PMQ Pizza Magazine January/February 2018

PIZZA MAGAZINE THE WORLD'S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA | PMQ.COM | PIZZATV.COM

Jan/Feb 2018

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’CHOKED UP How Artichoke Basille’s went from pint-sized startup to a 12-store media powerhouse in under 10 years PAGE 46

The D.C. Jumbo Slice

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Gas vs. Electric Ovens 58

The Science of Crumb Structure 62

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PIZZA MAGAZINE THE WORLD'S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA | PMQ.COM | PIZZATV.COM

PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | Jan/Feb 2018 | Volume 22, Issue 1

Jan/Feb 2018

ALL

The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly | PMQ.com

’CHOKED UP How Artichoke Basille’s went from pint-sized startup to a 12-store media powerhouse in under 10 years PAGE 46

The D.C. Jumbo Slice

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Gas vs. Electric Ovens 58

The Science of Crumb Structure 62

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ONLINE @ PMQ

FIND US ONLINE

AS SEEN ON PIZZATV.COM THIS IS YOUR HOME TOWN When it comes to pizza, Oxford, Mississippi (our home town) has it all, from one of Bon Appétit Magazine’s 50 best new restaurants in the country to a popular local food truck. We bet your home town does too and we want to show your customers what you have to offer on PizzaTV. All pizzerias across the country are now able to claim their free channel on our site.

What does that mean for pizzeria owners/operators? By filling out a short form and uploading your logo, photos and videos (even from your phone), you’ll have a page on our site. Don’t be left off the list as we build our database! And if you have a video, it could be featured on a page all about your town, just like Oxford.

P I ZZATV. C OM /OXFORDM S

EXCLUSIVELY ON PMQ.COM

IS THIS THE HOTTEST PIZZA IN THE WORLD?

IS A PERMANENT PIZZA PASS IN YOUR FUTURE?

At Pizza for Life in Benton, Arkansas, owner Randy Zwetz tops his Randy’s Pepper Pizza Challenge pie with 20 fiery peppers, from ghost peppers to Trinidad scorpions. Find out how he uses this novelty menu item to drive business.

Last fall, Olive Garden rolled out a never-ending Pasta Pass for $100 and sold 22,000 passes in one second. Yes, we said one second! The pass is worth eight weeks of unlimited pasta bowls, salads and breadsticks. Find out if this could become a trend.

PM Q.COM /HOTTESTPI ZZA

P M Q. C OM /PA S TA PA S S

IS KHACHAPURI BETTER THAN PIZZA?

10 FOOD TRENDS TO WATCH IN 2018

In the nation of Georgia, 88% of people prefer a pizzalike snack called khachapuri to pizza. But there are strict rules for making it; for starters, you’ve got to be in a good mood. (We’re serious.)

Learn what khachapuri is and how it’s made.

Customers want healthier food choices in 2018, but they also crave deeper flavors, as evidenced by a growing interest in Filipino and Middle Eastern foods. We look at the Specialty Food Association’s key trends of the new year.

PM Q.COM /KHACHAPURI

P M Q. C OM /FOODTRE N DS

6 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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IN THIS ISSUE

JANUARY/FEBRUARY FEATURE ARTICLES ON T COV HE ER

46

All ’Choked Up Even with two Cooking Channel shows under their belt and seven new locations in less than two years, Francis Garcia and Sal Basille, founders of Artichoke Basille’s, haven’t stopped learning—while keeping their approach “stupid-simple.”

By Tracy Morin

Me: 36 Supersize The D.C. Jumbo Slice

Ovens: 58 Pizza Gas vs. Electric

of the Future: 40 Man Adam Greenberg, Potomac Pizza Science of 62 The Crumb Structure

a 68 Surviving Minimum Wage Hike

of the 72 Secrets Caterer’s Kitchen

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IN THIS ISSUE

32 What’s Your Story?

The Pizza Press

We’ve got the scoop on a newspaper-themed fastcasual concept in California where pizza makers are the “editors” and customers “publish” their own pies.

By Rick Hynum

In Lehmann’s Terms: Adding a Take-andBake Option

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P M Q. C OM /DOU GH

Think Tank: How to Hire and Retain Good Employees

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The Social Connection: Creating a Social Media Calendar

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RE C I P E VI DE O S

30 Roasted Cauliflower and Prosciutto Pizza P M Q. C OM /P OLLY O R ECIPE

The Chef’s Corner: Scott Wiener

Pizza Hall of Fame: Antonio’s Pizzeria and Italian Restaurant

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IN EVERY ISSUE 6 12 14 24 26

Online @ PMQ.com From the Editor From the Inbox The Art of Marketing Moneymakers

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Recipe of the Month Pizza Without Borders Product Spotlight The Pizza Exchange

Check out our digital and tablet editions for bonus video and multimedia content.

Visit PMQ.com/digital to view the digital edition, or download our tablet app at iTunes, Google Play and Amazon.com.

10 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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FROM THE EDITOR

A NEW YEAR AND A NEW LOOK FOR PMQ I love this month’s cover for many reasons, not the least of which is that it features the stars of two of my favorite food shows, The Cooking Channel’s Pizza Masters and Pizza Cuz. Francis Garcia and Sal Basille, the savvy, straight-talking New Yorkers behind the Artichoke Basille’s Pizza chain, are cousins, best friends and business partners who parlayed their talent for pizza into television fame, a marketing strategy that costs them next to nothing and puts their brand on display to a nationwide audience of foodies.

In this month’s cover profile of the cousins’ growing pizza empire (“All ’Choked Up,” page 46), written by Tracy Morin, you won’t get the usual tips about social media or direct mail, yet there is so much to learn, from Fran and Sal’s no-nonsense business motto (“Keep it stupid-simple”) to their commitment to supporting the community’s nightlife and their willingness to learn from other operators featured on their TV shows.

Sure, Fran and Sal have the advantage of being located in one of the world’s most glamorous and celebrity-filled cities, and megastars like Miley Cyrus, Leonardo DiCaprio and Justin Bieber probably won’t pop into your pizzeria anytime soon.

But every town has a TV station nearby with news anchors and local programming hosts. If you knock on that station

Rick Hynum Editor in Chief PMQ Pizza Magazine

manager’s office door with an armful of fresh, hot pizzas and an offer to make pies on the air, you can become a hometown celebrity in your own right. You’ve got to start somewhere!

Meanwhile, you’ll note that this month’s issue—both our cover and the magazine’s interior pages—boasts a new, cleaner and more streamlined look for 2018. If I had a cool hat like Fran Garcia’s, I’d tip it to our design staff, Eric Summers and Sarah Beth Wiley, for reimagining the look and feel of PMQ while keeping the focus squarely on content.

For this revamped design, Eric and Sarah Beth pored over numerous consumer publications aimed at a variety of audiences—from literary and lifestyle to culinary—and incorporated subtle but effective thematic elements that are carried from the cover through the inside pages. It’s a more contemporary, higher-impact presentation that will make PMQ an even better read.

Finally, you’ll also note that our print articles now point you to more online video content at PMQ.com and PizzaTV. com. We’ve said it again and again, and we’ll keep on saying it—video is a powerful marketing tool, and we’re taking our own advice, working with our advertising clients as well as our cover subjects and article sources to take full advantage of the internet’s multimedia capabilities. We look forward to better serving our readers through online video while continuing to provide superior print content with one overriding goal in mind: helping pizzeria operators like you sell more pizza and make more money!

PIZZA MAGAZINE THE WORLD'S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA | PMQ.COM | PIZZATV.COM

PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | Jan/Feb 2018 | Volume 22, Issue 1

Jan/Feb 2018

ON THE COVER:

ALL

The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly | PMQ.com

Francis Garcia and Sal Basille parlayed their skills into TV fame and a fast-growing empire called Artichoke Basille’s.

’CHOKED UP How Artichoke Basille’s went from pint-sized startup to a 12-store media powerhouse in under 10 years PAGE 46

The D.C. Jumbo Slice

A Publication of PMQ, Inc. 662-234-5481 Volume 22, Issue 1 Jan/Feb 2018 ISSN 1937-5263 Publisher Steve Green, sg@pmq.com ext. 123 Co-Publisher Linda Green, linda.pmq@gmail com ext. 121 Editor in Chief Rick Hynum, rick@pmq.com Editor at Large Liz Barrett, liz@pmq.com Senior Copy Editor Tracy Morin, tracy@pmq.com International Correspondent Missy Green, missy@pmq.com

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Gas vs. Electric Ovens 58

The Science of Crumb Structure 62

Art Director Eric Summers, eric@pmq.com ext. 134

Test Chef/Event Coordinator Brian Hernandez, brian@pmq.com ext. 129

Creative Director Sarah Beth Wiley, sarahbeth@pmq.com ext. 135

Special events Caroline Felker, caroline@pmq.com ext. 140

Senior Media Producer Daniel Lee Perea, dperea@pmq.com ext. 139

ADVERTISING

IT Director Aaron Harris, aaron@pmq.com ext. 133 Video Editor Blake Harris, blake@pmq.com ext. 136 Social Media Manager Heather Cray, heather@pmq.com ext. 137 Chief Financial Officer Shawn Brown, shawn@pmq.com Circulation Manager Sherlyn Clark, sherlyn@pmq.com ext. 120

Sales Director Linda Green, linda@pmq.com ext. 121 Senior Account Executive Tom Boyles, tom@pmq.com ext. 122

PMQ INTERNATIONAL PMQ China Yvonne Liu, yvonne@pmq.com PMQ Russia Vladimir Davydov, vladimir@pmq.com PMQ Pizza Magazine 605 Edison St. • Oxford, MS 38655 662.234.5481 • 662.234.0665 Fax

Sales Assistant Brandy Pinion, brandy@pmq.com ext. 127 PMQ Pizza Magazine (ISSN #1937-5263) is published 10 times per year.

Cost of U.S. subscription is $25 per year. International $35. Periodical postage pricing paid at Oxford, MS. Additional mailing offices at Bolingbrook, IL. Postmaster: Send address changes to: PMQ Pizza Magazine, PO Box 2015, Langhorne, PA 19047.

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

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FROM THE INBOX

DIGGING ON DETROIT I love the work Liz Barrett does at PMQ. I don’t think of PMQ as a magazine so much as a monthly textbook that’s focused on entrepreneurial success. I saw Liz’s recent website article on Detroit-style pizza becoming the next trend. For a true Detroit-style pizza, is it better to use a deck oven or an air impingement oven? Thank you.

