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Volume 18 Issue 6 November 2012

12 Falling For Family-style success

Antica Pizzeria puts family first in Niagara Falls.

14 managing gen-? 8

Make sense of your millennial staff.

20 Between the Bread

Here’s an update on today’s sandwich market.

26 how to make your own

pulled pork Bring a little smoked low and slow to your kitchen.

DEPARTMENTS 6

editor’s desk

pizza bites

the pizza chef

making dough

pizza on fire

www.canadianpizzamag.com NOVEMBER 2012 pizza 3

“Packed from Fresh Tomatoes, Not from Concentrate”...

President Tom Cortopassi (kneeling) and “Coach” Dino Cortopassi (standing) in one of our

Since 1942, our Restaurateur customers’ success has depended on the superior taste of the food they serve and of our products. As a family-owned business, it feels good knowing that so many of our customers have relied on our “Packed From Fresh Tomato” products from generation to generation.

Whether your restaurant has a long family history, or whether you’re the founder, you can depend on our family making the best “Real Italian” tomato products...always Packed From Fresh Tomatoes, Never From Concentrate...generation after generation!

Tom Cortopassi President/Owner

Dino Cortopassi Coach/Owner

Generation after Generation.

tomato fields in Stanislaus County, California

THE

StaniSlauS E

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The “Real Italian” Tomato Company 1202 “D” Street

from the editor’s desk

Discovering Gen-? often ask pizzeria owners, “What’s your biggest challenge at work?” One answer has been repeated most, so it’s time for Canadian Pizza to rise to the occasion and offer some advice on the statement I hear most often: “My staff. I don’t know what’s up with young people these days!” Older generations have always been somewhat puzzled over the antics of 20-somethings, but today’s youth are different this time around, particularly in how their values play out at work. There is a lot of literature out there on managing millennials, as people born in or after 1980 were coined. Theories suggest that this is the first generation raised on a diet of Internet and highly nurturing parents, a potent combination for a new breed of youth. I have done my homework and offered some insight to demystify your young staff as well as advice on how to manage them more effectively on page 14. However, there are a few prevailing issues I came across in my research that must be kept in mind. A lot of millennial stereotyping is negative. They’ve been branded entitled, indifferent and the most me-first generation to come along in history. They’re also considered to be high performance and very imaginative. Behaviour is labelled by perception, and some of the difficulty in understanding millennials is simply a total unfamiliarity with their accepted norms. It’s really important to examine the actions of people to learn what really motivates them and understand the value at work behind the behaviour. It’s often a case of a positive value expressed in a way that doesn’t jibe with the standards set forth by generation X, the baby boomers and the “builders,” or eldest generation in the workforce. There is also the maturity of people as individuals to consider. Some people were just

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born old souls and others seem to never grow up. It is possible this generation may be different because more of them are delaying the full responsibilities of adulthood. The stigma of being in your mid-20s and living with your parents is gone in the eyes of this generation. A lengthier safety net gives young people more freedom to do what they want and consider their own needs. Defining people based on their age is useful, but the parameters set forth in most of the research doesn’t feel entirely accurate. I was born in 1980, a millennial by definition. Yet I was 16 the first time I used the Internet and 19 when I had my first e-mail account and cell phone. I can hardly say technology had a big impact on my childhood. I feel as though people born in the late eighties and early nineties were a bigger part of the game-changing technology years. I was also raised in a rural environment (maybe technology was slow to get there) that valued toughing it out and leaving home as soon as possible. People are individuals who come from many different backgrounds. Behaviour, whether it is perceived as positive or negative, can’t always be simply chalked up to generational differences. You need to decide whether mysterious actions are a product of age and generation or just the person. People grow up slow or fast for a variety of reasons. Better understanding a person may be all it takes to ease tension in your pizzeria. It will be interesting to see what the millennials grow up to be like in the workforce. Remember, it’s their early career mentors and managers who will play an enormously influential role in determining what kind of leaders today’s youth will be. •

@CdnPizzaMag

november 2012, Vol. 18, no. 6 editor Laura Aiken laiken@annexweb.com 416-522-1595 assistant editor Stefanie Wallace swallace@annexweb.com 888-599-2228 ext. 277 publisher Christine Livingstone clivingstone@annexweb.com 519-429-5173 888-599-2228 ext. 239 sales assistant Sandy Mels smels@annexweb.com 888-599-2228, ext. 219 media designer Kelli Kramer group publisher Martin McAnulty mmcanulty@annexweb.com president Mike Fredericks mfredericks@annexweb.com mailing address P.O. Box 530, 105 Donly Dr. S., Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5 PuBLICAtION MAIL AgreeMeNt #40065710 returN uNDeLIVerABLe CANADIAN ADDreSS tO CIrCuLAtION DePArtMeNt, P.O. Box 530, Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5 e-mail: subscribe@canadianpizzamag.com Published eight times per year (Jan/Feb, Mar, Apr/May, Jun, Jul/Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov, Dec), by Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. Printed in Canada ISSN 1203-6838 circulation e-mail: subscribe@canadianpizzamag.com tel: 866-790-6070 ext. 207 Fax: 877-624-1940 Mail: P.O. Box 530, Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5 subscription rates Canada – 1 Year $ 24.00 (+ 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.. No part of the editorial content of this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission. ©2012 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

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pizzabites Boston Pizza opens its first fast casual B

oston Pizza International has opened its first fast casual location in SAIT’s brand new Polytechnic’s Trades and Technology complex. “Boston Pizza is excited to bring SAIT’s students our delicious pizzas, a variety of pasta dishes and healthy salads, along with our famous All Meat Wings,” said Ken Otto, chief operating officer for Boston Pizza International in a news release. “Fast casual is a new area of opportunity for the Boston Pizza brand. This concept is something we’re developing for university and college campuses, hospitals, airports, leisure and sports complexes, and even select high profile mall food courts.” The SAIT Boston Pizza is operated by the Compass Group, and will serve many of Boston Pizza’s most popular menu items. Located within the food court on the main floor of the new Aldredge Building, the counter-style eatery will feature a variety of pizza (available by the slice or in medium and large sizes), pasta, salad, soup, All Meat Wings and Boston Pizza’s Cactus Cut potatoes. In addition to entering the fast casual space, earlier this year Boston Pizza unveiled a new smaller-footprint, 4,100 square-foot Boston Pizza prototype that will be developed in smaller markets and communities over the next few years. “With more than 340 Boston Pizza locations across Canada, we are taking a multichannel approach to growing the Boston Pizza Brand and further extending our leadership position in the casual dining category,” said Otto in a news release. “While we continue to open traditional Boston Pizza locations across the country, we are also excited about new concepts like SAIT, our urban concept location in downtown Toronto and our new smaller store concept.”

