PZ - November 2018

IT TAKES A VILLAGE

The Catherwood and the Kiln wins fans with fresh pizza and community love

Volume 24 Issue 6 November 2018

12

12 IT TAKES A VILLAGE

The Catherwood and the Kiln in Vittoria, Ont., draws customers with its fresh pizza and community devotion

ON THE COVER Jennifer Hutchings has taken her father Bret Hutchings’ historic renovation and run with it to make the Catherwood and the Kiln a fixture in Vittoria, Ont. See page 12.

8

18 LEVERAGING AWARDS Can winning an award help your sales?

20 KEEPING WOOD-FIRED 18

CULTURE ALIVE How the Montgomery Inn brings people together over bread and how to play with fire in a wood-fired oven

DEPARTMENTS 6

editor’s desk

8

pizza bites

11

the pizza chef

16

making dough

24

new products

26

guest column

ONLINE TWO CHEFS OF THE YEAR CROWNED AT SUMMIT Canadianpizzamag.com is where you’ll find all your pizza news first! Canada’s top pizza makers were named at the Canadian Pizza Summit and Chef of the Year Competitions. Check out results of the competition and highlights of the Summit, along with a link to our Facebook photo gallery and videos.

CANADIAN PIZZA EXTRAS | Operator takes pizza 225 miles to hospice; Montreal mulling ban on charcoal- and wood-fired cooking in restaurants …plus, the latest industry news and new products. www.canadianpizzamag.com

NOVEMBER 2018 pizza 3

from the editor’s desk

Pizza love W

e were recently asked by a loyal reader to include more “pizza love” in the magazine. So I am using this space to focus on the fun, creative side of pizza. (I’ll talk business next time.)

We at the magazine spent one incredible Monday this month at the Canadian Pizza Summit focused on pizza . . . and loved it!

Loved meeting pizza makers and operators, loved learning about their pizzerias, loved seeing their creations, loved watching them work in the kitchen! The Chef of the Year competition, featured 20 highly skilled, creative and brave pizza makers presented their best pizzas to five enthusiastic judges.

Our chefs dreamed up some amazing creations and flavour combinations – with names like The Dean Martin and Hockey Night in Canada.

During his talk on millennials, David Coletto of Abacus Data revealed the results of a survey he did in conjunction with Canadian Pizza magazine. One finding was that millennials, moreso than others, describe themselves as pizza lovers!

Why exactly is pizza so appealing? It is simple, versatile and meant to be shared.

Take lahmajo, for example. It’s a type of bread that is to Armenians what pizza is to Italians. Lahmajo is made with butter, sharp cheese such as feta or old cheddar, poppy seeds, and spices such as black pepper and paprika. A friend gave me the recipe and I made it. The crust pulled apart like a soft, billowy cloud as we ate it with our hands with grins on our faces. Armenian custom has it that if you accidentally drop this sacred bread while carrying it home, you must immediately pick it up and place it on a higher surface such as a ledge or tree.

I tell this story to remind you pizza is culturally important with interesting stories to tell! Telling these stories in different ways will help keep your customers interested.

The restaurant business is tough, but you can be confident your product is appealing to customers of all ages.

6 pizza NOVEMBER 2018

November 2018, Vol. 24, No. 6 Editor Colleen Cross ccross@annexbusinessmedia.com 519-428-3471 ext. 261

The Canadian pizza scene is like no other. Crust-wise, I’ve seen cappuccino dessert pizza (which won Carlo Raillo the second of three Chef of the Year titles), squid ink (Kyle Rindinella’s entry in our 2015 competition), and fennel injected using syringes (created

by Tony Vacchio of Zolas in 2015).

Base-wise, I’ve seen pumpkin puree (Raillo’s award-winning Pumpkin Pie Pizza) and celeriac root (The Combine’s Norfolk ABC, featuring apple, bacon and cheddar).

Topping-wise, I’ve seen Louisiana Cajun Chicken Pizza (which won Cory Medd his second COTY title), edible gold, edible flowers, and wild river mint sourced from the Waterford River in Newfoundland by award-winning pizza chef Meghan O’Dea. Whenever I think I’ve seen everything, Canadian pizzerias surprise me. So, I expect to see innovative pizza for years to come from Canadian pizza chefs – many of them showcased at our annual competition. We promise to celebrate pizza in all its forms in these pages – through how-to articles, recipes and new trends. And I know you’ll keep inspiring us with your excitement for the product that is equal parts art, science and passion.

Canadian Pizza would like to thank our Platinum sponsor, Faema Canada, distributor of Moretti Forni Ovens, for hosting the event at their beautiful showroom, and Gold sponsors Ardent Mills and Parmalat/ Galbani, and Silver sponsor Escalon Premier Brands/Heinz for their generous support of the Summit! •

Publisher Christine Livingstone clivingstone@annexbusinessmedia.com 519-429-5173 888-599-2228 ext. 239 Account Coordinator Shannon Drumm sdrumm@annexbusinessmedia.com 888-599-2228, ext. 219 Media Designer Curtis Martin Circulation Manager Anita Madden amadden@annexbusinessmedia.com 416-442-5600 ext 3596 Group Publisher Martin McAnulty mmcanulty@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

facebook.com/CanadianPizzaMagazine @CdnPizzaMag canadian_pizza_magazine

• Maximum, measurable energy savings • Exclusive cool skin design • Better bake • Cooks 30% faster • Available in small, medium or large

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 (test kitchen) Dorval, Quebec 514.382.3620 Fax: 514.382.7837 info@distex.ca

ONTARIO Distex M&M, Inc. 905.565.5990 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, AB 403.243.2378 Fax: 403.287.7788 Calgary: dave@bje.cc Edmonton: erin@bje.cc

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

pizzabites BRIEFLY | Pizzeria’s charity events trailer stolen; Operator takes pizza 225 miles to hospice; Montreal mulling ban on charcoaland wood-fired cooking in restaurants | FOR MORE pizza news, check out our website, www.canadianpizzamag.com

Agropur dairy co-op to close plant in SaintDamase, Que. gropur Cooperative announced it is shutting its plant in Saint-Damase, in Quebec’s Montérégie region.

Major investments were needed at the plant, the company said in a news release.

In view of the inability to reach a longterm agreement with the plant’s employees and the need to honour commitments to customers, Agropur decided to reorganize its investments.

Operations at the plant will be discontinued and it will close permanently in April 2019. Employees were informed on Sept. 21.

The plant, which employs 110 people, will wind down its operations between January and April 2019. Soft cheese manufacturing will be integrated into the operations of the Saint-Hyacinthe plant while cheese conversion will be transferred to the Beauceville plant.

“The Cooperative must take the necessary measures to remain a major player in an increasingly competitive market,” the company said. “These decisions are not taken lightly. Agropur is keenly aware of the impact of today’s announcement on the plant’s employees. The affected employees will be able to take advantage of available programs, including employment opportunities at other Agropur sites, severance packages, and the employee and family assistance program.”