Jason Hershey Hilton Head Island, SC

A NEW CAREER IN PIZZA Aloha! I wrote a story for PMQ a few years back about Bobby V’s Pizza on Kauai (“Colenti’s Pizza: A Slice of Paradise,” September 2008). I still faithfully read PMQ and go to your website as well. I enjoyed Liz Barrett’s book, Pizza: A Slice of American History, which I purchased on Amazon. I finally made the jump from a pizza enthusiast—someone who has been making pizza for 29 years—to pizzeria owner on Kauai. I went to Naples and trained with Enzo Coccia for a month and got certified as a Neapolitan pizzaiolo, and our pizzeria, Pietro’s Pizza Kauai, became the first and only VPN-certified pizzeria in Hawaii. Of course, I still make my New York-style pizza as well and spent time with Mark Bello, my buddy at Pizza a Casa in New York City. I’ve also traveled around and sat with some of the older, wiser guys, like Franco Pepe and Roberto Caporuscio.

But I still just make pizza like I would make it for myself. We have been doing well, and I am blessed. Anyway, I wanted to say hello and let you know that I went from writing about pizza to entering into the business!

Tom Iannucci Pietro’s Pizza Kauai Kauai, HI Thank you for reaching out and letting us know what you’ve been up to, Tom. Judging from your Facebook page, you had a huge crowd for your anniversary party back in August. Congratulations on your success, and we can’t wait to check out your pizzeria next time we’re in Hawaii!

Thank you for your kind words, Jason. Deck ovens work best for Detroit-style pizza. But as long as you have the proper pan—a deep one that will allow nice browning and cheese caramelization—you could get away with cooking it in any number of ovens with a little trial and error.

STUFF WE LOVE

Located in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, Collegeville Italian Bakery Pizzeria Napoletana uses Facebook to show appreciation for its regular customers and celebrity visitors alike. The single-unit pizza shop created the Pizzaiolo of the Day honor, posing guests with a pizza peel next to the wood-fired oven and posting their pictures on Facebook. Recent honorees have ranged from University of Alabama gymnastics head coach Dana Duckworth to local children fighting cancer.

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IN LEHMANN’S TERMS

ADDING A TAKE-AND-BAKE OPTION Follow these 10 steps to change your dough formula and procedure for a take-and-bake pizza.

By Tom Lehmann

Q A

What changes do I need to make to my dough formula and procedure for a take-and-bake pie?

To make a pretty decent take-and-bake pizza using your existing formula, you just need to make the following changes: 1. Reduce the dough absorption by 2% compared to what you use for your regular pizza.

2. Adjust the yeast level to no more than 1.5% compressed yeast or 0.6% instant dry yeast. (I don’t recommend active dry yeast for take-and-bake pizzas).

3. If your dough won’t brown sufficiently in the customer’s home oven, you can try adding more sugar to the dough. But be aware that this will also boost the sweetness of the finished crust. A better option is to add 5% to 6% sweet dairy whey. This will increase the browning of the crust without boosting sweetness or requiring more water for the dough formula.

4. Mix your dough for about two minutes longer than you usually do.

5. Take the dough directly to the bench for scaling and balling after mixing.

6. Place dough balls into dough boxes, cover and set them aside to proof at room temperature until they can be opened into pizza skins.

7. Place the skins onto disks or screens and put them in the cooler on a wire tree rack. Allow them to cool thoroughly—for about 90 minutes.

8. Stack the chilled pizza skins with a piece of parchment paper separating each skin. Do not stack them more than 10 high. Store the stacked skins in your reach-in cooler for immediate use.

9. To make a pizza, remove a skin from the stack, dock it with a pizza docker, then place it onto a pizza circle or in a lightly oiled, ovenable baking tray/pan.

Apply a very light coating of oil to the top of the skin to prevent migration of moisture from the sauce and toppings down into the dough. Dress skin to the order.

10. Wrap your take-and-bake pie with stretch or shrink wrap and place inside a pizza box.

Be sure to provide thorough baking instructions for various types of home ovens, a use-by date, and, most importantly, the words “Remove wrapper before baking!”

Tom Lehmann was the longtime director of bakery assistance for the American Institute of Baking (AIB) and is now a pizza industry consultant.

P M Q. C OM /DOU GH

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THE THINK TANK

HOW TO HIRE AND RETAIN GOOD EMPLOYEES It’s getting harder and harder to find good help these days, but our Think Tank users have a few suggestions. clownhair: It has become incredibly difficult to find good people to

hire, especially delivery drivers. Even when I do get an application, there is an absurdly high chance that the person won’t show up for the interview. Due to the extreme difficulty in finding good employees, I find myself keeping those who are generally poor workers and hiring just about anyone willing to work the hours. Anyone have any advice? d9phoenix: I have not found a solution to the problem yet, and

I have been shorthanded for two years now. The only solution I know of is to get people ages 15 to 22 who actually want to work. (Around here, they don’t have to.) It’s even worse with drivers. The people we used to hire part-time are now driving for Uber, Lyft and companies like that because they can make more money and work when they want. durbancic: I think it may depend on the age/maturity rate of the people you hire. We recently had our first real run-in with millennials. They want everything handed to them. Nothing is ever their fault, and they think they can call off with no repercussions!

Daddio: This topic has been discussed in the Think Tank many times. Here’s what I’ve learned. You have to pay more to get quality staff. An $18-per-hour person will usually do more work than two $10-per-hour people. Also, hire the friends of your good staff members. They are less likely to goof off, because it will cause friction in the friendship. And use box toppers to let people know you’re hiring—your customers can be a great resource, and they already like your product.

Pizza4Life: My biggest fear is hiring the friends of current staff.

I worry about horseplay and theft. I think the key is a strong system that holds employees accountable. This will drive the bad employees out and bring out the best in your good ones. I’m still working on creating a culture like this. It’s hard, though, to create a new system around old employees who resist change. bodegahwy: I much prefer to hire friends of my employees.

They are a lot less likely to let each other down by not showing up or slacking on the job.

Get answers to your most perplexing problems and swap tips and ideas with the experts in PMQ’s Think Tank, the pizza industry’s oldest and most popular online forum. Register for free at thinktank.pmq.com. (Member posts have been edited here for clarity.)

T H IN K TA N K . P MQ.COM

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THE SOCIAL CONNECTION

CREATING A SOCIAL MEDIA CALENDAR

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Social media success hinges on knowing what you’re going to post and studying the data to improve your content every day. | By Christopher Wick/SMM International A pizzeria’s content calendar should be designed to make scheduling social media posts easy. It doesn’t matter how large or small your business is—planning is key, and it all starts with a calendar. Here are five important factors to think about when developing your 2018 social media calendar:

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It can be tempting to focus on your own business needs, but think about your customers instead. During the back-toschool season, are they strapped for cash? Are they busier than usual? How can you make their lives easier during this hectic period? During the holidays, are they looking for easy gift ideas? Do you have something, such as gift cards, you can offer? Throughout the year, ask yourself: What do my customers need during this particular time?

3

1

WHAT IS YOUR AUDIENCE LOOKING FOR RIGHT NOW?

In January, your audience may be making New Year’s resolutions. In February, they may be planning romantic dinners for Valentine’s Day. In March, they may be thinking about the NCAA basketball tournament or the opening of Major League Baseball season. How can your content be relevant to them? Seasonal posts can be very effective because they’re relevant to your customers right now. In March, for example, we like to post “Pi Day” specials to promote $3.14 pizza on March 14.

THINK ABOUT YOUR CUSTOMERS’ NEEDS, NOT YOURS.

PLAN, SCHEDULE AND IMPROVE CONTENT AHEAD OF PUBLICATION.

A well-organized content calendar provides a great advantage: You will have the power to collect data and document your insights, allowing you to improve your calendar all the time, even before you put up another post. Once you’ve created the calendar and started scanning your yearly items, many new ideas will pop up, and your content will get better and better.

Always look for ways to use your data to improve your content.

It can be tempting to focus on your own business needs, but think about your customers instead. — CHRIS WICK

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NEVER MISS A HOLIDAY PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITY AGAIN.

How many times have you realized that graduation is just a week away and thought, “Oh no! What are our graduation specials?” Or have you been surprised that Halloween snuck up on you? When you plan ahead for big holidays or seasonal events and pay attention to your calendar, you have time on your side, and you’re in control.

RECOGNIZE SUCCESSFUL CONTENT.

Keep up with your analytics and let the data guide you.

Does your audience like video? Then stop posting so many articles and use video! Does your audience love your blogs?

Keep writing! What content has created the most traffic, engagement, leads and shares in the past month? When you’ve zeroed in on the best posts, boost the frequency of those types for the future and prosper!

Christopher Wick is the founder of SMM International, an award-winning social media marketing agency that’s helped over 100 businesses in the pizza industry. Visit smminternational.com or call 888-SMM-INTL to sign up for a free social media strategy session!

JAN/FEB 2018 | PMQ.COM

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THE CHEF’S CORNER

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RANDY DUCH AINE

YORK

ROBB ALVEY

SCOTT WIENER | N E W

This popular New York pizza personality isn’t a professional chef, but his one-of-a-kind creation, the Mo-Heato, will make you think otherwise. | By Brian Hernandez I have had the privilege of meeting many great people in the pizza industry, but, oddly enough, one of the first ones I met never really worked in the industry.

I first saw the unassuming but legendary Scott Wiener in action in 2012 at the Slice of the Northeast competition in Atlantic City, New Jersey. At first glance, he was just a guy who liked pizza. But after watching him emcee the event, I knew he was much more. I remember asking my PMQ colleagues who he was and how he knew so much about the industry. I watched him riff for about 15 minutes straight on the history of pizza, just to pass time while the competitors worked on their pies. I was entranced.

During the 2013 International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York, Scott enthusiastically took then-PMQ editor-in-chief Liz Barrett and me on our own private Scott’s Pizza Tour—which, of course, is his actual day job: giving pizza tours around New York City. How cool is that?

Scott introduced me to the great Roberto Caporuscio, who made us his pistachio pesto and sausage pie, along with an array of fried pies (pizza fritta). I met so many great pizzaioli and ate so many great pies that night, it was hard to sit at a table the next day and promote the magazine. I was still in a food coma.

After that, Scott was forever legit in my book (if my book counts). I know, I was late to the game. He was already an established pizza personality when we met, but what makes him so interesting is that he isn’t a professional pizza maker.

He’s just a super-knowledgeable fan of the art. So when we started the Chef ’s Corner, he was on my list from the beginning. Our first meeting took place almost six years ago, and since then Scott keeps upping his game, earning his way into pizza history with the world’s largest pizza box collection, not to mention his passionate devotion to pizza in all forms.

He also knows how to make a great pizza. With the Mo-Heato, he slips some unique flavors into the regular Joe’s pizza diet, but once you try it, there will be no hard feelings.