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Pizza Pizza enters gourmet category p

izza Pizza is now offering its customers a line of personal size gourmet pizzas made in five minutes for the value price of $4.99. The 10-inch pizzas are made on a thin multigrain crust and feature upmarket ingredients, such as arugula, cipollini onions, and smoked provolone. Pat Finelli, chief marketing officer for Pizza Pizza, was on hand Tuesday to present the new line to media. The company has been working on the product for the past two years, an effort that has allowed the chain to offer customers an upscale alternative to slices while still making a good margin, says Finelli. The pizzas are available to walk-in clientele only. “This pizza doesn’t deliver well,” he says of the thin-crust’s tendency to get soggy on the drive. He says Pizza Pizza is also looking to increase their lunchtime walk-in share with this new offering.

The word healthy was a descriptor batted around a few times, and the pies do seem to fit the description, all coming in around 500 calories due to an easy on dough, sauce and cheese approach. Each of the 12 featured recipes are $4.99, with the exception of the Quattro Funghi, Chicken Bruschetta, Sweet Chili Thai and the “a la carte” option, which sell for $5.99. Pizza bases for the line are either red, pesto or white. Eight new recipes were developed and four existing ones used, says Florence Alexander-Parray, product developer for Pizza Pizza. “In the end, I was very happy with what we achieved,” says Alexander-Parray. She also commented that the tuna topping is new to people, but they are becoming accustomed to it. Pizza Pizza now carries 38 toppings. The gourmet line’s soft launch is was rolled out in late September and the official kick-off happened after Thanksgiving.

pizzabites

Fresh frozen pasta event highlights solutions ecently, A. Bertozzi Importing hosted an event showcasing Surgital, an Italian fresh frozen pasta company they distribute. The tasting afternoon was held at Toronto’s Alimento Fine Food Emporium on Sept. 24. Surgital began in 1980 as a family business in 45 square feet. The company is now a 60,000 square foot operation with nine different pasta brands all crafted with customized machinery dedicated to replicating the handmade process. Surgital pasta is made using a blend of Italian and Canadian wheat in a factory that goes through 240,000 eggs a day. The pasta is made fresh and then frozen in 35 to 40 minutes, explained Chiara Castorini, a spokesperson from Surgital who provided much of the details for the day. One of their lines, Divine Creazioni, is made using a process that creates individually unique pieces for a very authentic handmade look. Guests were treated to a sample

of the Bauletti with sheep ricotta cheese and green sicilia pistachios. Most of the products they sampled were from the Laboratorio Tortellini brand, which has about 140 different pastas in it. The event’s menu included tortelli with pumpkin, lunette with truffle and ricciole with ricotta and spinach. Surgital pasta has short cooking times, typically two to five minutes, with an 18 month shelf life in a deep freezer. In the factory, the pasta pieces are frozen individually from their fresh state. The company also makes a range of sauces, which contain no preservatives or additives and come in 1kg resealable bags in a pellet

form to help control food costs. Surgital’s pre-cooked lasagna sheets are their best selling product ever, said Castorini. The lasagna comes as a full sheet rather than strips and is pre-cooked. The sheets are suitable for making cannelloni as well. The sheets can be used 15 minutes after removing from the freezer. Pizzerias interested in ordering Surgital products can call A. Bertozzi Importing at 416-213-0075.

Papa Murphy’s: three new stores in Canada apa M Pizza Canada Inc. opened three new Papa Murphy’s stores in September. The list includes a second store in Surrey, B.C., and the fifth store in the Greater Edmonton market located in Sherwood Park, Alta. The company’s first store in Winnipeg opened as well. The three new locations have brought the Canadian store count to 18 throughout British Columbia, Alberta and now Manitoba. Combined with the U.S. store count, the chain operates more than 1,300 locations in North America. Papa M Pizza Canada plans to expand its Canadian footprint with a push to open 80 stores within the next five years. To complement its team, Papa M Pizza Canada has entered into a partnership with Parker and Associates to aid in the growth and support of the brand in Canada. Plans are in place to expand Papa Murphy’s from the west to the east. A recent survey administered by Nation’s Restaurant News and WD Partners found Papa Murphy’s take-n-bake pizza to be number 1 in the pizza category. More than 5,000 consumers were surveyed in the second annual Consumer Picks. Papa Murphy’s emerged number 1 within the pizza category in nine out of 10 attributes surveyed. The company scored 71.2 per cent overall in the pizza category and ranked number 2 of 97 limited service restaurants (quick service and fast casual chains).

NOVEMBER 2012 pizza 9

the pizza chef

Endangered independents Diana Coutu s the keynote speaker for the first Canadian Pizza Business Forum this past June, I had the opportunity to speak to several independent pizzeria owners. I chose to focus my presentation on low-cost effective marketing strategies to increase sales and profits, and by midday it was clear that this business forum was needed. Everyone in attendance was glad they came. It should come as no surprise that many echoed my questions, concerns, challenges and frustrations. How do we compete against the low-priced chains? How do we attract and retain good staff? How do I train my staff to do things the way I want them done? How many staff should I have on my schedule? How do I deal with a problem employee? What should my labour cost be? How do I negotiate a better price for my ingredients with my suppliers? What kind of profitability can I reasonably expect in this industry? How come so many of us don’t last more than a year? Most of us are aware that there are landfills of carcasses and barely breathing bodies who all thought the pizza industry was easy and lucrative. At dinner one night, Scott Anthony and I were asked why many independents don’t make it in the pizza business. One common and often fatal mistake is that many new operators get into the business thinking that they can make a better pizza than the chains do and offer it at a lower price. Filling the first criteria isn’t that difficult, but doing it for less is impossible. You cannot sell premium quality ingredients at a low price. The math simply doesn’t support this model. New operators rarely understand food cost, recipe mapping and the high costs of labour that this industry demands. And when they finally do grasp this, it’s not until they run out of money and have to close their doors. I can’t begin to count the number of independents who have