A

PINEAPPLE ON PIZZA?

25%

believe it is blasphemy to put on pizza.

28%

say it’s tough to be friends with someone who likes pineapple on pizza.

Source: Abacus Data national survey of 1,000 Canadians in August (in conjunction with Canadian Pizza magazine)

8 pizza NOVEMBER 2018

Two Chefs of the Year crowned at Summit C

anada’s top pizza makers were named at the Canadian Pizza Summit and Chef of the Year Competitions.

This year two winners shared the title of Chef of the Year. Chef of the Year (Traditional) is Giuseppe Cortinovis of Ignite Pizzeria in Vancouver. Chef of the Year (Open) is Dean Litster of Armando’s Pizza in Windsor, Ont. Cortinovis’ pizza is called The Queen, a twist on the Margherita, while Litster’s winning entry was a creative pizza he dubbed The Dean Martin.

Giorgio Taverniti of Frank’s Pizza House in Toronto took second place in the Traditional; Giovanni Campisi of Casa Mia Ristorante in Niagara Falls took third place.

Marco Caveglia of Tuscan Wolf Pizzeria in Whitby, Ont., took second in the Open; Maurizio Mascioli of Maurizio’s Inc. in Parry Sound, Ont., took third place.

Congratulations to the winners and to the 20 pizza chefs who demonstrated their skills under the nerve-wracking eye of the judges!

James Timothy of Zen’Za Pizzeria in London, Ont., triumphed in the Great Pizza Box Fold-Off after folding 10 large boxes in one minute, 3.7 seconds.

Thank you to our judges, Joe Leroux of Amadio’s Pizza in Port Credit, Ont.; Roberto Vergalito of Roberto’s Pizza Passion

in St. Catharines, Ont.; Tom Stankiewicz of Bondi’s Pizza in London, Ont.; Kyle Rindinella of Enoteca Sociale in Toronto; and Rocco Agostino of Pizzeria Libretto and Enoteca Sociale in Toronto.

Informative education sessions were led by Dale Willerton, The Lease Coach, on 13 mistakes operators make when leasing; David Coletto of Abacus Data on the millennial mindset; Service Canada on getting a Labour Market Impact Assessment as a step toward applying to hire a Temporary Foreign Worker; and Mike von Massow of the University of Guelph on how pizzerias can adapt to the changing delivery landscape.

Canadian Pizza would like to thank Faema Canada/Moretti Forni Ovens for hosting the event at their showroom, a lovely renovated Ford plant on Dupont Street in Toronto.

The Canadian Pizza Summit and Chef of the Year Competitions are presented by Canadian Pizza magazine and supported

by Platinum sponsor Moretti Forni distributed by Faema Canada, Gold sponsors Ardent Mills and Parmalat/Galbani, and Silver sponsor Escalon Premier Brands/ Heinz, as well as our knowledgeable and enthusiastic exhibitors.

Check out highlights of the Summit in our Facebook photo gallery and look for more coverage of the event online and in the December issue of Canadian Pizza.

pizzabites

Montreal Pizzafest highlights ontreal Pizzafest, a friendly competition among local pizzerias, recently crowned winners in three categories with some help from guest judge Anthony Falco.

The annual event, held in September, put pizza makers from 55 pizzerias in Montreal, Laval and the south shore of Montreal – along with their creations – in the spotlight.

“We try to reach the population with special pizzas made for the occasion by the participants,” said Mathieu Fortin, organizer of the weeklong event. “For the second part of the event, we have a little jury who pass by each restaurant to judge and recommend the pizza tasted.”

The goal is to create an exchange among pizzeria owners, Fortin said.

Organizers held a public vote for the best special pizza and invited Anthony Falco, a pizza consultant from New York City and creator of the brand, Rad Times Pizza, to judge five finalists in three categories.

M

Montreal judge Giacomo Biello and guest judge Anthony Falco present Anna Fiorilli, who with Mattio Fiorilli, operates Liolà Pizzeria in Laval, with the first-place award for “Neo-Napolitan”pizza.

“It was the first time for Anthony in Montreal and he loved it!” Fortin said.

The three categories are Al Taglio, Neo-Napolitan and Delivery pizza/Gourmet style.

After the public vote, local operator and judge Giacomo Biello visited pizzerias for the initial tasting. The five finalists in each category were judged by Falco.

The three big winners were chosen based on personal opinion, knowledge of pizza making and overall enjoyment of the pizza.

1. “Al Taglio” San Gennaro, Montreal 2. “Neo-Napolitan” Liolà Pizzeria, Laval 3. “Delivery pizza/Gourmet” Vincent sous-marins et pizzas Mtl-Nord, Montreal The event was heavily promoted through the Montreal Pizza Lovers Facebook page.

Share your stories of pizza and community! f you’re a pizzeria in Canada, it’s a safe bet you are helping out your community – whether it be through financial donations to charities, sponsorship of teams, taking your pizza to the masses at community events, or any other action demonstrating goodwill.

Operators have impressed us over the years with their big hearts, creative ways of reaching out to those in need and genuine efforts to get to know their customers.

Their efforts are documented in profiles of fine folks like TJ’s Pizza in Melfort, Sask.; The Pizza Mill in Salisbury, N.B.; Zolas Restaurant in Ottawa, Ont.; and Amadio’s Pizza in Port Credit, Ont. Let us know what you’re up to in your community these days and we’ll share ideas in a charity roundup, the week of Nov. 13.

Watch our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages where we’ll focus on what businesses like yours are doing in and for their communities. Get inspired by the stories and get new ideas for your own pizzeria!

We hope your business is doing well – but we know you’re out there doing good. We can’t wait to hear all about it!

Contact editor Colleen Cross at 519-428-3471, ccross@annexbusinessmedia.com or via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

I

NOVEMBER 2018 pizza 9

pizzabites

Canadian ban on trans fats in force

Ont. to reduce WSIB premiums for business

ealth Canada’s ban on partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) – the largest source of industrially produced trans fats in foods – came into effect on Sept. 17.

It is now illegal for manufacturers to add PHOs to foods sold in Canada, Health Canada said in a news release. This includes Canadian and imported foods, as well as those prepared in all foodservice establishments. This ban reflects a commitment made in the mandate letter to the Minister of Health to eliminate trans fat.

Trans fats raise “bad” cholesterol levels (low-density lipoprotein) in the blood, which is a risk factor for heart disease; they also reduce the blood levels of “good” cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein), which protects against heart disease.

The ban, announced last year to give industry to time to adapt, came into effect Sept. 17 with the addition of PHOs to Part 1 of Health Canada’s List of Contaminants and Other Adulterating Substances in Foods.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) enforcement strategy for the new requirement includes a two-year phase-in period during which products containing PHOs can continue to be sold, as long as they were manufactured before Sept. 17, 2018. The CFIA will verify that the food manufacturing industry has implemented appropriate measures to meet regulatory requirements through oversight activities such as inspections, audits and sampling.