“I love the combination of sweet and heat, so I thought it would be fun to replicate the flavor profile of one of my favorite summertime cocktails in pizza form. There’s a lot of controversy surrounding fruit on pizza, so I decided to make a pie with some hidden fruit elements, like the lime zest whipped into ricotta, as well as the lime juice sprayed on top of the pie. Since you can’t see those components, I figure I can sneak the flavor past the eyes of the pizza purist.” —Scott Wiener

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SCOTT WIENER

THE MO-HEATO INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

270g Neapolitan dough ball 2 zested limes 1 c. ricotta cheese Fresh mozzarella Pinch of chili flakes Hot sopressata 2 c. mint leaves ¼ c. toasted almond slivers 2 medium cloves garlic Pinch of salt ¼ of a lemon, juiced ½ c. extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) Drizzle of Mike’s Hot Honey 5 cranks of fresh black pepper Dusting of Parmigiano-Reggiano Lime juice, for misting

First, make lime zest ricotta: Blend 2 zested limes per 1 c. of ricotta. To make the mint pesto, put the mint leaves, toasted almond slivers, garlic cloves, pinch of salt, juiced lemon and EVOO into a food processor and blend.

For your base, lightly top the dough with fresh mozzarella and dollops of lime zest ricotta. Add thin slices of hot sopressata. Bake at 700° for about 2 minutes.

After baking, finish with either stripes or dollops of mint pesto, grated ParmigianoReggiano, a drizzle of spicy honey, fresh pepper, and a couple sprays of fresh lime juice.

R ANDY DUC H A INE

And there it is, folks—a perfect blend of your favorite summertime cocktail flavors in your favorite food! To find out more about Scott Wiener and how his obsession with pizza began, check out our online Q&A at PMQ.com/ scottwiener, where he talks about how he got started with Scott’s Pizza Tours and what drives his passion for the industry. Also, be sure to check out scottspizzatours.com if you’re planning a trip to New York and want to have your mind blown by amazing pizzas made by some living legends of the industry.

Brian Hernandez, a longtime pizzaiolo, is PMQ’s test chef, U.S. Pizza Team event coordinator and a host on PizzaTV.

REL ATED VIDEO

BRIA N H E RN AN DEZ WAL K S Y O U TH ROU GH TH E S TEPS O F MAK IN G TH I S AM AZ IN G PI E AT PMQ .CO M/ MO- H EAT O.

JAN/FEB 2018 | PMQ.COM

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THE ART OF MARKETING

Looking for more marketing ideas and insights? PMQ has you covered!

Liz Barrett Editor at large PMQ Pizza Magazine

JAN/FEB 2018 TOP MARKETING TIPS & TRICKS EMBRACE THE COLDER WEATHER Are the winter months some of your slowest for getting customers through the door? Why not entice guests with specials on warm, hearty soups and stews or comfort foods such as homemade lasagna?

Pickup orders waning due to the frigid temperatures? Assign a designated space or two in your parking lot for pickups and bring the orders out to the car. Have an outdoor patio? Install a fire pit and hold a winter party, complete with s’mores and festive drinks.

RUN A BIRTHDAY PROMOTION The new year is the perfect time to start a birthday promotion if you don’t already have one in place. Invite guests to fill out a form (usually placed on tables or included with the check) that will let them enjoy a free lunch or dinner during the week of their birthday. This will give you the ability to collect vital information, such as the customer’s name, email, birthday, favorite pizza and more. And, when they come in to enjoy their meal, they’ll probably bring a friend or family member. The act of giving them a free meal will help to build loyalty, and as long as you keep in touch through your email program, you may just earn a customer for life.

OFFER A HAPPY HOUR PACKAGE If you provide catering services, do you offer a corporate happy hour package? In the winter months, office staff members tend to make a beeline for the warmth of their homes instead of braving the cold for a 5 p.m. beer.

Happy hour package deals could steer them your way instead.

Happy hour packages can range from $10 to $30 per person, depending on what’s included, and you can bring the party to the office, hold it in a private room at the pizzeria, or ditch the per-person minimum and set up a buffet in your pizzeria’s dining room.

Make the offer and food specials enticing enough to encourage guests to bundle up and join the party; they may bring a few friends and stay for dinner.

QUICK PROMO TIP

How-to videos are big business on YouTube. Think about filming a simple video (or series of videos) showing how you create your signature pizza, appetizer or cocktail. You can use the video to promote the pizzeria on your website and all of your social channels, helping to gain a larger following and more customers.

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MONEYMAKERS LaDiva Jonz and Haley Star were the well-dressed and splendidly groomed stars of Federal Hill Pizza’s first drag event, Dinner With the Divas, in mid-December.

DINNER WITH THE DIVAS Christmas can be a drag for some people, so the Providence, Rhode Island, location of Federal Hill Pizza spread some campy holiday cheer with a mid-December promotion called Dinner With the Divas. The music and comedy event, the pizzeria’s first “drag dinner,” featured performances by LaDiva Jonz—who describes herself as “one of Rhode Island’s oldest living drag queens”—and Haley Starr. For $39.99 per person, Federal Hill offered appetizers, an entrée, dessert and a glass of prosecco to accompany the show.

QUICK TIP 1

WELCOME TO THE ONLINE NEIGHBORHOOD Neighborhood marketing isn’t dead—it’s just moved online. You can use geo-targeting to make sure your online ads, purchased through services like Facebook and Google AdWords, get seen only by potential customers in a specific town or radius around your pizzeria.

YUKON SOURDOUGH STARTER STRIKES GOLD Will Lawrence-Grant’s sourdough starter dates back to the Yukon of the late 1800s, but it struck pizza gold when LawrenceGrant and his assistant manager, Allen Raymond, used it to win the 2017 Caputo Cup in October. Lawrence-Grant, owner of That’s a Some Pizza in Bainbridge Island, Washington, says his starter came to him by way of the great-grandfather of Phil Houseman, who co-founded the pizzeria with LawrenceGrant’s parents in 1984. “Back in [the late 1800s], explorers to the Yukon had to have enough food to last at least a year,” Lawrence-Grant says, referring to the Klondike Gold Rush that started in 1896. “Sourdough starter was perfect for that. You feed it, and it keeps going.”

It was also apparently perfect for the Caputo Cup, considering Lawrence-Grant had never competed for the prestigious award before. “I wasn’t expecting much, because it was my first time,” he says. “Pizzas would go behind the curtain where the judges were and then come out with a few pieces left. Mine went behind the curtain and didn’t come back. I thought, ‘Oh, no. What does that mean?’”

Will LawrenceGrant and his assistant manager, Allen Raymond, competed for the first time in the 2017 Caputo Cup and won with the Gorgonzola Vegetarian, using a starter that dates back to the Klondike Gold Rush.

26 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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FOR THE LOVE OF MARCO’S PIZZA Mason Jones, general manager of the Marco’s Pizza location in Chesterfield Township, Michigan, loves his job almost as much as he loves his new wife, Jessica. The newlyweds recently tied the knot at the pizzeria, with the brand’s mascot, Marco, serving as best man. Also participating in the cozy, colorful affair were Jones’ brother and two nephews, along with the pizzeria’s crew.

Once the wedding was over, Jones couldn’t resist pitching in when the shop got busy, taking phone calls and filling pizza orders while his bride stood by patiently. “I was honored that they would choose to get married at my store, to ensure I could be a part of their special day,” franchise owner Lisa Ostgen says.

“Mason and Jessica are amazing people, and I am glad I was able to witness their wedding.”

Mason Jones and his new wife Jessica threw a pizza wedding in Jones’ workplace at Marco’s Pizza, with his boss, store owner Lisa Ostgen (right), and crew members, including Ostgen’s sister, Michelle Borowsky (left), in attendance.

QUICK TIP 2

MARKETING TO YOUR CUSTOMERS’ FRIENDS Most of your customers use social media to reach hundreds of their friends every day, so why not make them your online brand ambassadors? Give a free pizza, appetizer or other menu item to certain customers in exchange for posting mouthwatering shots of your food on their social networks, especially Instagram or Facebook. One customer with just 100 friends can give you valuable exposure—imagine your reach if you make the offer to five or 10 customers every week!

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MOD GIVES BACK FOR THANKSGIVING Bellevue, Washington-based MOD Pizza spent Thanksgiving week “spreading MODness” with the goal of providing meals to children who struggle with hunger. In a partnership promotion with Generosity Feeds that ran November 21 to 26, MOD donated $1 for every pizza sold in all of its stores to create a hearty, healthy meal for kids. The meals were then distributed through food pantries and school backpack programs in all 26 states where MOD operates. “Scott and I have four children of our own, so the thought of just one child struggling with food insecurity breaks our hearts,” says MOD Pizza cofounder Ally Svenson. “If we can help to lift up even a small percentage of these children, we’re accomplishing our goal at MOD—to use the business as a platform to make positive impacts in the communities we serve.”

MOD Pizza has a goal of providing 500,000 healthy meals to children in 26 states through a partnership with Generosity Feeds, a nonprofit that creates meal packaging events for children who struggle with hunger.

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RECIPE OF THE MONTH

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DIRECTIONS:

16 oz. pizza dough ball 4 c. fresh cauliflower florets 1 tsp. garlic, minced 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided ½ tsp. salt ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 6 oz. low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, diced 3 oz. prosciutto, shaved ¼ c. Parmesan cheese, shredded 1 tbsp. fresh basil, torn

Preheat pizza oven to 500°F or impinger oven to 475°F. Toss the cauliflower florets with the garlic, 1 tbsp. olive oil, salt and red pepper flakes. Place the cauliflower onto a baking pan and roast until the florets begin to brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, stretch dough to 16” diameter. Lay stretched dough onto a lightly floured pizza peel or a pizza screen sprayed with pan release.

To assemble, top dough with the following: 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, brushed onto dough 4 c. roasted cauliflower florets 6 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese 3 oz. shaved prosciutto Bake in pizza oven for 8 to 10 minutes (5 to 6 minutes in an impinger oven) or until baked through and golden brown.

Top each pizza with ¼ c. Parmesan cheese and torn basil leaves. Cut and serve immediately.

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WH AT’S YOUR STORY?

THE PIZZA PRESS | A N A H E I M ,

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Extra! Extra! Read all about a unique newspaper-themed pizza chain that lets guests “publish” the pie of their choice. By Rick Hynum | Photos provided by The Pizza Press The news media takes its share of abuse these days, but Dara Maleki, cofounder and CEO of the Pizza Press, remembers when hometown newspapers were seen as truth-telling crusaders for justice and defenders of democracy. Opened in 2012 next door to Disneyland, the chain has expanded to 16 locations in Southern California and one each in Austin, Texas, and Celebration, Florida. At The Pizza Press, pizza makers are “editors,” but guests call the shots and “publish” the pies of their choice. Naturally, we wanted to get the scoop on this unique concept, so we went straight to the source with some hard-hitting questions.

PMQ: As a former newspaperman myself, I have to ask, what is the story behind Pizza Press’ newspaper theme?