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made this mistake and ended up losing their tough industry. I’ve been a guest speaker at shirts. There are even veteran independents other pizza courses and none covers all the who don’t know their numbers. A few years important topics. With more than 20 years’ ago I worked with a client whose yearly sales experience in the real-world school of hard exceeded 1.8 million yet he didn’t make a knocks, I can say that my husband and I dime in profit. His costs were out of control, have mastered the important aspects of the mainly because he’d never figured out what business and we even continue to invest in they were or implemented systems to keep our skills by reading business books, going on top of them. These things are very impor- to seminars and workshops, and then applytant in order to be profitable from the start. ing what we learn to our concept. In order to Part of the problem is that we aren’t ex- create content for our course, we reviewed posed to the business aspect of our indus- each consulting job we’ve worked on in the try. We get into the busipast seven years and made a ness thinking it’s about one list of the top 10 challenges. thing: making and baking Then we added a few things a great pizza. My husband that we wish we’d known you cannot and I made the same asbefore we opened our pizsell premium sumption over 14 years zeria. Using this list, we creago. Sometimes we’re pretty ated a pizza business course ingredients at good at making great pizza designed specifically for ina low price. the dependent pizzeria operators. from the start, but more often than not we need help This course is the first math simply in this area. It’s one thing ever created by two top doesn’t support independent pizzeria owners to consistently make great pizzas for friends and famfor their fellow independent this model ily in your home kitchen, pizzeria owners. It’s meant but quite another to make to provide a solid foundation the leap to a professional for existing and future pizzeria kitchen. Even if we independent pizzeria owners, do manage the making and baking well, we to provide real-world answers and trusted soon discover that’s only a small slice of what experience to those who need it the most. owning and operating a pizzeria requires. It’s our goal to help more of us succeed Operations and marketing are key aspects and be around for years to come. For more that, if overlooked for too long, will lead to information about the course, please visit the inevitable expensive and quick death of www.dianaspizzaschoolofbusiness.ca. • your concept. With so much to look after and no- Diana Coutu is a two-time Canadian Pizza magazine chef where to gain the experience and knowl- of the year champion, internationally recognized gourmet pizzaiolo, co-owner of Diana’s Gourmet Pizzeria in edge needed to succeed, it’s no wonder we Winnipeg, Man., and member of the board of directors for the are an endangered group. After the business CRFA. In addition to creating award-winning recipes, Diana forum I realized that there is a great need is a consultant to other pizzeria owner/operators in menu development, creating systems to run a pizzeria on autopilot, for a pizza school that covers these aspects along with marketing and positioning to help operators grow and gives independent pizzeria operators their business effectively and strategically. She is available for the knowledge they need to make it in this consulting on a limited basis; for more information, contact her at Diana@dianasgourmetpizzeria.ca.

feature

Falling for family-style success Antica Pizzeria is built on quality, passion and values BY SteFANIe WALLACe

esides its namesake tourist attraction, Niagara Falls caters to tourists in several other ways, including restaurants. An abundance of eateries fill the streets with options to satisfy any taste buds, from Brazilian steakhouses to Indian cuisine. And, of course, wood-fired Italian pizza. Niagara Falls is home to Antica Pizzeria and the Mascia family: parents John and Dora, and their four sons, Tio, Pat, Anthony and Dave. John and Dora immigrated to Canada from Italy in the late 1960s to start a new life; John worked as a bricklayer, and Dora in restaurants. When a man from Naples, Italy, opened Antica Pizzeria in Niagara Falls in 1990-91, Dora worked in the kitchen, helping the owner build a restaurant from the ground up. In 199495, when the owner decided he wanted to return to Italy, John and Dora were given the opportunity to purchase the restaurant. “The timing was perfect,” says Tio. “We were all teenagers and we’ve always liked this type of business.” The business truly revolves around passion and family. All four brothers are involved in the restaurant: Dave likes to cook and handle marketing, Anthony handles operations, and Tio and Pat can often be found at the front of the house, dealing with customers. John and Dora work in the kitchen making pizzas and preparing other meals. But although they

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all enjoy different aspects of it, Tio notes that it’s necessary to know every square inch of operation in the restaurant business. “We all pour our passion into our product,” Dave says. All six members are dedicated to their restaurant, a business they’ve watched grow and succeed over the years. “It’s our baby.” What started out as a small, 80-seat eatery with a 10-pizza menu has since expanded to a restaurant that holds 275 seats, with many more classic Italian recipes adorning its menu. The warm, authentic atmosphere is immediately felt upon entering, and the smell of fresh ingredients fills the air. Two wood-fired ovens, built by John, are visible from the front of the house, and what Dave describes as the “Cadillac” of espresso machines can be viewed from the front entrance. Through the doors on the left lies a room that can accommodate approximately 80 people for private functions. “When the opportunity knocked [to expand with a new piece of property] we took it,” says Tio. “We were new to this; we had only been in business for four years.” But the simple, rustic, yet modern, décor remains the same throughout the restaurant. “We broke the traditional pizzeria model,” Dave adds. “We wanted to give customers a gourmet pizzeria in a nice atmosphere, as if they were in Italy, and they appreciate it.” But, Tio

adds, simplicity is best, and the family had no desire to foray into fine dining. “We didn’t want tablecloths. We’re just an average family. We want people to feel comfortable to bring their kids in.” The outside received a facelift last winter to match the inside’s modern feel. A quick peek at the menu proves Tio’s point that less is more. Dave notes that the meals enjoyed by his family in the old country are now popular favourites. “The poor man’s food back in the day is now gourmet,” he says. Inspired by traditional favourites, Antica’s dishes use fresh ingredients and age-old recipes. The restaurant offers signature Italian comfort foods, such as eggplant parmigiana and gnocchi, but wood-oven pizzas are its specialty. Dough and tomato sauce are made fresh every morning, and the fresh herbs that John grows in his backyard can be smelled throughout the restaurant. The recently added Calabrese pizza, with such toppings as hot salami, mushrooms and kalamata olives, is quite

popular. Classics such as margherita and napoletana are clear customer favourites, though. “Those fresh ingredients – homemade sauce, the garlic and basil from my dad’s garden . . . simple is more,” Dave says. But, he adds, they do change it up every once in a while. Their American customers tend to prefer toppings like pancetta and prosciutto. A whole-wheat crust is now available, and Dave says the kitchen is experimenting with gluten-free options. “We have gluten-free pastas,” Tio says, “but it’s hard with pizza. You almost have to have a separate oven and workstation.” Nevertheless, Dave hopes to have a gluten-free crust available within the next year. Operating a restaurant in a seasonal tourist centre can be challenging, but Tio notes that every year they’re noticing less and less of a decline. Warmer winters have been helpful, and Antica’s regular customers still remember to visit through the cooler months. “Sometimes the regulars don’t want to be in the mess of peo-

