set aside an hour each day to review your invoices, point-of-sale reports and other accounting statements. This exercise should help you analyze food and beverage costs, labour costs, total revenue and guest counts. You should also review these reports every week, every month and every year. These analyses will help you predict food and beverage preparation, future scheduling needs, upcoming revenue and other operational trends. I am sure that I am not the only one who hates accounting, but we all have to deal with it. Use this time to prepare your tax files. Enter all your revenue and expenses into your recordkeeping system, send your payments to your suppliers, and be sure to balance your chequebook. This is also the perfect time to meet with

22 pizza JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

your accountant and get ready for the next tax season. 2. CLEAN AND ORGANIZE YOUR OFFICE Personally, I find that I can’t start a new project or do anything fun until I get my business and my house totally in order. I am the rare person among my friends and colleagues who looks forward to cleaning and organizing my office, and I am not afraid to admit it. I call it my “Zen time.” So how does a person like me – a clean freak – get my business and home nice and clean without outside help? I envision one task at a time and try not to look at the entire job. I also try to simplify, simplify and simplify as much as possible. I go through the piles of papers and emails, photos, brochures, invoices and magazines that have been sitting around and I get rid of

them once and for all; I simply declutter as much as possible. There is zero excuse for a messy place. My organizing mantra is “Do it, ditch it or delegate it.” I file my papers inside an appropriately labelled folder, and I dust and vacuum my entire office. I try to organize my desk and my filing cabinets so that I can find everything I need within a minute or less. You will find that an uncluttered office is extremely easy to clean. If you don’t have the time or energy to keep up with everything, just hire some outside help in exchange for meals. It’s called bartering. 3. GO BACK TO SCHOOL, TAKE TIME TO READ, ATTEND A CONFERENCE More knowledge will garner you more business and boost your revenue. Any downtime is a great time to give continuing

education a try – check with your nearby school, college, university, or with your restaurant association to find out about training courses, workshops or conferences. Don’t forget that you can empower your staff by offering additional training. Your employees can use these slower periods to learn new recipes and any new technologies your pizzeria will use. Besides travelling, cooking, painting, three things I love are reading, researching and learning. This time of year is perfect to pick up a hobby or learn something new. Think of workshops you would like to take or books you would like to read in order to stay up to date with the pizza industry and hone your business skills. Do it, and when you are tired of your books, please send them to me!

something that should constantly evolve. You may, for instance, experiment with ways to create a simpler menu. Try to keep things as simple as possible, and decide on what stays and what goes. Look at your POS and inventory systems, and afterward go through all your menus to remove menu items that aren’t selling. Keep only your bestsellers. If a special recipe is too technically complicated or difficult, remove it from your menu. You may wish to revamp your menu with healthier alternatives such as high-protein, low-calorie, gluten-free, and allergen-free foods. Consider providing nutrition information for your products and offering different portion sizes. Finally, now might be a good time to experiment with new flavours such as Sriracha sauce or curry pizza.

4. REVAMP YOUR EXISTING MENU Rather than add new products to your pizzeria’s menu, why not spend this time revamping it. Think of your menu as

5. GET YOUR OWN PERSONAL CHORES DONE When business is slow, it’s time to schedule your annual eye and dental exams. It’s

also a great time to clean your basement, garage or attic. Research what’s new out there in the pizza world. You may need a new computer or want to go online to listen to some new music that will inspire your customers to bring more friends to your pizzeria. 6. TAKE A BREAK AND SPEND TIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS You should definitely walk away from your restaurant and enjoy a day or two of total relaxation. Invite a friend or a family member to a weekend retreat, or go to a day spa. Simply BREATHE. You deserve a break! • Diane Chiasson, FCSI, president of Chiasson Consultants Inc., has been helping food service, hospitality and retail operators increase sales for over 30 years by providing innovative and revenue-increasing food service and retail merchandising programs, interior design, branding, menu engineering, marketing and promotional campaigns. Contact her at 416-926-1338, toll-free at 1-888-926-6655 or chiasson@chiassonconsultants.com, or visit www.chiassonconsultants.com

THE PIZZA BIBLE Everyone loves pizza! From fluffy Sicilian pan pizza to classic Neapolitan margherita with authentic charred edges, and from Chicago deep-dish to cracker-thin, the pizza spectrum is wide and wonderful, with something to suit every mood and occasion. And with so many fabulous types of pie, why commit to just one style? The Pizza Bible a complete master class in making delicious, perfect, pizzeriastyle pizza, with more than seventy-five recipes covering every style you know and love, as well as those you’ve yet to fall in love with. Pizzaiolo and eleven-time world pizza champion Tony Gemignani shares all his insider secrets for making amazing pizza. With The Pizza Bible, you’ll learn the ins and outs of starters, making dough, assembly, toppings, and baking, how to rig your oven to make pizza like the pros, and all the tips and tricks that elevate pizza-making into a craft.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 pizza 23 pizza book julyaug 15.indd 1

2015-06-16 10:12 AM

guest column

Shep Hyken

eading about predictions and trends for 2018 got me thinking about the actions we must take to be competitive. Regardless of your industry, everything has changed about the way we do business. Some businesses claim they’ve done things the same way for years, decades, even a century. They claim they do business just as their parents and grandparents did. Nothing has changed. I disagree. A business must keep up with the times. If they don’t, they will be disrupted and find themselves either playing catchup or, worse, shutting down altogether. With that in mind, I’d like to share five customer-service tips every business must do to stay competitive in 2018.