Health Canada’s ban is consistent with international efforts to eliminate industrial trans fats in foods, the release said.

nsurance premium rates for employers in Ontario will be sharply reduced due to the elimination of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board’s Insurance Fund’s unfunded liability, the Ontario government and the WSIB recently announced.

By eliminating the unfunded liability, the WSIB will be able to cut the average premium rate for employers by almost 30 per cent, starting Jan. 1, 2019. This will help employers save money, increase investment and create more jobs, the Ontario government said in a release.

The unfunded liability – the shortfall between future obligations to pay injured workers and the money available to pay them – stood at $14.2 billion in 2011. Eliminating it helps ensure a sustainable and accountable workplace safety and insurance system that supports injured workers, and increased economic growth and productivity in Ontario.

A fully funded system means that if workers are hurt on the job or develop illnesses, they will receive the benefits and services to which they are entitled, the Ontario government said in a news release.

Restaurants Canada welcomed the announcement, which it said will help keep costs down for the province’s foodservice operators.

The 2019 average premium rate for foodservice employers will be reduced by 31.6 per cent, which will save the average operator $933 per year, Restaurants Canada said in a news release.

“This announcement puts $35 million back into the industry to invest in workers and safety programs,” said James Rilett, Restaurants Canada vice-president for Central Canada.

Labour Minister Laurie Scott reaffirmed the Progressive Conservative government’s election campaign promise to keep the province’s minimum wage at $14 an hour, rather than raise it to $15 in January 2019, as planned by the previous government, Restaurants Canada said.

“This year’s sudden increase to the minimum wage caused unprecedented menu inflation and a reduction in hours for foodservice workers,” Rilett said. “By keeping their commitment, the Ontario government is giving restaurants time to adjust.”

Restaurants Canada summarized the challenges for restaurant operators: Average pre-tax profit margins for Ontario’s foodservice businesses are only 3.1 per cent, the lowest in the country. Menu prices across the province have risen by 6.6 per cent so far this year, as foodservice operators have had to adjust to the minimum wage increase to $14 in January. This is the largest menu price increase the province has experienced since the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax in 1991.

H

Pizza Pizza expands into B.C. izza Pizza, has opened a store in New Westminster, B.C., kicking off a planned expansion through the Greater Vancouver area.

Locations in Vancouver, Burnaby and Surrey are expected to open in late 2018 and 2019.

“The Pizza Pizza brand has an incredible existing customer base across Canada, so we are thrilled to begin offering a new pizza option for British Columbians, that the rest of the country knows and loves,” said Paul Goddard, CEO at Pizza Pizza Limited, in a news release.

“We’re very excited about this next step in Pizza Pizza’s national expansion” says Goddard. “We know how much British Columbians love their pizza so we have big plans for the West Coast, and are looking to build significant market presence in the Greater Vancouver area, and beyond, in the coming years.”

P

10 pizza NOVEMBER 2018

I

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

the pizza chef

Resumés aren’t enough Diana Cline

t seems like we’re always recruiting more staff, mainly because the restaurant business is not a business of one.

You need a great team to meet the expectations of your existing customers.

Having a couple of extra staff members on the schedule helps to mitigate times when someone calls in sick, and gives you the extra room for everyone to request time off. I am very fortunate to have a really great team at Diana’s Cucina and Lounge, but it doesn’t happen without purposeful systems: from recruiting to interview processes, to training – each step is just as important as the previous one.

The restaurant industry is often a young person’s first job. I see a lot of resumés with no work experience, no volunteer work and no training relevant to what we’re looking for in a job applicant. Some have highlights of their education or sports accolades, but overall, this doesn’t tell me what I really need to know. Also, there’s no standard format for resumés these days. I could look through dozens and dozens of resumés: the information provided is not formatted the same, and typically there’s no indication of the applicant’s availability, their requested pay, amount of hours per week, or their personality.

My time, much like that of all independent owner operators, is at an all-time premium. I’ve learned through experience that I shouldn’t be setting up interviews with everyone who drops off a resumé.

That might be fine to get a “McJob,” but it’s not enough for a position in my company. When someone emails or drops off a resumé, I send them an application kit.

What’s an application kit? It’s one of the systems we employ at Diana’s. I wrote three pages about what an employee can expect

I

from our company and what, in turn, we a wage of $18 per hour. Those ones are expect from them. I wrote a little about our particularly funny. Or the ones who are company, who we are and our goals in the only available to work during the times community and in business. In addition to that we are not actually open for business. these three pages are four more pages of Those are pretty good too. requested information from the applicant.

I can’t tell you how many times someSome of the information we request to be one who has submitted their resumé refilled out in these additional four pages sponds to the request to fill out the apmay or may not be on the applicant’s re- plication kit with “It’s on my resumé, read sume. I don’t care if it’s there or not. What my resumé.” This makes clear they didn’t I want to see is whether even read the application the applicant can follow kit, and not only are they the very first thing I ask of showing me they have little If people think them, which is to read and motivation to work in my completing an fill out the application kit. business, but also that they You would be surprised think I’m going to do the application is what you can learn from work for them. too much work, an application process like The truth is that if peothis. Eighty per cent of the ple think completing an apthen working in people who drop off or plication is too much work, our industry is email their resumés never then working in our indusbother to fill out the applitry is way over their threshway over their cation and submit it. This old. And I need to know threshold. is good news, because, if a that before we begin their potential new team memtraining at $11.25 an hour, ber cannot be bothered to do the very first before we give them a uniform, before we thing that’s asked of them, there’s a good add them to payroll, etc., etc. In fact, I need chance they won’t want to bother doing to know that before I bring them in for an the majority of what will be required of interview – or else I would be a full-time them on the job: “What?! You expect me interviewer. A business is only as strong as to do dishes? I don’t want to do that. I its weakest employee and every business only want to make the pizzas.” “What? needs systems to weed out the slackers You want me to sweep the floor? I don’t from the doers and the workers. • want to do that either.”

This portion of our system has saved Diana Cline is a two-time Canadian Pizza magazine Chef of the Year, three-time winner of “Canada’s Best Pizza us countless dollars and grievances on the Chef” at international pizza competitions, a judge for inwrong hires, even when someone com- ternational pizza culinary competitions in Las Vegas, Italy pletes the application kit. Some candidates and France, and a partner with Diana’s Cucina & Lounge in Winnipeg. In addition to creating award-winning recipes, can’t be bothered to research the very Diana is a consultant to other pizzeria owner/operators basic things about my company, or the in menu development, creating systems to run a pizzeria provincial liquor laws; that is, someone on autopilot, along with marketing and positioning to help operators grow their business effectively and strategically. under the legal age to serve alcohol ap- She is available for consulting on a limited basis. For more plies as a server, and indicates they expect details, contact her at diana@dianascucinaandlounge.com

NOVEMBER 2018 pizza 11

profile

It takes a village The Catherwood and the Kiln draws customers with its fresh pizza and community devotion

BY COLLEEN CROSS

T

he five-year mark is big for restaurants. That’s one reason The Catherwood and the Kiln threw a backyard party last spring to celebrate its milestone.