From left to right, Dave, Pat, Tio, Dora, Anthony and John with one of the wood-fired ovens that have made their restaurant famous.

ple in the summer; they like it when it’s a little quieter.” The restaurant employs around 70 people through peak season, but the staff shrinks back down to approximately 20 through the winter. Some of those staff members have been with the restaurant since its inception, displaying a loyalty Tio credits to the family atmosphere the Mascias have worked hard to develop. Of course, a family atmosphere means working with your parents and siblings every day, and the brothers say that isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. “Everyone has their own opinion, but it’s nice that we all have different personalities and characteristics,” Tio says. “If we were all the same, it would probably be more difficult to work together.” “We argue,” Dave adds, “but at the end of the day we’re having coffee.” And, as Tio notes, everyone is there for the same reason. “You have six people with six

different opinions, but at the end of the day, the goal is reached. You’ve got to let things go and see the bigger picture.” The third generation of Masicas is still young, but Tio hopes his children and nieces and nephews will carry on the business after their grandparents worked so hard to build it. “I’ll bring my kids in to help make dough. I love the memories of family being together . . . the chatter, the stories, the arguing. It’s so special,” he says. “Watching the restaurant grow has been great,” Dave adds. “You always have a vision of it being bigger and better, and you work so hard to get there . . . we’re very fortunate in what we have.” But the brothers agree that the most credit for the success of the restaurant goes to their parents. “Understanding what they did for us, to give us this opportunity . . . it keeps us humble,” Tio says. “They’re in their 60s and still working so hard, and that motivates us.” •

NOVEMBER 2012 pizza 13

feature

Managing Gen-? There are sound strategies you can implement to better manage your millennial staff. BY LAurA AIKeN

f a young person has ever made you shake your head in disbelief, don’t fret; you are amongst 100 per cent of adults who’ve passed the ripe age of 30. Today’s 20 somethings are a new breed for their employers, who have described managing this techno-prolific, highly nurtured batch of young adults as a puzzling and frustrating experience. “They just don’t share our values,” laments many a manager. And to a degree, they’re right. There are four generations in the Canadian workplace: matures/builders (born 1945 or earlier), baby boomers (born 1946 to 1964), generation Xers (born between 1965 and 1979) and millennials (born 1980 or later). Three scholars – Sean Lyons of the University of Guelph, Eddy S. W. Ng of Dalhousie University and Linda Schweitzer of Carleton University – published Generation Career Shift, a comprehensive study of millennials and the values of the four generations – in 2011. Over 3,000 Canadians were surveyed as part of the professors’ study, which drew the conclusion that matures, boomers and gen-Xers had been “playing nice for over a decade.” The tension was with the millennials, the 25 per cent of the workforce whose behaviour on the job was different than what has been supported for a long time. We’ve got four different generations at work and each successive cohort is increasingly individualistic. INSIDE ThE MIllENNIAl MIND To understand how to better manage the youngest cohort, we must first take a look at their shared characteristics. Some of the terms used to describe millennials are negative, or even offensive. Negative stereotypes hurt this group, making it even more important to reach out and understand the intrinsic value at play behind the perception of them. Note, this discussion is about the perceived shared

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If you want to keep four generations happy in the workforce, engage them in the right way.

characteristics of one group. People are individuals and typically have some rather than all traits associated with their age group. For example, it is often assumed that older people are bad with technology, but this isn’t always the case. Millennials lead all four groups in the value they place on advancement, fun and co-workers, while the boomers and mature crowd place more emphasis on wanting information, the authors of Generation Career Shift found. Hypothetically, this could be because the youngest group is used to information on demand, and perhaps think most anything can be found rather easily. Study evidence on millennials suggests they are more individualistic, have less need for social approval, have higher self-esteem and are more narcissistic than the generations before them. Millennials typically feel a job should meet their needs and they are obligated to leave one that doesn’t. Elders have perceived the young cohort

as entitled, autonomous, self-absorbed, abrasive, imaginative and defensive. Millennials also have lofty expectations. In 2010, the study found their expected starting salary was $45,500, bumping up to $76,500 in five years, and anticipated peak earnings of $149,000 … although less than two per cent of Canucks make this kind of money. Sixty-eight per cent expect to be promoted within 18 months and 35 per cent within a year. “Millennials [are] not savvy about personal finance and may be misinformed about the kind of money people typically make in their careers,” remark the authors. Millennials have a complex view of their place at work. On one hand, they are high-performance, high-potential and high-maintenance, notes author Chip Espinoza in his book Managing the Millennials: Discover the Core Competencies for Managing Today’s Workforce. They have a high view of themselves and think they work better and faster than others. “They

perceive themselves to be ‘in waiting,’ held back by well-meaning elders whose best years have come and gone,” writes Espinoza. One would think a person so described would feel very self-empowered in their career, but findings suggest not so much. When it comes to locus of control, which is either external or internal depending on whether you think others are the determinant behind your success (external) or you are (internal), millennials have a higher external locus of control than any other generation, reported Generation Career Shift. The report also found that in matters of personal pride, each generation successively expects to have less and less achievement on the job. REquIREMENTS oF AN EFFEcTIvE MANAgER “At the core of the millennial phenomenon is that they do not have the same need or know how to build relationships with their managers or authority figures,” writes Espinoza. For managers, this information combined with the social expectations millennials put on the workplace means the approach needs to be focused on relationships more than systems. “Young people are not going to outgrow their values,” warn the authors of Generation Career Shift. It is up to managers to adapt, but that doesn’t mean pander. It does mean being wary of overusing a position of power, because this batch of young adults needs empathy, says Espinoza. Leaders who were having success with millennial management in Espinoza’s book often shared a common history as a volunteer for a youth organization. This experience helped them learn how to initiate relationships and have the patience to set expectations where a person is at, rather than where the leader wants them to be. Good managers leave their own bias at the door and start with the other person’s expectation. Met expectations are the biggest requirement for job satisfaction. It’s the crux behind the success of many things, from relationships to your customer’s happiness with your pizza. Make communicating expectations often and clearly with your staff a high priority. ADDRESSINg ENTITlEMENT The perception that millennials are an entitled bunch is a common one. Behind that perception and the very reason for its expression is the fact that this group intrinsically