Five ways to ensure your customer service is a hit

1. EMBRACE CUSTOMERS’ CHANGING EXPECTATIONS This one I’ve touted every year. The customer expects more than ever. They no longer compare you to just your competitors. They compare you to any company they like doing business with. So, be prepared to keep up. 2. PERSONALIZE THE EXPERIENCE The concept of personalization has been around for a long time. Make recommendations that are specific to each customer. Whether you invest in sophisticated software that tracks and analyzes customer data or you simply remember them when they walk through your doors, be aware that your customers want and expect you to give them a personalized experience. 3. REACT QUICKLY ON SOCIAL When a customer needs support or a question answered and they email it to

24 pizza JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

Your customers want and expect you to give them a personalized experience. This can include making recommendations specific to each customer, investing in software to track customer preferences and simply remembering regulars when they walk through your doors.

you, they don’t want to wait two days to get a response. They don’t want to call and be put on hold on the phone for an hour. They want a resolution now. If you don’t already offer good self-service solutions that will get customers their answers immediately, you should at least be able to respond to them in a reasonable amount of time – not several hours or days. 4. DON’T LET TECHNOLOGY PASS YOU BY Invest in the right technology to drive a better customer experience. High cost is no longer an excuse. Many software solutions have come so far down in cost that even the smallest businesses can afford them. Stay up to date with the solutions available to you that can help create a better customer experience.

5. BE MORE CONVENIENT THAN YOU’VE EVER BEEN BEFORE If you want to separate yourself from your competition, be more convenient. How easy are you to do business with? It could be extended business hours, more locations or an easy-to-use website. The business that makes it easiest and most convenient for the customer wins. There you have it, five ways to deliver a better-than-ever customer service experience. These are what I’d call “keep-upwith-the-times” types of tips. So, go out there and take care of the customer like you never have before. That’s what it will take to make 2018 great for your business. • Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, keynote speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information, visit www.hyken.com. For information on The Customer Focus customer service training programs, go to www.thecustomerfocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken

MARKETING

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PIZZA DELIVERY BAGS 2017-09-06 9:22 AM

Advertisers Index

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Company

Page #

Annex Bookstore ..................................... 7 & 23 Burke..............................................................27 Faema.............................................................28 Finica Foods .....................................................7 Middleby Marshall............................................2 Pizza Power Page ...........................................25 Ricco Food Distributor ...................................17 Salerno...........................................................13 Springer’s Meats ............................................21 Stanislaus ................................................. 4 & 5 Use these advertiser contact numbers to find out more about a product advertised in this issue or to place an order. This index is provided as a service. Canadian Pizza Magazine is not liable for errors or omissions. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 pizza 25

Giorgio’s corner

Getting in on the craft beer craze Giorgio Taverniti

raft beer has risen in popularity in recent years and demand for unique beers isn’t showing signs of slowing down. I often have patrons ask me for something locally brewed. The trial-and-error process and dedication involved in achieving a perfect creation is what I think is most special about craft beer. With every creation the inventor works like a mad scientist until they reach a eureka moment and – voila! – their vision has to come life. Creating anything is truly an art form. Craft beer is exactly this. I am a supporter of local companies and wanted to offer my patrons the craft beer they crave, without the financial risk and elimination of other crowd pleasers from my bar menu. Local craft beer is requested more and more by my patrons. There are now so many local breweries that it’s hard to decide which one will be the right ones for your restaurant and customers. My advice is to listen to your patrons and do your research. Go online and research the makers and what kind of craft beer they are creating. Find out what ingredients they are using and the brewing process and decide what will mesh best with your menu. Once you have a potential list, contact the owners and sales team to see what the terms are. Some breweries will let you have products on a trial basis before establishing a steady order. Breweries may even let you order based on supply and demand. Both options are ideal for testing a new product with minimal risk. This allows you to determine which brew is best for you and your customers as well as how much of it you can actually sell. Another advantage to using a local item is that you may be able to minimize your shipping costs and avoid minimum order

26 pizza JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

If your patrons are requesting local craft beer, listen to them and do your research.

amounts. Minimum amounts tie up your resources and force you to over-buy. By offering craft beer, you are offering something your customers have been asking for and this will show them that you as a business owner care about their suggestions. It also will show that even though you are technically a little guy you can still stay on point with industry trends. The ultimate bonus is that you will enjoy the taste-testing process and meet incredible people in your community. Once you have selected beers, make sure you introduce them correctly to your patrons and pair them wisely with the pizzas on your menu. As with wine, you and your staff should be able to answer basic questions about the beer, its taste and what food it would pair well with. An easy introduction can be made via social media, inside signage and by telling your servers to mention it to all patrons. Another great way to spread the word about new beers on the menu is to host a sampling event. Inviting the breweries, your patrons, family and friends for a sam-

pling event will not only bring the community together but also educate everyone on what craft beer is. The taste testing is an easy way to allow everyone to taste the beer without committing to a full glass or bottle. This event is also free market research. It will help build demand, provide great exposure for the local breweries and possibly convert an imported beer lover to a local beer lover. It’s also smart to create new dishes using craft beer. Integrating the beer into a stock item as a special promotion or weekend item is inventive and exciting. Some ideas: a limited and special supply of beerbased dough or a beer glaze for cooking. It’s important to know exactly what it consists of and its compounds. Adding craft beer to your menu could expand your customer base and be a great collaboration with the breweries. • Giorgio Taverniti owns Frank’s Pizza House in Toronto, which has been in his family since 1990. A graduate of George Brown College’s culinary management and Italian culinary programs, Giorgio helped found a popular pizza-making workshop at the college and ran it for three years.