Jennifer VanGroenigen Hutchings, who operates the pizzeria and art gallery in Vittoria, Ont., remembers the Catherwood’s first day in business like it was yesterday. “It was Feb. 4, 2013, and it was a snowy Monday,” Hutchings, 38, recalls with a smile. “Our first customer was the garbage man. He bought a macaroni salad for $4 and we still have the toonies displayed on the wall,” she says proudly.

Another reason was to thank Vittoria.

“We wanted to do something to thank the people of Vittoria,” says the friendly, self-assured entrepreneur. She is referring to the roughly 600 residents of the quaint hamlet, which is located about three miles from Lake Erie and three miles from nearby resort town, Port Dover.

“We had bands in the back yard, did radio ads, changed up the signage,” she tells me from a table in the Catherwood’s inviting 26-seat dining room, which features

rich woodwork. “Everyone was ready for an event!”

The neighbourhood party went on all day and into the evening in the grassy back yard and patio behind the pizzeria. Neighbours and customers who came into the shop were encouraged to head to out back to enjoy samples, order pizza and have it brought to them at their patio table, or simply groove to local bands.

The Catherwood is many things to many people in this small but mighty hamlet: a pizzeria, an art gallery, a tourist stop and a hub for community activity.

Norfolk County, where Vittoria is situated, is known for its agriculture and more recently its tourism. People visit the pizzeria while vacationing or on day trips – many who find themselves in nearby Port Dover, enjoying the harbour, fishing in a derby or attending Friday the 13th motorcycle rallies, a local tradition. Hutchings says visitors from as far away as Holland and Germany have visited the shop. “It’s been amazing to have people come from all over the world,” she says.

The hamlet has a distinguished past. It

RIGHT: In five-and-a-half years, Jennifer VanGroenigen Hutchings has taken an historic renovation by her father, Bret Hutchings, and run with it to make The Catherwood and the Kiln a fixture in the quaint hamlet of Vittoria, Ont.

12 pizza NOVEMBER 2018

was founded in 1796 and considered the most active and important commercial centre between Niagara Falls and Detroit in the early 1800s. From 1815 to 1825, it was the judicial capital of the district and home of the district courts and the registry offices. The courthouse burned down in 1825, and the courts and registry offices relocated. However, the village, led by an army of motivated organizations such as the Vittoria and District Foundation, enthusiastically celebrates its history.

All this history inspired the entrepreneur’s father, Bret Hutchings, in 2007, to buy and renovate the handsome 1835 building that once housed the Catherwood Hotel and over the years has been home to other businesses including several general stores. A construction manager, Bret saw the potential for turning the stately structure into a restaurant business that would be operated by his daughter. He clad the building in grey stone and preserved several of its original features.

Guests can glimpse the building’s history in historic photographs on the dining room wall and in a hole in the floor that reveals the old wooden floors and stone basement along with artifacts they found while renovating.

Hutchings is grateful to her dad for staking her the business. “He wanted to do it,” she says. “The way he put it, if I’d been a carpenter he would’ve bought me tools.”

Before taking on this venture, Hutchings notched several years of restaurant experience under her belt. She started her career in food service working at Mr. Muggs, a coffee shop in nearby Delhi, Ont., then worked for New Orleans Pizza in Delhi, followed by a stint beginning at the Ontario chain’s main office in Stratford, Ont. After giving birth to her son, Gerrit, she continued as manager of New Orleans.

ANNEX TO LOCAL ART In the summer of 2013, Hutchings purchased the old fire hall at the far side of the same building. Hutchings rents out “The Red Door,” as it was christened by firefighters, for special events such as birthday and anniversary parties, and community events. Renters may use her catering services or hire their own.

A local charity runs an annual craft

show supporting Ralphy’s Retreat Animal Sanctuary (named for a beloved pot-bellied pig) in the hall.

Between the pizzeria and The Red Door is the recently established Norfolk Wedding Lounge, a space for weddings complete with DJ and other related services.

The businesses all complement one another, Hutchings says.

The Catherwood and other local businesses feed hungry bargain hunters during Vittoria’s community-wide yard sale in June. It’s all hands on deck for such special events, and Hutchings relies on the help of her sister Alex, brother Kristofer, cousin Jessica, son Gerrit (who grates the cheese), and mom, Sam. Depending on the day, they are her extra hands in the pizzeria, her on-call babysitters and her moral support.

“My family make it possible for me to do what I do,” she says.

She pays that support forward in spades by becoming an important member of the community is by providing pizza to local public schools for their weekly lunch programs, business they are happy to share with other area pizzerias.

They also donate gift cards to local charity events and causes such as school raffles and the Vittoria and District Foundation’s annual spaghetti dinner, to which she donates the enviable prize of a prize of one pizza a month for a year.

She has lived upstairs above the shop for the last four years. “That makes it so much easier,” she says. There is a tradeoff: they are open long hours from 9 to 9 every day. But the strategy makes sense to Hutchings. “We’re here making dough anyway, so why not sell pizza?”

MENU OF ‘BESTSELLERS’ “Our pizza is made fresh every day using a special blend of cheeses – not many people are doing that,” she continues. Hutchings buys a lot of ingredients from Morton Wholesale, whose “Ontario Grass Roots Program” promotes and distributes Ontario ingredients in order to support Ontario farmers and businesses.

Their Canadian, Deluxe, BBQ Chicken Bacon Ranch and Gourmet Caesar pizzas are bestsellers and are clearly marked as such on the menu. This is a deliberate strategy to make it easy for customers to

NOVEMBER 2018 pizza 13

profile

PHOTO BY KRISTA HILL – HILLVIEW STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY

The Catherwood’s Gourmet Greek, a bestseller, features green peppers, red onions, feta, tomato, black olives and Italian herbs.

order and easy for staff to assist them.

“There’s a lot to learn on the menu and it changes from time to time,” she says.

“This way, our servers can just point to the popular items.”

Subs are a key part of the pizzeria’s menu, and the Nitehawk is by far the bestseller, featuring salami, mozzarella, house pickled slaw on a toasted, freshly baked bun. The sandwich is named for the local Nitehawk Café, which operated for many years just outside of Vittoria. Hutchings was thrilled when the original owner visited the store and pronounced her sub worthy of the name.

They have an open kitchen and customers enjoy watching their pizzas being made. The setup also helps when dealing with customers because staff can see all who enter the shop, say hello and let customers know they will be helped soon.

“No one’s going without being acknowledged here.”

ARTS CONNECTION As we sit in the warm and inviting dining room, Hutchings points to a corner where they used to sell pop, snacks and other grocery items, but now showcases the artwork of local artists. “People can look at the artwork while they wait for their pizza or after eating,” she says.

Hutchings thinks it’s important to support local artists and artisans and she does that in a big way by giving them a permanent gallery. It becomes clear just how big

14 pizza NOVEMBER 2018

a part of this venture local arts and crafts are when Hutchings ushers me to the “Kiln” out back.