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values rewards, writes Espinoza. This means managers must create incentives that satisfy the expectation and desire for rewards. They also must reward the right things in the right way, offering something of value, clearly stating expected outcomes and providing timely and fair performance reviews. They should frequently share objectives and offer praise. Espinoza notes that managers often experience stress because millennials have unrealistic expectations. Having clearly outlined objectives and an incentive program is one way to address this while providing them with the information to create more realistic expectations. Incentives can, however, become a frustrating process for staff and management. In his research, Espinoza found that millennials have a particularly selective perception when it comes to incentives. “One very important ‘aha’ we experienced in our interviewing process was that millennials interpret incentives as guarantees.” For example, if you tell one of your millennial bakers that once they finish preparing that dough you will discuss him or her getting off work early, the person hears “if you finish that dough you can leave.” Selective perception is when a listener unintentionally filters out some of what is said because it contradicts something he or she wants or believes. Sensitive communication, such as that regarding rewards, is more vulnerable to misinterpretation. Millennials are a restless bunch. Motivate them with a variety of tasks to try. Use shortand long-term rewards that are memorable and customized for their personalities. Let them help create the incentive program, suggests Espinoza. People are more likely to support something they had a hand in making. Tap into their creativity and willingness to embrace doing things differently. In short, addressing an attitude of entitlement requires offering incentives they value, being clear about expectations and results and providing constructive feedback on their development regularly. DISARMINg DEFENSIvENESS Your millennial staff can act defensively out of a root value of achievement, argues Espinoza. Effective managers will need to become proactive in conflicts and good at de-escalating intense situations. One millennial in Espinoza’s book was quoted as saying: “We do not expect you to be our best friend but when you evaluate or critique us we want you to do it in a friendly

way,” to which the author notes: just like their parents did. He goes on to suggest using your own mistakes as fodder for teaching lessons to show that you too are still growing and learning. Also, keep things as informal and conversational as the situation can bear as the more dramatic and formal the confrontation, the more anxiety will be created. Millennials are easily concerned about the state of the relationship and it is helpful to ensure that you let them know the critique doesn’t affect how you feel about them. Embrace resistance, and hearing the word “why.” This cohort likes to have the reasoning behind the rules in place. AuToNoMy AND FlExIbIlITy Work-life balance and flexibility is a big priority for millennials. Espinoza uses the example of a retail manager who created a scheduling team to address this need in his staff. The scheduling team was made up of regular employees who created and managed the store schedule. The employees had ownership and each employee needed to sign off on it. “A headache became a leadership development opportunity and being a member of this team became a desirable position,” writes Espinoza. This strategy held the manager’s staff accountable and they valued this autonomy as something they didn’t want to lose. Espinoza also describes a technique called flexing, basically being more fluid and transitional over the passage of time: “Flexing is the dynamic for an ongoing dialogue and negotiation of expectation.” He warns not to play favourites and that you don’t have to always be flexible but be sure to be fair. gooDbyE, bIAS The youth are energizing, creative and packed full of potential. Know your own efficacy in engaging them. Responsibility to adapt lies with those with the most responsibility, although intuitively it can feel very much the other way around. Millennials are aware the world expects them to pay their dues and that seniority still accounts for a lot, notes Espinoza. It is bewildering to watch someone spend an hour surfing the web for a small detail that could be solved in a fraction of the time on the phone, but part of successful relationships with people, including staff, is leaving room to do things another way. Don’t compare yourself. Let your bias go. You may find some of the mystery and tension that has come with millennials in the workplace disappears right along with it. •

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HERE’S WHAT SOME OF OUR ATTENDEES HAD TO SAY ABOUT OUR 1ST EVER PIZZA SHOW IN 2012: “Great event very informative, awesome speakers, lots of great food, I met some very nice people and can’t wait to attend next year!” Sukh – Pizza Depot, Guelph

“It was very informative, inspiring and confirmed other pizzeria owners have the same ideas as us. Lots of what we learned we have thought of, just now we know we need to ACT. The experience was just overall great!” Josh & Rhonda Schlueter – Lotamecheese Pizzeria, Cambridge

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Between the bread Discovering new sandwich flavours, toppings and trends BY SteFANIe WALLACe

onsumers like convenient and affordable food that satisfies their taste buds yet offers something different from the usual fast-food options. Enter the sandwich: the meal that bridges the gap between fast food and fast casual. Jeff Mauro, host of the Food Network show Sandwich King, claims he can turn any meal into a sandwich, and any sandwich into a meal. Recent research from Technomic found that sandwiches are cornerstone menu items at both quick-service and fast-casual restaurants. Technomic polled 1,000 consumers from Canada, 1,500 from the United States and 1,000 from the United Kingdom. Those surveyed were asked to include breakfast, deli, salad and sub sandwiches, burgers, burritos, hotdogs and wraps in their definition of a sandwich. Here’s a closer look at the what the people had to say about sandwiches. ThE MoST IMPoRTANT SANDwIch oF ThE DAy A quarter of respondents said they consume breakfast sandwiches at least once a week. Bagels and English muffins are the clear choices for breakfast sandwiches. If you’re open in the morning, create a breakfast panzerotti or an omelet wrap with scrambled eggs and vegetables to appeal to your early risers. Pork-based traditional breakfast meats, such as bacon, peameal bacon, ham and sausage, would be great additions too, and lighter items, such as cream cheese and smoked salmon bagels will appeal to your brunch customers. Technomic reported that white cheddar is the most popular choice for breakfast sandwiches, but mozzarella, cream cheese and Swiss are also regularly enjoyed. luNchTIME AND DINNER TRENDS Lunch is prime sandwich time, with two

20 pizza NOVEMBER 2012

Snack-sized sandwiches are rising in popularity.

out of five consumers polled saying they eat sandwiches at least once a week for lunch. One quarter of respondents answered that a sandwich is their choice for dinner at least once a week. Healthy and affordable options are two of the most sought-after components, but convenience of location and speed of preparation are important as well. Sandwiches are the number 1 entrée offered at fast-food restaurants, and chicken

is the preferred protein option. Artisanstyle Italian or French breads are popular at lunch and dinner, as they are filling and appeal to those looking for something more gourmet. coNDIMENTS AND INgREDIENTS Popular sandwich varieties have evolved from traditional ham and cheese and peanut butter and jelly, to Greek gyros and Mexican