Maleki: When I founded The Pizza Press, the vision was clear:

I wanted to create an ethos that elevated the “build your own pizza” concept to the next level. [It would be] a totally unique and immersive environment in which people could enjoy great food they had created themselves, relish friendly service, and

experience a welcoming and cohesive environment. Inspired by the mechanized dough press, The Pizza Press harkens back to an industrialized era when newspapers were the foundation of the local community.

PMQ: How does the newspaper theme play out in the restaurant?

Maleki: Our editors help guests create a custom newsworthy

pizza or select one of the signature pizzas named after major newspapers, such as The Times, The Tribune, The Chronicle and others. Those are developed by our professional chef, who also creates seasonally inspired limited-time-offer (LTO) creations to keep things topical. The pizzas are published in just under four minutes.

From a decor perspective, the black-and-white theme is carried throughout, with artwork featuring old printing presses, old typewriters and other printing paraphernalia.

We even carry the theme into the uniform, with the editors wearing jaunty newsboy caps.

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As a successful entry in the fast-casual segment, The Pizza Press owner Dara Maleki (left) has grown the franchise from one to 16 locations in five years.

PMQ: What kind of relationship does your Anaheim location have with Disneyland?

Maleki: The Pizza Press has always had a strong relationship

with Disneyland, both in terms of its dedicated employees— or cast members, as they are called—and the visitors. We offer cast members 25% off their entire meal on a regular basis. Disneyland also inspired one of the pillars of our brand: newsworthy service. We believe in going beyond the standard customer service model by creating an entire theme that’s predicated on an honest, trustworthy experience, which is also a core tenet of journalism.

PMQ: The fast-casual segment is a crowded one. How do you make your pizzas stand out in terms of freshness and quality?

Maleki: All ingredients are fresh and locally sourced for high-

quality, better-for-you food options. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are available as well.

We work with small purveyors, like with our sausage, which is made especially for our brand, and we are continually sourcing new ingredients. We make our dough in-house several times a day, and we have a unique conveyor oven, which cooks the pizzas in about three to four minutes. What also sets us apart from the competition is that we are open late.

PMQ: Tell us about your most popular pizzas.

Maleki: The Times (extra-virgin olive oil, mozzarella, chicken,

create what sounds good to them, with nearly 30 toppings from which to choose, more than five sauce options, and eight finishing choices.

PMQ: What about your beer selection?

Maleki: We put our focus on craft beers and make it a point

to offer local craft beers at every location. Each Pizza Press location typically has between 12 and 24 craft beers on tap, which change regularly and regionally.

We are big on beer and pizza pairings at The Pizza Press.

Pizza and beer are a great combination, because they can enhance or contrast each other’s flavors. It’s easy to find light, crisp beers to match with lighter, less dense pizzas topped with vegetables and chicken, or dark stouts that match up well with hearty pies topped with a plethora of meats.

PMQ: You also offer beer floats and beer cocktails. What are some popular selections in that area?

Maleki: Our root beer floats are made with Virgil’s Root

Beer and vanilla bean ice cream. For the adult version, we recommend adding the ice cream to any of our darker beers, like a stout.

Pizza Press locations offer between 12 and 24 craft beers on tap, including many local brews.

grape tomatoes, red onions and smoked Gouda, finished with fresh cilantro and barbecue sauce) and the Tribune (red sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, red onions, mushrooms, roasted bell peppers, sweet Italian sausage, Kalamata olives and ricotta) are our most popular signature pizzas. We also run LTO pizzas like the Buffalo Post, which is a spicy chicken pizza, and The Bulletin, which is an amazing, tangy, pulled-pork pizza.

However, we encourage people to use their imagination and JAN/FEB 2018 | PMQ.COM

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Pizza makers are the “editors,” but the customers can “publish” the pie of their choice at the newspaper-themed Pizza Press.

PMQ: What role has online ordering played in your success so far?

Maleki: We offer online ordering at all of our locations. All of

the online ordering platforms can be found on our website, although some restaurants use different platforms and different delivery options (via DoorDash and the like), depending on the location.

Online ordering is great for people who want to be in and out in a flash. Sometimes our customers don’t have the time to work with our editors in person to create their perfect pizza, so this gives them the option to enjoy a freshly made and delicious pizza even on their busiest days.

We also just launched our app this summer, which has been a big success, with both online ordering and a loyalty program.

We hope to continue to add to its capabilities for promotional tracking and redemption.

We’re taking our unique publish-your-own-pizza concept to other parts of the United States and the world, with more than 100 units sold. We’ve been operating as the dark horse for several years, and now we’re ready to break out into the national arena. The Pizza Press franchise program is the engine that fuels our commitment to encourage small business owners to continue building on this respected brand. One of our key growth strategies is targeting multiunit owners, so we offer a discount to franchisees who sign to open at least two units.

PMQ: What are your plans for growth in the next five or 10 years?

Maleki: Our plan is to have 300 locations by 2020 and a deep

international footprint by 2025.

Rick Hynum is PMQ’s editor in chief.

PMQ: What has been the key to growing from one location to 16 in five years?

Maleki: We are entrepreneurs at heart and are looking for the

like-minded. I started locally in my hometown of Anaheim but quickly realized I was onto something larger. From a corporate perspective, while we’ve expanded, we’ve focused on our roots in Southern California, and that’s the reason we want franchisees. We want you to embrace your local community and be a part of bringing The Pizza Press everywhere by focusing on your own backyard.

Got a story to tell our readers?

What makes your pizzeria different?

Email Rick at editor@pmq.com and brag about yourself!

34 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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SAR AH BETH WI LEY

AS SEEN ON PIZZ AT V

A D.C. jumbo slice can range between 14 and 18 inches.

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The D.C. Jumbo Slice

SARAH BETH WILEY

PizzaTV’s Heather Cray tries the D.C. jumbo slice on for size in an exclusive video at PizzaTV.com!

SUPER

SIZE

ME

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It’s big, it’s greasy, and it’s made for social media. Get ready to open wide for a jumbo slice, and you could become the late-night pizza leader in your market. By Heather Cray

If you’re looking for a specialty pizza that will put you on the social media map, think big—really big.

Pizza shops in Washington, D.C.’s trendy Adams-Morgan district have found the secret to getting free publicity on Instagram is to sell pies that customers want to take a picture of. Packed with bars, restaurants and boutique shops, the neighborhood is a magnet for millennials who party hard into the night and end up famished. They want something filling and greasy, and they want it fast.

And once they’ve tried a jumbo slice from late-night operations like Pizza Mart and Jumbo Slice, they pull out their cellphones and start snapping pictures.

It’s hard to say who invented the jumbo slice, and the style isn’t peculiar to Adams-Morgan or even D.C. itself. Koronet Pizza, located in New York’s Morningside Heights neighborhood, has been selling 16-inchers since it opened in 1981. But Pizza Mart owner Munir “Mike” Chisti is quick to take credit for introducing it to the Adams-Morgan culinary scene.

JAN/FEB 2018 | PMQ.COM

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The oversized pizza slices at Jumbo Slice, which make the perfect late-night “drunk food,” are baked on custombuilt pizza screens.

Chisti says he made his first oversized pie after discovering a mangled dough ball left behind by a busy employee one night in 1999. “Instead of wasting it, we combined it with a fresh dough ball and made a huge pizza just for an experiment,” he says. “We cut it into slices, and when people saw the slice, they could not believe their eyes. And we said, hey, that’s not a bad idea. So we tried it again, and it kept expanding. Now we have to use a custom-made screen for a 34” pizza.”

Made in the New York style, the jumbo slice—typically measuring between 14” and 18”—usually comes topped with just cheese or pepperoni. Customers snap photos of their pies, which are often bigger than their heads, and post them on Instagram and other social media platforms, creating instant buzz for the pizza shops.

The slice is so popular, Pizza Mart serves between 900 and 1,200 people a night on weekends, according to Chisti, who recently opened a new location near Catholic University. The plus-size slice even landed Chisti on an episode of the Travel Channel’s Food Wars.

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One jumbo slice is enough to satisfy even the hungriest party animal, but some customers feel the need to challenge themselves, Chisti says. “I have a picture of a gentleman from Massachusetts who had three jumbo slices in 20 minutes.”

He recalls another young man who was determined to scarf down four slices. “He finished two in 35 minutes, and after that, he kept trying, but he could not eat a third slice. Finally, I gave him some water and said, ‘You know what? Just give up.’”

Heather Cray is PMQ’s social media director.

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MAN of the FUTURE One of the industry’s leading innovators, Adam Greenberg uses cutting-edge technology to help Potomac Pizza keep up with the big chains.

By Rick Hynum | Photos by Sarah Beth Wiley

Adam Greenberg, owner of the four-location Potomac Pizza and the two-store

Bagels & Grinds in the Washington, D.C., area, doesn’t get many complaints about his food, but one little problem has always nagged at him. “I was really tired of telling everyone that our pizza is as close to New York as you can get in D.C.,” he says.

“I could never look a New Yorker in the eye and say it was New York pizza, because they would probably slap me.”

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Adam Greenberg chats with PizzaTV at the recent grand opening of his newest Potomac Pizza location.

JAN/FEB 2018 | PMQ.COM

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AS SEEN ON PIZZATV PizzaTV was on the scene for Potomac Pizza’s grand opening in College Park, Maryland that included taking over their social media for the event.

WATC H TH E VI DE O AT P I ZZATV. C OM /P OTOM A C P I ZZA

REL ATED VIDEO

The missing ingredient, Greenberg felt, was the famous New York water.

A persistent and widespread theory holds that New York pizza’s excellent taste derives from the city’s tap water.

Some consider it a myth, but to others, them’s fightin’ words. And Greenberg’s a peaceable sort of fellow.

So when he opened his first Bagels & Grinds location in April 2012, he decided to put the theory to the test.

After considerable research on what makes the Big Apple’s water unique, Greenberg invested $50,000 in an on-site water treatment facility in the hopes of making his own New York water right there in Maryland.

“In simplified terms, we filter, soften and remineralize the water to match the mineral content of the water in New York City,” Greenberg says. “We believe the differentiating factor is that the water gets filtered down through the Catskill Mountains and picks up some of that granite, which creates the hardness in the water. You need a certain amount of hardness when you bake, and we believe that is the differentiation in the water.”

Since Greenberg operates a Potomac Pizza shop and a Bagels & Grinds shop in the Hotel at the University of Maryland (UM), he’s now testing the high-tech system’s water in his pizza and bagel dough to find out if New York water is all it’s cracked up to be.

Installing an on-site water filtration system is just one example of Greenberg’s willingness to embrace and experiment with technology while some operators still shy away from it. The original Potomac Pizza opened in 1978, and Greenberg bought it in 1995 after several years in the ice cream parlor business. He has been one of the industry’s leading innovators ever since.

His business savvy even landed him on the cover of PMQ’s July/August 2004 issue. At the time, we reported on how Greenberg built up his business using classic grassroots marketing tactics.