Originally used for cold storage, the green, red and white outbuilding has been re-clad to resemble a tobacco kiln. This is a nod to the local heritage of Norfolk County, which was known for growing tobacco, harvesting it and curing it in the now rare tar-paper-covered kilns. A short documentary film and mini kilns in the form of birdhouses, among the treasures for sale, remind visitors of the industry’s past.

In this outbuilding they display and sell the work of about 50 local artists. She says often the drawings, paintings and folk art are often bought by returning customers who were taken with the work on their first visit.

TEAM EFFORT AND ‘MUTUAL OBLIGATION’ As with any independent business, there are challenges. Catherwood raised its prices last year before the initial minimum wage hike went into effect in Ontario.

Hutchings worried about how customers would react to the inevitable price hike.

But the price update has been smooth, she says, with no pushback from customers.

Having great, reliable staff helps ease the burdens of running a business, says Hutchings, who has 14 or more staff at any given time, including two dishwashers. “I like to give kids their first shot,” she says.

She is happy to have good, reliable staff

on hand, including manager Kelsey Chadwick. “Now I don’t have to work from open to close. I have more energy,” she says with a smile. Her goal is to cross-train everyone in the shop so the work runs smoothly when she’s not there.

They take all orders by phone over two phone lines. “It’s more personal,” she says.

“You have contact and you can get to know repeat customers. People appreciate people remembering their order and acknowledging who they are.”

And although training people on phone etiquette can be a challenge, using this method also helps ensure the orders are accurate. They have a system of check marks that helps make sure no detail of an order is overlooked, she adds.

The shop does takeout and pickup orders. They will deliver if asked – she usually does this personally – but they don’t promote the service. She has been approached by third-party services and is keeping that in mind for the future.

For now, business is good, the system they have seems to be working, and Hutchings has managed to hold on to good employees – no small feat in the pizza business. Her strategy with new hires is to commit to giving them a minimum number of hours. It’s an agreement of what she calls “mutual obligation” between her and employees: they commit to being there for their shift and she commits to giving them the hours.

“I tell them, ‘I want you to stay here because you want to be here,’ ” she says.

She is pleased with her staff, whom she describes as young and eager. “I hire for personality. No interview – we do a first shift,” she says. “A person can be shy, that’s OK. We start them on dishes.”

“It’s a team effort. We all do all jobs. I don’t ask others to do anything I won’t do myself,” she adds.

Hutchings is beginning to reap the benefits of her hard work and to relax and enjoy pride of place among her neighbours.

“This is not a job,” she assures me.

“It brings me joy for people to know my name.” • For more success stories, visit canadianpizzamag.com > Profiles

making dough with Diane

Boost your pizzeria’s income right away Diane Chiasson

ncreasing your income is one of the first steps to expanding and growing your pizzeria.

Many of these easy tips below can be done quickly to immediately improve your pizzeria’s sales and profitability, and these ideas can be applied with great ease. Don’t forget that these small changes can have a big impact on your budget.

I

1. IDENTIFY YOUR COMPETITORS Take a look around your neighbourhood. I am positive that you are not the only restaurant around selling pizzas. Do you know who your real competitors are? Your competitors are not always who you think they are. Even if you aren’t close to another pizzeria, your competition could be a food truck, a coffee shop, a deli or even a farmer’s market. Is there a convenience store down the street or a large grocery store?

You should ask yourself the following questions: Who are my competitors? What are my competitors’ strengths and weaknesses? What are my competitors’ next moves? How can I set my pizzeria business apart from the competition? How can I differentiate my pizzeria from the rest and make it profitable? Should I talk to my own customers? How is my competition talking to their customers?

Learn to identify your competitors to better position and sell your pizzeria products and services. Take the time to visit your direct competitors’ stores, and study their menus, prices, ads, brochures, promotional materials, website and social media campaigns. You should also consider purchasing some

16 pizza NOVEMBER 2018

Depending on where your pizzeria is located, updating ingredients for warm and cold weather makes great sense.

ate the profitability and sales for each individual item to determine if it is priced properly. Instead of looking at your prices monthly, try to watch them weekly to find changes that could lower your profits.

As you know, your 2. EVALUATE most expensive menu YOUR MENU Educate your items may not be your Although you will want staff on the most profitable. Breakto always offer your most ing down the profit of popular and signature importance of each item on your menu items, it is a great idea to change up your menu taking inventory is very important to see periodically. Depending and how to do it which items are your biggest moneymakers. on where your pizzeria right.

Take immediate control is located, updating inof your food costs by gredients for warm and sitting down with your cold weather makes great sense. To maintain profits, your menu suppliers every quarter. Make sure to should absolutely be updated at least ask them for a price break on some once a year to make sure that your important items and most particularfood costs are in line. Always evalu- ly on items with a high percentage of pizza items at each location, incognito if necessary. By studying your competition, you will always find different ways to set yourself apart and find a particular niche in order to prosper.

be a real money saver. Contact your local wholesaler, distributor or manufacturer directly to ensure you are getting the best deal. The larger the quantity of an ingredient you buy, the cheaper it will be. As you know, suppliers increase and decrease prices daily: it’s important to keep track of what prices you have paid in the past and compare those to market price. Use a spreadsheet or an app to keep track properly.

You can also dramatically reduce inventory errors by identifying one staff member to be your receiver. This will increase your efficiency and lower your COGS (cost of goods sold).

Do you have enough storage space? I am a big advocate of proper food storage as it will reduce your expenses and boost your overall profit. Add extra shelves and storage containers to maximize the efficiency of your space. A good idea is to use clear, airtight bulk storage containers with lids that seal, so you can see what’s in them. Label each container with content name and date of purchase or use-by date. • Keep track of what prices you have paid in the past and compare those to market price. Use a spreadsheet or an app to monitor prices properly.

increase. Train your staff to sell your most profitable items rather than the most expensive items, and make sure they upsell every chance they get, offering drinks, appetizers, desserts and sides to go along with pizzas. In addition, keep in mind that another way to keep food costs in line is to reduce food waste; when you end up throwing away food, it costs you money.

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

3. PERFORM REGULAR AUDITS You followed your passion, but you are also in business to make some profit. You should always keep a close eye on your expenses. Review your food costs and menu prices.

You should know your prime cost, which includes all those things you pay for on a day-to-day basis to keep your pizzeria running. It’s also important to look at seasonal ingredients, portion size and current food trends in your industry.

Consider not only your pizzeria menu items but also the staff needed to keep you in business.

Perform quarterly supplier reviews and compare your suppliers with other local and national suppliers. If you are not performing a regular supplier review, you are missing the boat. You should identify and react to price increases quickly as this will have a direct and immediate effect on your profit.

Understanding your food and labour costs should be a top priority for a pizzeria owner.

4. CHECK YOUR INVENTORY Educate your staff on the importance of taking inventory and how to do it right. Your food costs typically account for around 30 per cent of a restaurant’s budget. Do your research with your team to make sure you are getting your necessary ingredients at the best price. Even if you are running a small operation, buying food and packaging products in bulk can

NOVEMBER 2018 pizza 17

feature

Leveraging awards Can winning an award help your sales?