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burritos. Meatball and veal parmigiana sandwiches and calzones or panzerottis are items already likely on your menu, but what do you offer to top them with? The Technomic research showed that standard sandwich toppings, such as lettuce, tomato and onion, reign supreme, but options such as mushrooms, green peppers and olives are appealing too. Consumers see these additions as ways to give sandwiches a more complex texture and flavour. Offering filling options such as roasted red peppers, sautéed onions and fresh tomatoes will give your sandwiches a boost in this category. Cheese is an essential element in many sandwiches, and different cheeses can take your sandwiches to a new level. Cheddar is a fan favourite, with 70 per cent of those surveyed placing it in their top 5 cheese varieties. Mozzarella and Swiss are close behind, but interestingly, mozzarella is more popular at dinner while lunchtime diners prefer Swiss. Try substituting applewood-smoked cheddar for regular cheddar, or use provolone instead of mozzarella, to give the sandwich a new taste and flavour profile. Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip is the top condiment option for lunch and dinner

sandwiches. Garlic mayonnaise, or aioli, is the most preferred flavour: try using it over regular mayo on a chicken club sandwich. Honey mustard and barbecue sauces are numbers 2 and 3 on the top condiment lists, but notably, more than 25 per cent of those surveyed indicated a desire for more ethnic flavours and ingredients. Ethnic sauces are making their mark on the consumer, with approximately a quarter of consumers choosing sauces like tzatziki, sweet onion or guacamole. Consider adding an Indianinspired sandwich on naan bread, or a banh mi, a Vietnamese specialty with meat and soy fillings, to your menu. TRENDwATchINg From tapas to bite-sized baked goods, mini portions are growing in popularity. The survey found that the mini-food trend isn’t slowing down, indicating that one-fifth of consumers snack on sandwiches once a week or more. And, since three-fifths of sandwiches consumed are taken to go, the snack market is calling. Smaller wraps or sandwiches offered at lower price points can help you make a move into the snack market, appealing to those who need something

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to hold them over when on the run. Classic sandwiches are being updated, and new twists on old favourites are sure to please customers. Grilled cheese, for example, is going gourmet, and the Gorilla Cheese from Hamilton, Ont., has recognized this trend. Gorilla Cheese offers the original grilled cheese with classic gooey cheddar, but its menu also includes gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches such as Gorilla Sarducci (made with mozzarella, tomatoes, red onions, basil and balsamic glaze) and the Big Katuna (with mozzarella, tuna salad, avocado spread and red onion). The truck has also recognized Technomic’s point that innovative toppings and combinations are on the rise. Create a twist on a classic ham and cheese by using prosciutto and smoked Gruyère. A slice of apple on top offers an unexpected flavour and crunch. Whether your establishment already offers several sandwich options, or you’re just beginning to dip your toes into the water, sandwiches are here to stay. Meet your customers’ demands by adding new varieties to your menu, creating twists on old favourites and coming up with your own unique combinations. •

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The best and the brightest in the field of pizza will convene on the Las Vegas Convention Center for International Pizza Expo® 2013, March 19-21, 2013. Be one of the 7,000 pizza professionals at the show that has everything for your business. With 1,000 booths and 80 seminars and demonstrations, Pizza Expo is a one-stop shop for all things pizza.

Keynote 1 - Robert Irvine

The celebrity chef and host of “Restaurant: Impossible” on the Food “Triathletes” Enter the World Pizza Network will kick off the first day of Games A new event is being added to the 2013 Pizza Expo with a rousing presenta- Games, and it will test the skills and versatility of pizza makers. Competitors in the Pizza Triathlon will be timed tion inspired by his prime-time TV show. for three separate skills—box folding, tossing out a 22-ounce dough ball to cover a 16-inch screen, and Keynote 2 - Bill Jacobs tossing out a 22-ounce dough ball to cover a 24-inch In a new format for Pizza Expo, the owner of the 2011 Independent Piz- screen. The best total time for all three tasks will win zeria of the Year will appear in a candid this fast-paced and entertaining competition. one-on-one session with Pizza Today editor Jeremy White.

Power Panel 1 — The Million-in-One Club It’s the dream of every independent operating a

single pizzeria: achieving $1 million-plus in annual sales from one store. We’ll be gathering together four such super-operators for a discussion on what it takes to get to the highest level. (Special pre-show Monday panel.)

2013’s Most-Sought-After Pizza Awards — Culminating In the Pizza Maker of the Year Bake-Off Plan to see—and taste—the

entries at the IPC Traditional (Tuesday) and Non-Traditional (Wednesday) preliminary rounds, which lead up to the Thursday finals. You’ll be able to watch 60 entrants in each division assemble their pies and compare your own notes to those of the judging panel. The winner in each division takes home $7,500 and has a shot at $5,000 more as a qualifier in the Pizza Maker of the Year mystery-ingredient bake-off at show’s end. Two other divisions will be held for specialty pies—the American-Pan (Tuesday) and the Italian-Style (Wednesday). Sixteen competitors in each of these divisions will vie for the two $4,000 winners’ checks and a shot at Pizza Maker of the Year. In addition, four past champions will take part in a special “Best of the Best” blind-box competition on Tuesday. Interest crescendos on Thursday with the finals in the competition area inside the Exhibit Hall. Division winners from the Traditional and Non-Traditional categories vie for those championships, followed by the always-engaging Pizza Maker of the Year bake-off. The show closes with the $20,000 MEGA BUCKS GIVEAWAY™ and one extremely lucky winner! To register or for more information, visit our Web site at: www.PizzaExpo.com.

World Pizza Games® Finals & Rockin’ Party Wednesday, March 20, 6:15 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

You won’t want to miss the Freestyle Acrobatic Dough Tossing finals, where the pizzaiolo-jugglers who have advanced from preliminary competitions put on a show for you and the judges. Routines from past winners have made network television, and you’ll see why as you sit back and Craft Beer Pavilion New to the show floor: a enjoy a cocktail or other cold beverage and munch on hors Craft Beer Pavilion featuring samples for attendees from top U.S. craft breweries. You’ll get to taste flavorful d’oeuvres. You’re invited, and it’s all FREE. It’s a once-a-year stage show designed exclusively for brews that match the artisan caliber of your pizzas. In addition, craft beer will be a topic of panel discus- pizza operators—with music, awards and, in 2013, an expected cameo appearance by the nation’s newest doughsions in the seminar hall on Wed., March 20. tossing prodigy. To learn more about the World Pizza Games and enter one of the events visit www.PizzaExpo. com or see the show brochure in next month’s Pizza Today.