He became known in the community for his pizza making demonstrations in the local elementary schools and for giving each child a “Junior Chef ” card that earned a discount on the next

visit. He created “welcome kits,” which included coupons for free $25 dinners, and mailed them out, addressed by hand, to new people in the area to boost his dine-in business. He even put several catering trucks on the road and, for all school-related events, gave 25% of sales back to the schools.

Greenberg recently opened his fourth Potomac Pizza location, this one in the aforementioned hotel on the UM campus. Since delivery is key to his business, he worked with Food Tech Solutions to develop a smartphone app for both customers and delivery drivers.

“When our drivers come into work, they clock in and, with our delivery app, they scan a QR code that connects their personal phone securely with our POS system,” he explains. “So when the pizza is ready, they check it in on their own phone. They can check in one, two, three, four deliveries—however many they’re taking.”

The water filtration system shared by Potomac Pizza and Bagels & Grinds is proudly on display in their University of Maryland location.

PLUGGED IN At Potomac Pizza’s new location at the University of Maryland, customers never have to worry about dying phone batteries. Every booth is equipped with electrical outlets, and some even have double plugs with two USB ports.

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The app gives them directions for each delivery, and customers can even sign their tickets on the driver’s phone. “We have predetermined tip amounts—18%, 20% or 22%,” Greenberg says. “The customer can tip whatever they want, but we give the predetermined percentages because, when most people go out to a restaurant, they think 18% or 20% is standard.

So they say, ‘Oh, that’s what I tip in a restaurant, so that’s what I’ll tip for the delivery,’ instead of the traditional one or two dollars.”

Needless to say, Greenberg’s drivers love the app. “Our drivers are making anywhere from 20% to 40% more money per delivery on tips by using the app,” Greenberg says. “So even though they use their own phone [and] their own data plan, they’re making so much more than the extra, maybe, $20 a month it costs them.”

Greenberg also uses a Kitchen Display System with bump screens to manage kitchen workflow and send out alerts to delivery customers through the app. “So when we put that pizza in the oven and we bump it, the customer now knows that pizza’s in the oven, that pizza’s out of the oven, that pizza’s leaving the store. You can track the progress from start to finish like the big guys do. We’re only a four-store chain, and we have technology that rivals or even [surpasses] what the big guys do.”

That means small companies like Potomac Pizza can compete with the megachains, both in terms of food quality and customer service, while also helping their drivers make more money.

“If you have the right technology in your store, you can achieve so much more,” Greenberg says. “That’s our competitive edge. That’s how we create that awesome customer experience. Because they order online, many customers want all of these tools. And once they’ve had pizza from us, they come right back.”

Rick Hynum is PMQ’s editor in chief.

Some lucky patrons walked away with an armload of Potomac swag and a free slice.

12/19/17 12:22 PM

Find your Ispirazione Italiana

What's my Italian Inspiration? I wanted to return Master Pizza to its

original glory days as Cleveland’s favorite pizzeria. So, I brought back beloved recipes, focused on traditional flavors, and I switched to Galbani® Provolone—Italy’s #1 brand. It performs perfectly in my ovens and on my award-winning Popeye Pizza. Plus, the Galbani team is always available to top discuss new opportunities and ideas with me. It's helped put Master Pizza back on top.

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©2017 Lactalis American Group, Inc., Buffalo, NY 14220. Galbani is a ® of Egidio Galbani S.r.l. All Rights Reserved.

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Partner Peter Leonforte and co-founders Francis Garcia and Sal Basille hang out in front of the East Village location that kicked off the Artichoke Basille’s craze.

46 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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ALL ’CHOKED UP In less than a decade, Artichoke Basille’s Pizza has boomed from a shoebox-size Manhattan underdog to 12-location media magnet—and now sets its sights on franchising.

By Tracy Morin | Photos provided by Artichoke Basille’s

Francis Garcia and Sal Basille—

cousins, business partners and owners of Artichoke Basille’s Pizza—are, in many ways, quintessential old-school New Yorkers.

They know the score and tell it like it is.

They’re not afraid of hard work.

They take pride in their pizza craft.

But they’re also quite unlike the stereotypical New York pizzaiolo: that guy who thinks he knows it all.

JAN/FEB 2018 | PMQ.COM

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“The brand has become synonymous with nightlife. We thrive in these districts. We stay open until 7 a.m., so it’s almost a 24-hour operation in Manhattan.”

— FRANCIS GARCIA, ARTICHOKE BASILLE’S

Since its 2008 opening, their tiny pizzeria in Manhattan’s East Village has created a whirlwind of success for these seasoned pizza guys—a blueprint that every location has followed since—and they’re still learning on the job. So what’s their secret?

FAMILY TIES

Garcia and Basille literally grew up in the industry; from their great-grandparents down, relatives have owned everything from sandwich shops and bakeries to restaurants and pizzerias. Fittingly, a venture that blended both families would spawn their signature pie: Basille’s mom had a restaurant in Staten Island, which Garcia’s mom took over in the ’90s. In 2006, Garcia, then 29, started making artichoke pizza at the restaurant.

“When customers came in, I’d take a piece, cut it into strips and put it into a bread basket for free,” he recalls. “It was a huge hit. People would freak out, order it on the spot, come in the next day, take it home. I told everyone, if we

had a place in Manhattan, we could hand it out to more people in a week than we could in six months in Staten Island. Our parents told us we’re crazy—the rents are too high, there’s a pizzeria on every corner. And why commute to Manhattan when you have your family’s restaurant to take over one day? But that approach kinda felt like a slow boat to China.”

Of course, Manhattan rents were prohibitively priced. But they needed only a hole-in-the-wall to serve three pies: Artichoke, Margherita and Sicilian.

One day, Garcia was driving a friend to a doctor’s appointment when he spotted a guy hanging a “for rent” sign in a cell phone store on 14th Street in the East Village. “I walked in and asked him, ‘Can we put pizza in here?’” Garcia says.

“He said, ‘Well, it’s kinda small’—less than 400 square feet. I said, ‘I think I can make it work.’”

But the move wasn’t based on blind faith. For two weeks, Basille and Garcia sat outside and tapped a clicker as people walked by, recording every hour

of the day, every day of the week. “We figured if we could get 1% of the people to come in half the time, we could make a great living,” Garcia says. They signed the lease.

The cousins prepped the place on a shoestring, tapping their network of family and friends for electrician, plumber and carpenter work; buying used “junk” equipment on Craigslist; and building up the shoebox-size shop with their grandfather’s toolbox. After opening, marketing was nonexistent.

“We didn’t know what a PR firm was,” Garcia says, laughing.

They would soon learn. But they’d end up never needing one.

A LUCKY BREAK

When Garcia and Basille got word that Artichoke Basille’s would be featured in New York magazine’s 40th anniversary edition just two weeks after opening, they thought, “That’s cool.” Little did they know the story, which awarded the pizzeria with a three-star review, would

48 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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Galbani® cheese congratulates Michael LaMarca Gold medal winner at the Chinese Pizza Championship Nobody tops Chef Michael LaMarca and Galbani® cheese. Michael took home the gold in this prestigious international competition for his Detroit-style Popeye Pizza, topped with a combination of Galbani Provolone and Galbani Premio Mozzarella. As Italy’s #1 cheese brand, we’re proud to provide the Ispirazione Italiana that has made Michael one of the best pizzaiolos in the world.

Find your Italian Inspiration at GalbaniPro.com. ©2017 Lactalis American Group, Inc., Buffalo, NY 14220. Galbani is a ® of Egidio Galbani S.r.l. All Rights Reserved.

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REL ATED VIDEO

P M Q. C OM /ART ICH O K EB ASIL L E

Artichoke Basille’s has become a hit even with the hipper-than-thou residents of Bushwick, Brooklyn; the nowiconic Artichoke slice combines artichoke hearts, spinach, cream sauce, mozzarella and Pecorino Romano.

propel a flurry of newfound fans. “All hell broke loose; there were lines down the block every day,” Garcia marvels.

“We couldn’t keep up with it. We’d sleep in the car.”

But the firestorm was just beginning.

Artichoke Basille’s soon graced the pages of The New York Times, New York Post, even the front page of The New York Sun. Amazingly, the cousins were still working solo—the only ones making pizza. “We were so anal about trying to make everything perfect. Our philosophy was, if you don’t have the time to wait, there is a pizzeria on every corner,” Garcia says. “We’re trying to do it the best, make it amazing, not pump out as much as we can. That’s what we built our brand on.”

Still, expansion was inevitable.

Garcia and Basille partnered with the famed Tao Group (whose owners were Artichoke fans), which operates swank nightclubs and restaurants from New York to Las Vegas, to transform a “stinky biker bar,” underneath the High Line elevated park in Chelsea, into a second pizzeria. The location, between two of Tao’s biggest nightclubs, quickly became

“Me and Sal, we don’t even have an agreement on paper. We split everything to the penny. To have someone you love to be with and can be in business with, can trust, can lean on, it’s a blessing.”

— FRANCIS GARCIA, ARTICHOKE BASILLE’S

a “monster” (in a good way). A third opened with Tao on Greenwich Village’s late-night go-to, MacDougal Street.

“The brand has become synonymous with nightlife. We thrive in these districts,” Garcia explains. “We stay open until 7 a.m., so it’s almost a 24-hour operation in Manhattan. In the beginning, we didn’t get many late-night customers, but we stuck it out. We knew it’d become a destination because it was always open.” Soon, it wasn’t unusual to spot a 100-deep line at 4 a.m., and two more locations followed in LaGuardia Airport and Astoria, Queens.

Naturally, famous fans followed: a stream of actors, athletes and musicians would visit after clubbing, landing the pizzeria everywhere from the New York Post’s Page Six celeb gossip column to TMZ. Megastars like Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus and Leonardo DiCaprio were regulars; basketball player Carmelo Anthony would pop in for a late lunch; rapper Busta Rhymes requested a pizza party. With that kind of attention, it was only a matter of time before the cousins would get a taste of their own celebrity.

50 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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W SCREEN TIME

Who wouldn’t jump at the chance to travel and eat pizza?

When Garcia and Basille met a producer who pitched a concept that would become the Pizza Masters TV show, they wisely replied, “Can we talk about Artichoke?” The answer was yes. “Three weeks later, we were traveling around the country,” Garcia says. “We did that for almost four years. It was an amazing experience.” (The third episode of the show’s second season even featured a visit to Thea’s in Miami, the cover subject for PMQ’s November 2016 issue.)

The TV show took the cousins—who are also best friends—out of the restaurant for a time, and it was still hard work: one week of early-morning, late-night days for a single 22-minute episode. But the gamble paid off through even more media exposure. “There we are on Jay Leno with Howie Mandel—it was surreal!” Garcia says, laughing. “We were on Late Night With Seth Meyers; we’ve been on The Rachael Ray Show a dozen times, on Good Day New York and Good Morning America.” They even penned a cookbook, Staten Italy, featuring Italian comfort food faves from their family’s vaults.