BY MICHELLE BRISEBOIS

A

wards matter. Just ask your tire company. The Michelin one of the most effective triggers for website conversion. This tire company was launched in 1889 by two brothers is known as “conversion rate optimization” and it means you from France. By 1900, France boasted a car population have assets on your website that get visitors to the site to take of less than 3,000 on the road. To sell more tires to a the action you want them to. That could be ordering online or small population, one must encourage use. To get people to booking a table. A blog post on foodandwine.com reports that drive, the brothers began publishing a guide with maps and one Michelin star rating increases business 20 per cent whilst listings for hotels, gas and destinations. They started including three stars grows it by 100 per cent.

Michelin stars are very prestigious and given out sparingly, restaurant listings and selling the guide in the 1920. They called it the Michelin Guide and in 1926 they launched a so they are not a focus for most restaurants. However, an award of any kind is the next best thing to an rating system for fine restaurants. To this day, endorsement from a trusted friend. almost a century later, boasting a Michelin star rating is one of the best forms of endorsement a The visibility to WHEN THE CHEF WINS THE AWARD restaurant can have. be part of the Sometimes it’s not the restaurant that’s won the A research study by Hendricks & Singhal from the University of Western Ontario and nominees would award – it’s the chef – and that can be both a strength and a risk for the business. Many large Georgia Institute of Technology looked at more still be valuable hotel chains have forged partnerships with than 600 awards won by companies for quality. big-name chefs to open up restaurants under The winners saw 37 per cent more growth in even if you the chef’s brand within the hotel’s operational sales and 44 per cent greater return on the stock didn’t take top umbrella. It’s a great fit because everyone sticks price than those companies without comparable to their knitting and people will choose the hotel awards. These statistics are even easier to prize. because of the chef’s name. In return the chef measure and validate in the digital space because benefits from high-volume, captive traffic flow to awards are considered “social proof,” which is

18 pizza NOVEMBER 2018

How to make the most of an award 1.

Try for awards that feature the business or the

2.

food that you have most control over.

Promote the award actively on social media,

annually, it would be good form to stop using the title when a new winner is crowned. You can get a bit more longevity out of the award by indicating when it was won. If you win top restaurant in 2017, you can probably squeeze about 18 months out of the title before it starts getting old but make sure to say “Top restaurant 2017” to differentiate from more recent winners.

menus and websites.

Involve your entire team to boost employee engagement and morale.

BES T

HOW LONG CAN YOU PROMOTE AN AWARD? There are no hard and fast rules around how long one can promote being an award winner. If the competition is held

TY CI

WHAT’S THE DOWNSIDE OF WINNING AN AWARD? It’s common for anyone who wins a big award to immediately start to worry about how to top it. Oscar winners obsess about 4. Monitor and measure the lift you see from their next role, Olympic athletes start to doubt themselves and promoting the award. if the award is a rating that can be downgraded at any time, it feed the restaurant’s pipeline of customers. Alternatively, a chef can be a signal that you’re on the downturn. Gordon Ramsay can build his or her own personal brand within a restaurant has no Michelin stars to his name but his restaurant had two owned by someone else. Media coverage is easily obtained by . . . that was until both stars were taken away. Ramsay was reportedly devastated by the downgrading, which wasn’t someone who works their own social media channels his fault because he’d sold the restaurant and the and appears on popular TV shows, podcasts and licensing of his name with it. Nevertheless, his video blogs.

ZA IN TH Z I E personal brand took a hit. Many chefs report A chef can benefit by a connection to P that the stress of maintaining the rating is an awarded establishment as well. The quite heavy. term “Michelin-trained chef” has become When the brand equity of an award firmly associated with an elite level of resides with an individual, that can be skill even though the chef wasn’t running unpredictable for the business. That the awarded restaurant or even working beloved chef you hire may bring with them there when the award was won. There is a built-in stream of fans but they may leave no such thing as a Michelin-starred chef: as quickly as they came when said chef leaves the restaurants are given the award. By to go elsewhere to work. Should a high-profile being good enough to be invited to work at an individual run into a scandalous situation, that establishment with a Michelin star, or three, the poor reputation could spill over to your business chef benefits from the halo effect the award has. too. Subway made “common man” Jared Fogle famous when he promoted his 200 lb weight loss WHEN THE FOOD WINS THE AWARD as being aided by eating only Subway menu items.

Most high-profile culinary awards are bestowed Fogle made millions . . . until he was charged and upon the establishment or the chef. Those awards sentenced to 16 years in prison for possession of tend to be fewer and farther between, however, so child pornography. Bill Cosby is another brand spokesman aspiring to win an award for key menu items is a more focused and achievable goal. There are many creative ways to get accolades who promoted Coke, Jell-o and other big brands for years for specific menu items. Most communities have an annual “best only to see all ties (and residual payments) cut when he was of” or “readers’ choice” awards for local businesses. You could ask convicted of sexual assault. someone to nominate one of your signature menu items to see if it will win. The visibility to be part of the nominees would still MAKING THE MOST OF AN AWARD YOU’VE WON be valuable even if you didn’t take top prize. You can hold the Be strategic about what awards you covet and win. Ideally, they competition even within your own product offering by asking should feature the business or the food that you have most customers to vote for their favourite menu item. You likely know control over. Promote the award actively on social media, what the most popular item is already by monitoring sales, so it’s menus and websites. Share the joy of winning with the entire practical to cut to the chase and simply appoint this item as “Most team to boost employee engagement and morale. Monitor and popular” or “Top pick by customers.” You can enter competitions measure the lift in online and physical traffic you see from like the “Chef of the Year” contest Canadian Pizza runs annually. promoting the award.

Winning may not be everything, but it can be worth a few It’s a great experience for your team and if you win, the bragging dollars on the balance sheet. • rights will give you lots of visibility.

3.

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.

NOVEMBER 2018 pizza 19

feature

Keeping wood-fired culture alive How the Montgomery Inn brings people together over bread

BY NAOMI SZEBEN

T

Chef Thorsen Pannek is proud of bringing the Montgomery Inn and George Brown College’s culinary arts program together.

20 pizza NOVEMBER 2018

PHOTOS BY NAOMI SZEBEN

he wood-fired oven outside the Montgomery Inn Museum in Etobicoke, Ont., is a 19th-century tool used to teach 21st-century students.

As the oven is blazing, the students are learning to make a range of yeastfree artisanal loaves by hand. If it weren’t for the museum’s volunteers, and a traditionally trained chef’s knowhow, this class on wood-baked bread would never have come to pass. This course on bread isn’t the Montgomery Inn’s only link between bringing people together over its kitchen: The people working behind the scenes have a way of not just making the past come to life, but also bringing education to future generations.

Chef Thorsen Pannek has more than 20 years of experience in baking traditional loaves using whole grains.