Register TODAY! www.PizzaExpo.com • March 19-21, 2013 / Las Vegas Convention Center Follow us on Facebook and Twitter@PizzaExpo

making dough with Diane

Customer feedback: 6 ways to get it Diane Chiasson

s in any good relationship, communication is key. And one of the big keys to a successful business is to develop good relationships with your customers. The feedback you get from customers is incredibly valuable to your pizza operation. However, it doesn’t come easy. Most customers who are dissatisfied with something will not speak up. They will simply walk out of your place and never return, and more than likely will tell all of their friends or post on the Internet about their poor experience. A successful operation needs to be proactive in constantly improving its business to satisfy its customers’ needs, and the best way to discover those needs is to get feedback. Getting feedback should be ongoing, and not just a one-time project. Once you have received the feedback, it’s also important to take action, and then tell your customers that you have listened and taken action. This will make your customers feel that you care. Here are some ideas on how to get valuable feedback from your customers.

Improve your pizzeria by getting your customers to talk

TAlk wITh youR cuSToMERS The best way to build a relationship with your customers is to talk with them. Ask them what they think of your pizza, what else they think you should offer and how you can improve their dining experience. Listen to what they have to say, and if they have a good idea, implement it. This will also show your customers that you are truly interested in what they have to say, and willing to take action to please them. coMMENT cARDS Get your customers to fill out a comment card. Provide incentives for them to take the time to write down their thoughts, for example, the opportunity to enter a draw or a free appetizer. Today, it is much more common to ask

24 pizza NOVEMBER 2012

Place a locked box near the exit for customers to drop comment cards in before they leave your establishment.

customers to fill out their comments online. If you provide a physical card, make sure that you provide plenty of pens or pencils. Either include a prepaid self-addressed envelope for customers to mail the comment card back to you or place a locked box near the exit for customers to drop the cards in before they leave the restaurant. This last measure is important to ensure all feedback is submitted; your employees may not submit cards that contain negative comments about their own service. holD A FocuS gRouP If you are planning to launch new menu items or a new promotional plan, consider holding a focus group. Offer free drinks and a free meal as compensation. Have the focus group try out your new items and ask them for their feedback. Remember that these are the folks who will be ordering the items, so their opinion counts! SEND ThEM AN E-MAIl Ask your customers for their e-mail addresses at the point of purchase. Send them an e-mail thanking them for their patronage, and asking them for feedback. Again, a small incentive may need to be given to obtain the e-mail address, but it is worthwhile.

READ oNlINE REvIEwS Always check online to see what others are saying about your pizza operation. If you receive negative reviews, make contact with the reviewer to try to remedy the situation. Offer an apology and an explanation of how you plan to fix the problem, and invite them back for a free meal. Most customers are willing to forgive if you are sincere. READ boDy lANguAgE Learn to read the body language of your customers, and react immediately if you sense that a customer is unhappy or dissatisfied with something. Train yourself and your staff on how to deal with a disgruntled guest. Never allow an angry customer to walk out your door. Communication is at the heart of a great relationship with your customers. Pay attention to what they have to say and you’ll have the chance to truly improve your pizzeria. •

Diane Chiasson, FCSI, president of Chiasson Consultants Inc., has been helping restaurant, foodservice, hospitality and retail operators increase sales for over 30 years. Her company provides innovative and revenue-increasing foodservice and retail merchandising programs, interior design, branding, menu engineering, marketing and promotional campaigns, and much more. Contact her at 416-926-1338, toll-free at 1-888926-6655 or by e-mail via chiasson@chiassonconsultants. com, or visit www.chiassonconsultants.com.

feature

Making pulled pork How to pull off the perfect pulled pork for your pizzas and sandwiches BY tONY PALerMO

ho doesn’t love the smoky flavour of southern barbecue? Even if you don’t, all you have to do is look at the lineup of celebrity chefs and popular television shows that celebrate the tastes of this cuisine to see its undisputed popularity. Pulled pork is a staple in the barbecue world. Its smoky flavour and juicy, tender meat works well in many applications, including pizza. The only special piece of equipment you’ll need is a smoker. The prices for smokers vary quite a bit and generally depend on the heating source (charcoal, electric, gas or wood), size, features and brand. But, you don’t need the biggest and greatest smoker to pull off fantastic pulled pork. In fact, the pork for this recipe was smoked using a small, inexpensive, electric smoker, and then finished off in a traditional oven. The beauty of a small, electric unit is you don’t even have to be the king of barbecue to pull off fantastic tasting pulled pork. This recipe was prepared using a 1.8-kilogram (four-pound) pork shoulder picnic roast. “For pulled pork, you want to use a pork shoulder picnic roast

PREPARINg ThE MEAT After placing the pork on a flat surface, fat side up, Edwards scores the fat in a cross-hatch pattern. This serves a couple of purposes: it lets you get right in there and season the meat with your rub, which adds more flavour during the cooking process, and it also helps the fat crisp up. And now, the most controversial part of the process: should you use a dry rub or a wet rub?

Edwards notes that the choice of which rub to season the meat with is often a personal one (and as a butcher, he’s heard the debates between the two camps throughout the years). His rule of thumb is this: if the meat could use more moisture, Edwards uses a wet rub. Otherwise, if the meat is like the pork being prepared in this recipe – well marbled and being cooked slowly at a low temperature – Edwards prefers to use a dry rub to season the meat. To season the pork, Edwards alternates between sprinkling the meat with the dry rub, and then massaging it into the meat. He repeats this until the whole roast of pork is completely covered with the rub mixture, making sure that he’s added extra rub in between the crosshatched cuts he scored into the fat earlier. Then it’s off to the fridge, where the pork will marinate for a good 12 hours or so, absorbing the delicious spice combination, before being smoked and cooked. “I marinate smaller cuts of meat in a Ziplock-style bag and leave it overnight,” says Edwards. “Depending on the size of the meat, I’ll let it marinate anywhere from eight to 24 hours.”

or a pork shoulder butt roast,” says retired butcher and caterer Gary Edwards. According to Edwards, one of the things you want to look for in choosing the pork is moderate marbling – basically, streaks of fat running throughout the meat. It doesn’t hurt if the pork has a few larger chunks of fat in it either, and you’ll definitely want one side of the roast covered in fat. “The marbling is going to give the pork some nice flavour and also help to keep it moist,” says Edwards. “And when we go to cook the meat, we’re going to place the fat-covered side facing up. As the meat cooks, the fat will drip down through the inside and outside of the meat.”