And the cousins didn’t waste the opportunity to note tips and tricks for their own enterprise. “Doing the TV show, we picked up so many things,” Garcia says. “When we’re driving and see a place we’ve never been to, we’ll pull over and try it. Everyone should try different restaurants and pizzerias, try the competition, do their homework, ask questions, try to learn. People who say, ‘Mine’s the best,’ I think they’re idiots. How can you say you know everything? It’s impossible. We’re always open to learning and trying new things.”

ON THE GROW

(Top to bottom) Francis and Sal make their media rounds on The Rachael Ray Show, The Chew, Late Night With Seth Meyers and The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.

After the TV show wrapped, the pizzeria’s rapid expansion resumed. In the last year and a half, seven locations have opened with the same hands-on approach as the first: The cousins, using their own money, personally scout locations, source equipment, and handle design, layout and building—saving both money and time.

Today, Artichoke Basille’s boasts 12 outlets. Several are in Brooklyn—Park Slope, next to Barclay’s Center; hipster-riddled Bushwick and Williamsburg; and oldschool neighborhood Bay Ridge. Others are in far-flung locales—like the one opened in 2013 by a longtime employee in Berkeley, California. “That was a big move,” Garcia recalls. “We knew we had some brand recognition outside of New York, but we didn’t know how much. We

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52 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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y Long lines and hordes of fans often greet staff members at the Greenwich Village and East Village stores.

were shocked—so many people knew it! It was immediately making money.

We said, ‘Wow, we can probably put these in a lotta places!’”

Indeed, no matter the setting, Artichoke Basille’s seems to succeed— from its odd-man-out airport location, now going strong for seven years, to its last two ventures, in Miami and in a lower-Manhattan food hall concept.

“Every time we see a good opportunity, we pursue it,” Garcia says. “They don’t all work out, but we’ll try. If not, on to the next one.”

Sometimes, as with the food hall, a move requires a bit of convincing.

For example, Fransmart had been approaching the cousins for years

to make a franchising deal, but the self-professed “proud restaurant guys” resisted. “This is our legacy, and we wouldn’t even consider it. Me and Sal felt like we could conquer the world— by ourselves,” Garcia explains. “But as we opened more locations, you learn there’s only so many hours in the day.

You physically can’t.”

Joining with Fransmart, the duo now seeks aspiring pizzeria owners to own their slice of the Artichoke Basille’s pie; they just signed their first deal for five locations in New Jersey. And, ever on the lookout for ways to work smarter, they’ve turned over their beloved artichoke sauce to a concentrate co-packer; are almost done fine-tuning

“We had overnight success, which just snowballed into more press and popularity. But even if you paid for all of that, which we didn’t, you can’t keep it going for 10 years. If people try it and don’t like it, they’re not gonna keep coming back....You can only create hype for so long.”

their supply chain; and are even looking into new technology to streamline pizza making—such as conveyor ovens vs. the deck ovens they use now. “Every day’s a learning experience,” Garcia says. “We’re growing and learning at the same time.”

Have a pizzeria with the right location but a struggling concept?

Artichoke Basille’s is looking for candidates to open franchises of their brand in pre-existing pizzerias. For more info, contact Ryan Durishin at ryan@fransmart.com.

— FRANCIS GARCIA, ARTICHOKE BASILLE’S 54 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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Part of Artichoke Basille’s recipe for success: keeping the menu “stupid-simple,” with just a few carefully honed choices for pies and slices.

STAYING GROUNDED

Of course, Garcia and Basille know that once you hit a popularity peak, the tides can soon turn right back against you. “A lot of people lose love for you. They say you sold out or whatever,” Garcia says. “But let’s be real: We all want to grow, make more money and be more successful. We had overnight success, which just snowballed into more press and popularity.

But even if you paid for all of that, which we didn’t, you can’t keep it going for 10 years. If people try it and don’t like it, they’re not gonna keep coming back. You can’t fake that. You can only create hype for so long.”

So the cousins maintain their original approach to media attention: Whatever happens, happens—organically. They also stick to their early motto, “Keep it stupid-simple.” With a mere five slice/whole-pie options and many locations that clock in at hundreds, not thousands, of square feet, the cousins practice

what they preach. “You can’t try to appeal to everybody, be everything,” Garcia explains. “You see the size of some menus, and they have no identity. How can all of that stuff be good? If you believe in something you make, focus on that. Trying to do too much is not a good idea.”

And, in a tight-knit Italian family that’s still teeming with restaurant masterminds, Garcia and Basille have a couple more secret weapons: perspective and an unbreakable bond. “To us, success is being able to take care of our moms and families, making them proud, keeping our family’s legacy going—that’s our biggest accomplishment,” Garcia concludes. “Me and Sal, we don’t even have an agreement on paper. We split everything to the penny. To have someone you love to be with and can be in business with, can trust, can lean on, it’s a blessing. We couldn’t have done it without each other.”

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor.

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Gasv Electric What are the pros and cons of gas and electric ovens? Expert operators and industry consultants weigh in on this oft-debated issue. By Tracy Morin

It’s a discussion

that has scored space in PMQ’s Think Tank for more than a decade: Gas or electric? Tom Lehmann, consultant for Dough Doctor Consulting in Manhattan, Kansas, notes that gas ovens, being much more popular in the United States, often receive the brunt of manufacturers’—and operators’—focus. But for some, electric ovens may be preferred for their baking characteristics, or in locations where gas isn’t an option.

Billy Manzo, owner of Federal Hill Pizza in Warren, Rhode Island, falls into the latter category. He says it’s a simple matter of cost savings and convenience. “I’ve saved an average of about $426 a month by switching from gas to electric,” he says. “Electricity is safer. It’s contained, and it’s a cleaner burn. It’s also easier to clean and saves me

several hours of cleaning work on the weekend. That adds up. Everyone should take the time to compare the costs of running gas versus electric.”

Martin Arellano, executive chef and operating partner at Roots Handmade Pizza in Chicago, sees it differently.

“We use gas ovens at Roots,” he says. “For us, they’ve always been great, because we have more control of the temperature and they give us more consistent product, especially for the kind of oven that we use (rotating). We think the stones of the oven get more even heat, which helps spread the heat more evenly on the pizza, helps with the cook times, and creates the crispy bottom of the pizza.”

Both types of ovens have their advantages and champions. To help you make a better-informed decision when you’re in the market for a new model, we created the handy infographic on the following page: JAN/FEB 2018 | PMQ.COM

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GAS VS. ELECTRIC: PROS AND CONS ELECTRIC: AVAILABLE AND ADAPTABLE ANYWHERE. For the most part, gas is much more popular than electric, but there are places where electric is mandated and gas isn’t allowed—like on a cruise ship, for and in these spots, electric is a must. Also, electric models are wired to the wall, needing no gas line, so they can also be moved into an environment where gas isn’t available or allowed.

GAS: A CHEAPER ALTERNATIVE. Why is gas so popular? Because it’s cheap. Electric costs vary across the United States, since utility companies set those rates. To be sure of the costs, obtain a spec sheet from the manufacturer that lists energy consumption, then check with your local utilities company on the estimated expenditure.

GAS: EXPECT FEWER PROBLEMS. Fewer things go wrong with gas vs. electric ovens, simply because fewer things can go wrong. For example, in electric models, which heat by resistance, wires can become brittle, consuming energy without producing enough heat or maintaining proper temperature. But a gas oven is extremely simple, featuring three basic parts: the regulator, the burner assembly (including valves and thermostat), and the burner manifold. If you’re buying a used electric oven, you won’t know its condition until you read the amperage load, so it can be more difficult to ascertain whether the oven you’re buying is in good shape. The gas oven’s long-lasting efficiency also translates to a higher resale value if you need to unload your old model. And, finally, electric models can be more difficult to service—but they can be easier to manage during the baking process.

GAS AND ELECTRIC: BAKING TIMES MAY VARY. This can be a positive or negative, depending on your desired results. Tom Lehmann and Jeff Zeak, working together at the American Institute of Baking, once compared gas and electric oven performance between two identically sized air impingement models from the same manufacturer. The results? The electric oven took 30% longer to bake. After working on changing finger configurations, blowers and anything else Lehmann and Zeak could adjust, the two ovens still didn’t bake the same.

A QUESTION OF STYLE

As the infographic above explains, gas is generally cheaper but not available everywhere, while electricity is readily accessible but regulated by local utilities. For achieving the desired bake, Lehmann says electricity provides a dry heat, whereas gas creates moisture as a byproduct of combustion. So, while gas may bake faster, electricity may be preferred by operators who load their pizzas with toppings. The extra time and dry heat can suck moisture from a pie with many wet vegetable toppings, for example, possibly making electric the better choice.

The good news is, baking consistency shouldn’t vary whether you choose gas or electric.

EM MY SQUARED PIZZ A

example, or some cities in the United States. Not every place has natural gas,

Try a Test Run Not sure which model will work best for your operation?

Tom Lehmann, a consultant for Dough Doctor Consulting in Manhattan, Kansas, encourages operators to visit the oven manufacturer if they’re on the fence. “All oven companies have test kitchens, and I encourage anybody to check them out,” he says. “Maybe you have wet, soggy pizzas—the right oven can help with that. Or maybe you’re interested in an artisan style that bakes at 800º or 900º, so you probably need a gas model.

When it comes to ovens, it’s all in the engineering, so do your homework!”

But there’s one more factor to consider, notes Kevin Gregory, creative director at AllDay Industry, a New York consulting firm. “It’s all about the style of pizza an operator desires to make,” he says. “The right oven will always be decided by the concept. For classic, New York-style pizzas baked in a deck oven, gas is the preferred method. With lower energy costs, greater accessibility, and the longevity and quality of the parts of the machine, gas ovens are an ideal choice.”

Arellano agrees. “I know electric ovens can be great for some people, but for us, it’s not ideal for the type of pizza that we make, a Quad-Cities style, and the consistency that we’re looking for while baking the crust and cheese.”

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor.

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SECRETS

CELL v

O F

T H E

v

Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann takes a close-up look at the science of crumb structure in making a perfect pizza crust.

By Tom Lehmann

When

we hear a pizza aficionado describing a really great pizza, it’s seldom the cheese or the sauce or even the toppings they refer to. It’s the textural properties of the crust, whether light and tender, crispy or chewy. So what’s the secret behind these important characteristics?

You might think it’s the flour, the fermentation time, the dough mixing time, the dough absorption rate, the yeast level, or simply how the pizza is baked. And you wouldn’t necessarily be wrong—all of these factors impact the textural properties of the finished crust. But the one common denominator associated with all of them is their effect upon the cell structure, or crumb structure, of the crust. And that, in turn, has the greatest impact on the textural and chewable properties of the pizza.