He was trained in Hamburg, Germany, where as an apprentice he learned how to grind flour in a stone mill and bake bread using whole grains from local farmers.

Set up in the wood panelled kitchen, with students lined up along the length of the long pinewood table, “Chef Thor” is in his element, teaching today’s students the ancient craft of woodbaked bread.

Why teach in a working museum

kitchen, and not at the well-equipped George Brown College? best possible use. The building is still bringing communities Pannek found a unique partnership that paired old with together as it would have as an inn, breaking bread with new. “I was actually interested in the wood-burning ovens Canadian newcomers and locals alike. An “Inn-ovative” themselves.” A friend of Pannek’s referred him to Montgomery approaching to learning, indeed.

Inn’s “INNovators” as the volunteers are called.

PLAYING WITH FIRE: BAKING “So I went, and I met the co-ordinator,” IN A WOOD-FIRED OVEN recounts Pannek, “and there are really wonderful ‘It’s important Bakers are always concerned with keeping an people here. They bake once a week for the that you’re eye on future trends while keeping traditions farmer’s market, they sell bread and they take alive, and working with wood-fired ovens meets care of the oven.” flexible and both concerns.

Montgomery Inn is a time capsule of early you’re able to Chef Thor has found a way to highlight the 19th-century Canada. It’s easy to see how its old-fashioned world while keeping his students old-world charm won over the chef, with its adapt to what aware of future trends. With current baking meticulous attention to period details and a movements veering towards whole-grain, welcoming, warm environment. The proceeds the oven is wheat-free and yeast-free baking, traditional from the bread sold at the farmer’s market doing.’ – Annie loaves have found a new market, and Pannek supports activities like the Youth Food Project wants to share that knowledge with Canadian and the museum’s restoration and repairs.

Boulanger chefs.

“I did some training for the INNovators,” He sees the future of North American baking adds Pannek. “I’ve done one or two private workshops, basically, with some people that I knew, then I going back to more traditional European methods, and nothing pitched the idea to my boss: It would be a great partnership to is more traditional than baking in wood-fired ovens. However, connect those two, to do off-site wood oven classes for George few schools teach the traditional techniques of working with wood-fired, nor give an idea of which breads are best suited Brown College, because it’s very unique.”

The partnership fills a much-needed gap. The sourdough to wood ovens. bread baking class is fitting for the period, and satisfies the current interest in working with natural and gluten-reduced breads. Lauren McCallum, the program director, is thrilled with the partnership. She feels it is in keeping with the tradition of the Montgomerys, who had a 400-acre farm as well as an inn during the 1800s. The nearly 180-year-old building has seen many iterations, first as a family farm turned rental farm, then an inn, later a church and finally, a museum.

McCallum recognizes how bread can be a bridge between communities and also served as a historical staple in colonial kitchens. What better way to teach people about culture or Manufacturers and Distributors of Italian history than by breaking bread with them? She is particularly proud of a youth group initiative that introduced different Specialty Cheeses and Food Products cultures to each other through something nearly universal: Freshly baked bread.

“Breaking Bread was a partnership with the Toronto Ward Museum. It was an annual series that they run. And it’s usually a close, cultural perspective of one cuisine, with one culture, and they asked if they could do this with Montgomery Inn, with their culinary arts project,” explains McCallum.

“Because our youth are from various cultures, we didn’t feel that representing one type of food would cut it, and since we have bread as a theme throughout the inn, we knew that each could speak to the breads of their culture.” McCallum continues, “The youth were able to present their cultural stories and their breads, for this tasting,” says McCallum with a smile. “We’ve made those recipes over and over again, because those breads have become a new part of our history that we’re building.”

The Montgomery INNovators are putting the location to its

TASTE THE

TRADITION

gaylea.com • 1-800-268-0508 • salernodairy.com

NOVEMBER 2018 pizza 21

feature Chef Thor hopes his students will learn an awareness of traditional methods from this class, specifically the skill of working with wood-fired ovens.

He hopes they learn how to “deal with a wood-burning oven,” and how to control the fire and often-fluctuating temperatures.

“But also, how to match it with what you’re baking. We’re using a falling temperature, basically. We’re making a pizza, first, at a very high temperature, and then the wood gets swept out and we’ll make two or three products after that, that we match to the temperature.”

Chef Thor’s teaching assistant, Annie Boulanger (whose name, it must be noted, is French for “baker”) shares her tips for baking in a wood-fired oven.

Boulanger describes the logistics of baking in a wood-fired oven: The volunteers at Montgomery Inn began the fire in the outdoor brick oven at 8 a.m. By 10 a.m., they moved the fire to the front, and little by little they moved

22 pizza NOVEMBER 2018

it to the back.

“It’s easier to work with the fire at the front,” explains Boulanger. “Fire is fed by oxygen, so it’s easier to get the fire going. Then, slowly, move the fire to the back to spread the embers, to make sure the oven floor is evenly heated.”

Annie adds that even an experienced chef can have difficulties measuring the temperature in a wood stove. Once the embers are swept from the oven floor, she doesn’t hesitate to use a 21st-century tool on the 19th-century-style oven. “I use my trusty infrared thermometer gun to gauge it.”

For those who do not have access to a high-tech thermometer, she does recommend that burgeoning chefs learn to use their senses. “Make sure the embers are spread evenly, so you won’t have a hot spot caused by a fire raging in a corner,” she admonishes. “An even temperature is key, it’s very important to get the embers spread evenly,” adds Chef Thor.

Boulanger says that even the most quick-handed chef can make a mistake when working with the often unpredictable quality of wood ovens.

She recalls a time making pizza, when she burned it to a crisp within seconds.

“I was standing right near the oven, and even as I was lifting the dough out, I heard it crackle.” Boulanger shakes her head at the memory. “That sound alone let me know I was too late.” She reminds her students that when it comes to fire, to remember “you’re not the boss. The oven is the boss. You need to think about all the variables, like the wind, the ambient temperature, and you deal with that. “It’s important that you’re flexible and you’re able to adapt to what the oven is doing.”

What most people who work with Boulanger don’t know is that she doesn’t have a modern oven range in her home.

“All I have is a barbecue and a wood-fire oven,” she shares. “There’s always a way to transfer a recipe for an electric range

new products 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, canadianpizzamag.com Red Bull launches organic soft drinks

Snag recruiting platform available in Canada

Red Bull, known for its energy drinks, has launched a line of organic soft drinks.

Unlike its taurine-based predecessor that

Snag, an online marketplace for

inspired the name, the new Red Bull Organics soft drinks are not energy drinks.

New flavours include Red Bull Simply Cola,

hourly jobs in the U.S., has begun offering its recruiting services to employers in Canada.

Bitter Lemon, Ginger Ale and Tonic Water.

With the exception of the cola, none of the

Businesses located in Canada can use Snag’s platform to create

drinks includes caffeine.