1. After scoring the fat side of the roast, generously apply your rub all over the meat, including in between the scored fat. 2. After cooking the pork and letting it rest, you will find that the meat will flake easily and can be “pulled” in small bits from the main pork roast. 3. This pulled pork pizza was created by butcher gary Edwards. As he says, “The idea is to have fun with it and bring some delicious, creative flavours to pizza.”

26 pizza NOVEMBER 2012

low AND Slow The next day, Edwards sets up his smoker and uses a hickory wood flavour base. Hickory is a staple in southern barbecue, but you can experiment with the different woods. As Edwards says, the thing to keep in mind is that you’re looking for hardwoods with a low sap content (the sap will produce a bad flavour). When using a small home-style smoker unit, Edwards aims for a temperature of between 60 C (140 F) and 66 C (150 F). He’ll let the meat smoke for about two hours, replacing the wood chips after about an hour. The idea at this stage isn’t necessarily to cook the meat through, but to impart a delicious smoky flavour. “When you’re cooking the pork, you generally want an internal temperature of about 170 to to 180 [F],” says Edwards. “But for pulled pork, I like the meat to be between 195 and 205 F. Most small home smokers can’t reach that

temperature, so after smoking the meat for a couple of hours, transfer it to an oven and finish it there.” After removing the pork from the smoker, Edwards places it in a large dutch oven (a roasting pan will work also), placing the meat fat side up. If required, Edwards uses a couple of whole carrots or other root vegetables to keep the meat seated in this position. He adds enough water to the pan so the water comes up about a quarter-inch from the bottom. Finally, he covers the pan and places it in a preheated 135 C (275 F) oven, where he lets it cook low and slow for several hours, checking periodically to make sure the roast hasn’t run out of water. Once the pork is done, Edwards lets it rest for about 15 to 30 minutes, giving it the chance to redistribute its moisture throughout the meat. After the meat has rested, Edwards begins pulling it away and breaking it up into little pieces.

“The meat will flake and just fall apart,” says Edwards. “It’s called pulled pork for a reason. You just pull it apart and it breaks off with no resistance.” The final step is to add the barbecue sauce base and mix it throughout the pulled meat. Again, Edwards encourages everyone to create one according to their tastes. For the sake of simplicity and to show that you can be flexible in using other products, Edwards used a commercial, high-quality barbecue sauce to finish off the pulled pork in this recipe. He mixed equal-part portions of barbecue sauce and drippings from the pulled pork roasting pan, which he then reduced and thickened over a low heat before applying it to the pork. “The idea is to have fun with it and bring some delicious, creative flavours to pizza,” says Edwards. “And, you’ll find the barbecue sauce also makes an excellent dipping sauce, which you can also offer to your customers.” •

NOVEMBER 2012 pizza 27

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pizza on fire

Tom Stankiewicz unning your own business is a 24-7 job. There is no such thing as taking a break or leaving the office at 5 p.m. This is especially true for those who have recently started a business, but in reality, the pressure truly never goes away. When we are lucky enough to be on vacation with our families, we stay connected to our businesses via e-mail, phone or the Internet. But there is nothing wrong with that because our main priority as business owners is to always be on top of everything that takes place at our pizza stores. A lot of what takes place involves our staff. The fact is that most, if not all, of our employees are students from high school or college. Year by year, we will keep getting older and, whether we like it or not, we will always have to deal with young people working for us. With time, the age gap will get bigger and bigger. You can’t just leave for a week and let your young employees take care of your business with no one in charge. You need time to concentrate on other aspects of the business and reliable help with the basic, but necessary, day-today operations. One tried and very practical way of solving this problem is to hire a manager whose responsibility will be to take over some of those basic duties. As I mentioned above, many of our employees represent the younger generation who work part time with school as their main commitment. This is dilemma number 1 because they view the job as a parttime job, nothing more than that. We’ve all received last-minute phone calls from students who can’t make it for a critical evening shift because they have to study for exams. In this case, open communication is the key, and I have found that the best person for the job is a younger manager for whom it’s easier to relate to those employees. It’s a matter of a quick conversation

30 pizza NOVEMBER 2012

Hiring the right young manager starter for them because it’s likely many of them have recently written exams. Delegating management to someone younger allows everybody to feel part of a team and talk comfortably about things that are important to them. At the same time, it makes employees feel less nervous about requesting days off for school-related projects/ exams because they know their manager understands their situation. As we get older, it’s not easy to remember what our attitude was like toward work when we were young. Is it fair to have high expectations and work standards for someone in this age group? I think the answer is definitely “yes.” That’s when, again, it’s helpful to have this type of manager train your employees. It’s interesting to see how differently two individuals can communicate the same training material. Nonetheless, it is somehow absorbed more quickly when explained by a manager who is closer to the employees in age. It’s almost like they have their own way of communicating with one another. If you can find a manager who can do this efficiently and effectively, then it’s one less thing that you have to look after. When you’re not a teenager or young adult yourself, then it’s a bit difficult to deal with some situations that arise at work. It’s easy to forget what your work ethic was when you attended college or high school. When most of your employees represent that specific demographic, it’s tough sometimes to relate to them. As teenagers or young adults, they have problems that need to be heard. A well-chosen manager who can talk to them on the same level can address their concerns and free up your valuable time. The manager also plays an important part in boosting and keeping employee morale high. As a business owner you need to ensure that it is someone who fits into

Delegating management responsibilities to a younger staff member helps foster a team environment.

the role you need fulfilled. As an example, it takes very little effort for my manager to come up with ideas and organize an employee get-together because she knows what teenagers are into these days. Remembering and recognizing employees’ birthdays is another part of her job. These are small but significant ways of keeping everybody happy at work. If you find yourself stressed and working 24 hours a day, it might be time to hire a manager, even if only for part-time hours. My suggestion is to bring in someone who will fit in well and relate to your employees. It will make it easier to motivate your staff to work hard and do the best they can. Most importantly, it will allow you to delegate some daily business duties to somebody else, giving you additional time to concentrate on other parts of your business that require your attention. • Tom Stankiewicz has been in the pizza business for more than 15 years. He has been the proprietor of Bondi’s Pizza in London, Ont., since 2000, and is president of the Canadian Pizza Team.

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