What most of us—including our customers—are looking for is that nice, open, porous (some call it “airy”) cell structure in the finished pizza. It’s probably a little more complicated than you might like, but here’s how it works.

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A more open cell structure in your dough creates a better thermal break between the bottom of the crust and the moisture-laden sauce and toppings, resulting in a crispier crust.

PIZZARIUM

DRILLING DOWN TO THE CELLULAR LEVEL

FLOUR AND PROTEIN CONTENT

To begin, we have to understand how the cells are formed and how each of our ingredients affects the cell structure. The cell structure of the dough is created during the mixing process, in which each cell’s nucleus is formed by incorporating air into the dough. These nuclei expand further into the cell structure through the action of leavening gas created by the yeast and through heating and expansion of those gases. Water is also vaporized during the baking process, further expanding the cells.

How does all of this impact the textural properties of the crust? Since pizzas are baked from the bottom up, a more open (larger) cell structure creates a better thermal break between the bottom of the crust and the moisture-laden sauce and toppings. This means that the crust will brown more rapidly and exhibit better bake-out (moisture loss) during baking, resulting in a crispier crust—and will retain its crispiness for a longer time after baking.

With a smaller cell structure, the thermal break is less efficient, allowing heat to pass through the denser dough.

There, it’s dissipated as steam from the moisture in the sauce and toppings. In this case, the crust will be slower to brown, and it will not lose as much moisture during baking. In fact, it might even collapse as the pizza is removed from the oven, resulting in a dense crust with tough or excessively chewy eating properties.

So that’s what’s happening at the cellular level. To get a better idea of how your dough ingredients affect cell structure formation, we need to look at each ingredient separately.

The higher the protein content of the flour, the stronger the flour usually is, as evidenced by the excessive dough memory or snap-back it can contribute to the dough. This is referred to as dough elasticity. As dough elasticity increases, the resistance to expansion of the cell structure also increases. So if we change to a higher protein/stronger flour, we could very well experience a loss in that all-important cell structure or, at least, a smaller cell structure, thus reducing the thermal break. The result is a loss of crispiness, and that’s probably not good.

So how do we achieve a crispier crust with a higher protein flour? Typically, the higher the protein content, the higher the dough absorption will be. So the answer is simple: Just make sure to satisfy the absorption requirements of the higher protein flour, which will restore some of the dough’s extensibility and allow it to expand more readily.

You could use a lower protein flour, of course, but higher protein has a big advantage: It allows you to ferment the dough for a longer time while retaining dough strength. The increased fermentation time has a mellowing (softening/weakening) effect upon the gluten-forming proteins in the flour, which provides for greater dough extensibility while also allowing for the formation and capture of more of the desirable leavening gases created during fermentation.

It’s important to note that this is a slow process, so the cells are expanded gradually, resulting in larger individual cells. And that’s what many of us look for in our finished crusts!

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PIZZARIUM PIZZARIUM BRIAN HERNANDEZ

Nearly every ingredient in your dough formula plays a role in achieving an airy, porous crumb with large holes, the hallmark of a great pizza crust.

WATER AND VAPOR

As the water/dough absorption is increased, the dough becomes more fluid, softer and more extensible, all of which contribute to a larger crumb structure. Additionally, a portion of the water is converted to vapor and steam, which combine with the leavening gas to open the cell nuclei into a larger crumb structure. But be careful here: Too much water will make the dough too soft and fluid, leading to excessive or rapid expansion of the cell structure during baking. In this case, the dough may collapse, destroying the crumb structure—and your vision of a nice, crispy pizza.

YEAST AND FERMENTATION TIME

The yeast level is responsible for both the softening of the gluten structure through fermentation and for producing the leavening gas (carbon dioxide), which helps to open the nuclei into the larger cell structure we want to achieve. To an extent, the more yeast that is added to the dough, the more prevalent and larger the cell structure will be. However, with sufficient fermentation time for the yeast to produce carbon dioxide, even very small amounts of yeast will produce more than enough leavening power to produce a very open and porous cell structure.

SALT AND GLUTEN STRUCTURE

While we usually think of salt as a flavoring ingredient, it’s also largely responsible for regulating the rate of fermentation and strengthening/toughening the gluten structure of the dough. But too much salt can slow the fermentation rate, so the necessary effects of fermentation (dough extensibility and production of carbon dioxide) may not be achieved. In this

case, the gluten structure will be further toughened, increasing elasticity, which in turn inhibits cell expansion within the crumb structure.

Fortunately, this problem can be addressed to a great extent by adding more yeast to compensate for the higher salt level.

OIL AND SHORTENING

Added fat also plays an important role in cell structure development and expansion. It both lubricates the dough for ease of expansion and coats the individual cell walls, which helps them better retain leavening gas and water vapor. This may allow them to expand to a greater size without bursting or coalescing into fewer but larger cells. In some instances, however, this coalescing of cells produces the crumb structure we’re looking for, which explains why some dough formulations don’t use fat/oil at all. As long as the coalescing is not too severe, the cell structure will retain sufficient strength to support the weight of the toppings and still provide the necessary thermal break that makes a crispier crust.

SUGAR AND YEAST ACTIVITY

Finally, let’s take a quick look at sugar. This ingredient will influence the way the crust bakes, which can impact crispiness, but it has no direct impact on the cell structure of the crust.

Even so, in some cases, the sugar will provide a nutrient for the yeast to feed upon, which in turn will help to ensure good yeast activity during long fermentation periods. And good yeast activity, as we said before, makes for better cell structure!

Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann is a pizza industry expert and consultant on dough matters.

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Take Hike a

This four-pronged strategy will help your pizzeria stay profitable in an era of rising wages. By Will Lawrence-Grant

We live

in a constantly evolving world where the one consistency is change. But many fear change, and the recent change that has put more fear in pizzeria owners’ hearts than any other is the rise of the minimum wage.

Here in Washington state, payroll for a 20-employee business will soar by $80,000 per year after the state’s minimum wage hike is fully phased in over the next three years. Let that sink in: an extra $80,000 a year for 20 employees. Fortunately, we have time to plan.

How can you prepare and strategize for such a huge increase in your costs? Here’s what I have done to not only get ahead of the hike but also boost our total sales by 20%. Think of this as your four-pronged strategy for success if and when the minimum wage rises in your city or state.

ADJUST YOUR PRICING.

Don’t hesitate—raise your prices right away! People in your city or state have voted for this wage increase, so most will support you and stand behind the decision they have made. To determine how to price and position your menu items for maximum profitability, think seriously about hiring an expert (such as a menu engineer) to guide you through a menu overhaul and redesign. It’s time to work smarter, not harder, for your money. The earlier you raise your prices, the more chances you will have to do it again later without offending your customers.

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TH AT’S A SOME PIZZ A

TH AT’S A SOME PIZZ A

Will Lawrence-Grant, shown here with employee Daniel Curtin Stubbs, says he got ahead of the minimum wage hike in Washington state and made changes that boosted his pizzeria’s sales by 20%, despite higher labor costs.

The earlier you raise your prices, the more chances you will have to do it again later without offending your customers.

TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT YOUR BRANDING.

Even if your pizzeria has been around for 30 years, you can always rebrand and remind people about who you are, what makes your place special, and the value you offer. Repaint your shop, choose some new staff uniforms or buy some new chairs. Do you find it hard to see your pizzeria from an objective viewpoint? Try a little trick I use: Every time I walk into my shop, I try to look at it like it’s the first time I’ve ever been there. Is it clean? Are people friendly and smiling? Does it smell good? When you spend 365 days a year in the same place, you tend to forget what kind of first impression it makes on a new customer. I’m not saying go crazy here, but freshen up the place!

DITCH THE COUPONS.

Get them outta here! I struggled with this one more than any of the other changes I made. I got rid of our “2 for $22 deal,” which we had been running for about five years, and it was a disaster! I became the most hated man on our little island, and I immediately brought it back. It was so frustrating and scary all at once. How could I let my business be held hostage like that? When I finally discontinued the coupon for good, I changed it to a 25% noncoupon discount that applies strictly to online orders, and I’m happy to say I will never do coupons like that again!

START TAKING ONLINE ORDERS.

I can’t stress how important online ordering is to your shop. This isn’t just a trend; it’s the way of the future. People don’t have time to call for a pizza— ironically, because they are on their phones too much!

As mentioned above, I moved all my discounts from print coupons to online ordering. It’s really a win-win. I spend less money now on staffing, so I can give better discounts with online ordering. One-third of my sales are now online, and the simple fact is, this technology is one of the biggest changes to our industry. Computers have completely changed how restaurants work in the past 20 years. This is just the next progression in our society’s evolution. The future is here. If you’re not offering online ordering, do it now!

These are just a few ideas to help you survive the storm to come. As the times change, your pizzeria will have to change, too, so please take these suggestions seriously. Meanwhile, if you have great ideas of your own or want to talk more about mine, you can reach me online at thatsasome@gmail.com!

Will Lawrence-Grant is the owner of That’s A Some Pizza in Bainbridge Island, Washington, and the 2017 Caputo Cup Champion, NonTraditional Division.

70 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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Monitoring your recipes, food costs and convenience charges can help you win at the catering game.

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SECRETS �f the

Caterer’s KITCHEN A professional caterer details three key profit-makers that can dramatically boost your bottom line.

By Sandy Korem | The Catering Coach

Every time I speak to an audience of people who own a restaurant or

catering company, I ask the same question: What is the national average of net profits for a company like yours? Most of the time, if speaking to an audience of 100, fewer than three people know the answer. More often, no one knows it.

This always shocks me. How do you make a goal when you don’t know what you are shooting for? How do you know if you are successful in comparison with others in your business?

For the record, the national average for net profit in a food business is between 4% and 6%. If you add catering to your business, your net should be at least 15% if you follow some guidelines that promote profitability.

Before you read any further, promise that you will not think about what the pizza guy down the street charges for catering. You are not him, and I’ll bet he is not as profitable as he should be. But keep these three profit-makers in mind, and he’ll start comparing himself to you!

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President George W. Bush awarded caterer Sandy Korem (third from right) the White House Food Service Medallion for outstanding service to a sitting president.

Don’t fall into the “free delivery” trap! Charge the client for delivery. Remember, it’s all about convenience.

PROFIT-MAKER NO. 1: ACCURATE RECIPE COSTING CARDS

Every recipe must have a costing card that is updated monthly.

Not yearly, not every five years, monthly. The recipe must be accurate, not only regarding ingredients but also in the instructions on how to make the recipe. If not, you may have accurate costing for the recipe, but when the menu item has to be thrown into the trash several times due to inaccurate instructions, your profit just went out the window.

If you don’t have costed recipes, you are basing your entire profitability on a guess. And keep in mind that when you get into the business of catering, your number of recipes will triple at the very least. My catering company, The Festive Kitchen, currently has more than 1,700 recipes, and each one has its own costing card. Imagine if these recipes were not accurately costed. That’s a financial disaster waiting to happen.