The carbonated drinks, which are organic and

The new line of energy drinks are sold in 250 ml recyclable aluminum cans wherever Red Bull

and post job openings and to manage the hiring process.

made with natural flavours from plant extracts, are vegan, gluten-free, wheat-free and dairy-free, the company said in a news release.

energy drinks are available in various locations across Canada. redbull.com/ca-en

The first customer in Canada is HMSHost, an international company with more than 4,000

QALO rings are temperature tolerant, non-conductive, extremely durable and comfortable and at the affordable retail price of $29.99. Retail portals include Atmosphere, Home Depot, Mark’s Work Wearhouse and Sport Chek. qalo.com

stores worldwide that specializes in dining options for airports and motorways.

The recruiting platform lets businesses quickly and easily post job openings for hourly positions online, while also distributing job postings to third-party job websites, the company said in a press release.

Snag uses proprietary technology to match qualified workers with suitable jobs, while the applicant tracking system features dashboards, analytics and assessments. snag.co

Silicone wedding rings practical for chefs Qalo has developed a silicone wedding rings the company sees as the perfect alternative to the traditional metal wedding ring, which symbolizes commitment but isn’t practical for all of life’s adventures.

The functional wedding ring, worn by celebrities and athletes such as Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steph Curry, is now available in Canada.

Whether it’s keeping your hands safe in your restaurant kitchen, comfortable at the gym or protecting your investment while travelling, Qalo rings allow everyone to showcase their commitment wherever life takes them.

Now widely available at Canadian retailers,

Duetto propane pizza oven portable

Panels create dramatic effects on walls

Fornoteca’s Duetto self-cooking

It has

After a new look for your pizzeria’s

and wood

pizza oven, fuelled by propane and on four caster wheels, is designed with restaurant patios and

dual cast iron burners of 100,000 BTUs

decor? Ceilume’s new decorative thermoformed panels may be used to create dramatic and

finishes, with up to 98 per cent recycled

catering jobs in mind.

The oven, on display at Pizza

combined, high-heat

affordable effects on ceilings and accent walls.

content. A new colour, random

Fest in Vaughan, Ont., through Edge Food Equipment and Rentals,

retention fire brick stones at the top and bottom,

Thermoformed panels have long been used for ceilings but

gray, contains 100 per cent recycled content.

makes Neapolitan-style pizza. Its fire brick stone reaches 700 F in less than five minutes, according to

a 16-inch-diameter bottom stone rotates with a motor, and a durable rotisserie motor that can plug

were not recommended for walls, Ceilume said. The company’s newest panels, however, have

The initial wall panel styles, Manchester and Nantucket, have classic motifs that complement

the company brochure.

The Duetto is on four locking swivel caster wheels, making it

in or use two D-sized batteries.

Other features include a rotating stone designed to cook

unique, overlapping edges that eliminate the need for trim strips to cover gaps between panels.

many design schemes.

The panels are GreenGuard Gold certified for low VOCs,

useful for restaurant patios and

pizza evenly, side handles that stay

The panels are designed to

stain-resistant, washable and

catered events. Users can convert it to a countertop oven by gripping the padded handles at the sides

cool, a removable stainless steel shelf and a stainless steel main door with handle to conceal the

stand up to light- to medium-duty service as either a wall covering or a ceiling tile. The 24 x 24-inch

Class A-rated for surface burning characteristics. Lightweight and easy to install, they can be applied

and lifting the oven straight up to detach it from the stand.

propane tank. edgefoodequipment.com

rigid vinyl tiles are available in many colours, faux metal finishes

to drywall using glue. ceilume.com

24 pizza NOVEMBER 2018

guest column

Maurizio Mascioli

ccounting is not an area where you want to cut corners.

It’s plain and simple: No business can run smoothly and efficiently without a reliable and responsible professional accountant.

Even though you may be good with numbers or think you know “accounting,” do not attempt this yourself. Your business needs you to run it and not be consumed by accounting paperwork: let the professionals focus on what they’re good at.

Also, refrain from hiring your spouse or family member(s) for this task. You need to create accountability. Hire someone who comes highly recommended.

Furthermore, with today’s technology, adopting a proper POS system will allow you to create detailed reports specific to your accountant’s needs. This way, a face-to-face meeting will rarely be required.

Our pizzeria, Maurizio’s Inc., employs the excellent skillsets of Jamal Marji from Real Accounting Inc., in Mississauga, Ont. When the pizzeria was getting off the ground, our accountant assisted with incorporation of the business, registering for HST, setting up our payroll system and getting filed with WSIB and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). He was able to provide critical information regarding every aspect of the process so that I remained involved and was able to make good decisions for the business. These accounting tasks were well beyond my capabilities. Having them dealt with in a speedy and professional manner gave me peace of mind and let me focus on other aspects of launching the business.

The topic of accounting is sometimes overlooked and it should be discussed, especially with those wanting to take that step of becoming an entrepreneur. I collaborated with my accountant in writing this article,

A

26 pizza NOVEMBER 2018

The case for hiring a professional accountant and we firmly feel the following points are essential for a successful business and great reasons to hire a professional accountant.

1. To help you start with proper systems in place – A good foundation will result in a strong business model going forward. Professional accountants can assist with business registration, incorporation and business bank account registrations.

2. To help you meet government deadlines – Not keeping up to date on filing deadlines could result in serious fines and penalties charged against the business.

3. To act as a mediator between your business and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) – It can be daunting to receive a call from the CRA and have to answer questions about your business account(s), sometimes at a time when you are busy dealing with a client situation or feeling stressed out. A professional accountant, with a clear mind and an understanding of your business, will make sense of it all, then relay the message to you in a way that’s easier to understand.

4. To help during confusing tax-filing times – Accountants can file complex business taxes for your business, as it grows.

They regularly manage this near deadlines, using the appropriate tax forms and correct paperwork.

5. To understand accounting rules and tax rules – Tax rules and regulations change frequently, and it’s tough for a business owner to stay on top of all these changes. A professional will ensure your business always stays compliant.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that running a business requires countless, tiring hours of keeping business documents organized For those business owners who are always on the go (mind and body), it may be a tough task – maybe even impossible. Delegating tasks to an accoun-

Running a business requires countless hours of keeping business documents organized. Delegating tasks to an accountant will help relieve the burden.

tant will help relieve the burden. It will also allow you to focus on what you’re good at (operating your business) and find that balance between work and life you have been searching for. In the end, proper advice from an accountant will keep your business operating like a well-oiled machine.

You will soon realize that running a business is not a solitary endeavour: it requires highly skilled people from many walks of life, working together and building your inner circle of professionals for one common goal… success. • Chef Maurizio Mascioli is owner and operator of Maurizio’s Pizzeria Inc. in Parry Sound, Ont. He is a volunteer firefighter, two-time International Pizza Championship gold medal recipient and 2018 Master Chef recipient. He has received awards for outstanding customer service, entrepreneur of the year and business of the year from the Parry Sound Chamber of Commerce, and is an instructor for the School of Italian Pizza in Toronto.

This article was written in collaboration with Jamal Marji from Real Accounting Inc., in Mississauga, Ont.