PROFIT-MAKER NO. 2: CHARGE FOR CONVENIENCE

Why do people want food catered? It’s all about convenience.

They don’t want to make the food themselves. They want to enjoy their event and not fool with the food. In other words, they want to pay you to do the work.

The problem with most companies that cater is that they end up absorbing costs for that “convenience” because they are afraid to charge the customer for it. Here’s an example: plastic plates, forks, napkins and staff. Let’s assume you own a

mobile pizza oven. Your client is having a party in her yard for 75 guests. You bring your pizza oven and all of the ingredients necessary for the pizza. You charge your client $13 per pizza.

Your pizza recipes are accurately costed at $3.43 per pizza. Your profit per pizza is $9.57. You figure that each person will eat three pieces of pizza, so you will need to make 37 pizzas (six slices per pizza). The profit total for 37 pizzas comes to $354.

You’re a nice pizza caterer, so you also provide 80 plates, 80 forks and 80 napkins at a wholesale cost to you of $.67 per person for a total of $50.25. But when you’re packing everything on the day of the event, you realize you are out of forks, and you have to send someone to the store to buy them.

That’s at least $12 for the employee’s time plus gas in your van.

The total costs for the plasticware is now at $62.25.

For the event, you provide two employees (pizza chefs) to make the pizzas on-site at the party. You pay each one of them $15 per hour (a cheap rate for a pizza chef, but we’ll use it for this example). That’s $15 per hour for five hours each. This includes loading the van, the event time, and bringing back the van at the end of the event and unloading it. Your staff cost is at $150.

Your pizza profit started out at $354, but it’s now $141.75 because you donated the plasticware and the staff. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t even start the engine of the van to make pizzas for 75 people if the profits were only $141.75.

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SW

If you don’t have costed recipes, you are basing your entire profitability on a guess.

PROFIT-MAKER NO. 3: DELIVERY CHARGES

So many catering companies absorb the costs of deliveries, especially for drop-off catering. They somehow feel they are lucky to get the order, so they should deliver for free.

It’s obvious by the success of food delivery companies such as UberEats, DoorDash and Caviar that the restaurants that use these services don’t agree with the “free” theory. These food delivery companies make a commission of anywhere from 25% to 35% percent for merely picking up food and delivering it to the consumer.

Don’t fall into the “free delivery” trap! Charge the client for your delivery. Remember, it’s all about convenience!

These are just three examples of profit-makers that can transform your bottom line. Profit-makers No. 2 and 3 can be done without much effort and make a big difference in your profitability. Put some time and effort into developing recipe costing cards, and your catering division will be a major profit driver in your business.

Customers are paying you to do the work they don’t want to, so make sure to charge them appropriately for the convenience you provide.

Sandy Korem is the owner of the Dallas-based catering company The Festive Kitchen, which operates multiple divisions, including catering , food manufacturing and gourmet food shops. Korem and The Festive Kitchen have received numerous awards, including the White House Food Service Medallion, for outstanding service to a sitting president. She is a frequent speaker at national restaurant shows and a contributor to several national food publications. She coaches restaurant owners and caterers on developing a profitable catering revenue stream. For more information about Korem, visit thecateringcoach.com.

76 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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PIZZA WITHOUT BORDERS

COMPETITION HEATS UP IN THE EASTERN BLOC As more pizza competitions and associations pop up in Russia, Bulgaria and Poland, the quality of pizza and prestige of the pizzaiolo continues to rise. But make no mistake: Many adhere strictly to Italian tradition. Whether it’s Roman, Neapolitan or Classica, in these countries, Italy still sets the standard for what defines “good pizza.” By Missy Green

REL ATED VIDEO

PM Q.COM /KAZAN

PIZZA COMPETITIONS FOR EVERYONE Kazan, Russia

“Pizza competitions should be free and open to everyone,” says Arkadiy Gritsevskiy, president of the Russian Freestyle Pizza Federation and multi-restaurant owner. Gritsevskiy organized the first pizza competition at the Kazan HoReCa show this year based on this altruistic philosophy. Sponsors and government subsidies enabled his federation to waive competition fees and bring in international judges (including myself) to the Kazan HoReCa show. Guests from abroad received top-notch hospitality day and night, including luxury car transport and personal translators. The competition, a first for the federation, was small but successful, with top honors in both Freestyle Acrobatics and Classica going to Fedor Titenko from La Famiglia restaurant in Kazan.

Missy Green is a pizza spinning gold medalist and the International Correspondent for PMQ Pizza Magazine, writing regularly for PMQ Pizza Magazine in print and online. She currently resides in the Netherlands.

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PMQ RUSSIA ENGAGES THE INDUSTRY Moscow, Russia

Vladimir Davydov, publisher of PMQ’s independent magazine partner in Russia, teamed up with the Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli Russia to produce the Russian Pizza Championships again this year at the 20th annual PIR Expo. The competition was modeled after the World Pizza Championships (WPC) in Parma and included seven categories: Classica, Pizza Pala, Pizza Teglia, Pizza a Due, Freestyle Acrobatics and Fastest Pizza Maker.

Maria Beknazarova, who works at Scrocchiarella in Moscow, claimed first place in Classica, which qualified her to compete with the Russian Pizza Team at next spring’s WPC event in Italy.

Davydov’s magazine is also holding bimonthly conferences to educate the pizza market. The conferences feature speakers from the country’s manufacturers and distributors along with tastings and demonstrations of vendors’ products. In November, they ramped up the excitement by adding pizza eating contests, including a fastest eating category and a challenge involving spicy pizzas dressed with Tabasco sauce.

THE BULGARIAN ASSOCIATION OF PIZZAIOLI

REL ATED VIDEO

P M Q. C OM /BU LGA RI A

Sofia, Bulgaria

The International Pizza Championships, organized by the Bulgarian Association of Pizzaioli, took place at Interfood & Drink, the biggest hospitality show in Bulgaria. The competition welcomed judges from five countries: Russia, Poland, the United States, Greece and Italy.

Radostin Kiryazov and Anatolii Kolev, the association’s organizers and founders, are culinary teachers at Metro Academy in Sofia.

The Expo was also the launching point for Kiryazov’s new recipe book, Pane Pizza e Passione. Kiryazov says he has made it his mission to bring pizza to the next level in Bulgaria. “There are a lot of Italians in Bulgaria due to the fashion industry and low taxes,” says Kiryazov. “But it’s not until the last seven or eight years that the quality of pizza has improved, as well as access to classes and information.”

First-place winners in the Bulgarian contest came from Italy (Giordano Valentini) and London (Osama Sraidi), while several from Poland also took home prizes.

Marcin Kozłowski, Polish pizza judge and a distributor of Italian food in Poland, brought over the competitors from Poland and says he plans to form a pizza association there, too.

JAN/FEB 2018 | PMQ.COM

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

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DELIVERY BAGS DEPOT Delivery Bags Depot has delivery bags to fit a pizza restaurant’s every need. Products are constructed with premiere 600 Denier PVC material with nylon lining for durability and heat retention. Perfect for hot pizzas, sandwiches and catering orders, they can help you make the perfect delivery. 844-468-2247, deliverybagsdepot.com

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PRODUCT VIDEO SPOTLIGHT

REL ATED VIDEOS

MFG TRAY Molded from high-strength, glass-reinforced composites, MFG dough trays boast a fiber component that provides strength and dimensional stability. Unlike plastic trays, MFG trays can hold a big load without bending or sagging. And unlike wood or metal products, they won’t warp or corrode, so they’re long-lasting and durable. 800-458-6050, mfgtray.com VI DE O S P ON S ORE D BY

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AB MAURI “If flour is the body of the flour, the yeast…is the soul,” says Paul Bright, innovation manager at AB Mauri, maker of Fleischmann’s Yeast. AB Mauri’s team of bakery scientists and food scientists are passionate about pizza and collaborate with pizza makers to create the perfect yeast for every pizza dough application. 800-772-3971, abmna.com WAT C H T H E V I DEO AT PM Q.COM /ABM AURI

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GRAIN CRAFT UPRIGHT NEAPOLITAN FLOUR Grain Craft Upright Neapolitan Flour is specially formulated for that high-heat bake and light texture that denotes a Neapolitan crust. Grain Craft Upright’s wheat comes from the dry, elevated, mineral-rich volcanic soil of Idaho’s Rocky Mountain foothills—the perfect conditions for this type of flour. 423-265-2313, graincraft.com VI DE O S P ON S ORE D BY WAT C H T H E V I DEO AT PM Q.COM /GRAI NCRAFT

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1.866.889.8745 82 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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84 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE

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Traditional Pizza Flours, Whole Grain Flours, Pizza Crust Mixes, Private Label Packaging, Proprietary Blending, Custom Development For more information call 1-800-553-5687 or visit www.baystatemilling.com

150 years of premium pizza flour

Heckers & Ceresota

Should You Franchise Your Restaurant?

Contact us today to receive your free video on “How to Franchise Your Business” and learn ® about one of the most dynamic methods of expanding your business in today’s marketplace.

F R A N C H I S E C O N S U LTA N T S 708-957-2300 • www.ifranchisegroup.com • info@ifranchisegroup.com FRYERS

BE THE

KING OF

CHICKEN WINGS With AutoFry and MultiChef ventless technology you can serve hot delicious appetizers without the need for costly renovations.

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Fully Automated • Convenient • Reliable • Safe • Affordable • Fully Enclosed For more information call 800-348-2976 or visit us online at MTIproducts.com • AutoFry.com • MultiChef.com Your Source for Ventless Kitchen Solutions for over 25 Years

HeckersCeresota.com

00 FLOUR

Molino Pasini s.p.a. - Italy

Full line flours for Pizza, Fresh Pasta, Ready Mix for gnocchi Phone: 1-973-454-8534 +39 0376 969015 www.molinopasini.com - info@molinopasini.com

FURNITURE/FIXTURES

Heat your Restaurant with SUNPAK® Outdoor Patio Heaters Wall or ceiling mounted, nothing on the floor

FOOD DISTRIBUTORS

Natural Gas or Propane Models Made in the U.S.A.

www.infradyne.com

888.317.5255

GLUTEN-FREE PRODUCTS Scan for Demo

Bringing Italian Back to Pizza Exclusive North American Importer of Ciao Tomatoes and Caputo Flour 201-368-9197 | orlandofoods.com

Premium Flours Make Gluten-Free Tasty & Easy!

Tel: 310-366-7612 E-mail: sales@authenticfoods.com Web: www.authenticfoods.com

pmq.com/Recipe-Bank/ JAN/FEB 2018 | PMQ.COM

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE GLUTEN-FREE PRODUCTS W H O L E S O M E

&

MAGNETS

D E L I C I O U S ™ WHOLES

OME & DELICIOUS

™

INSURANCE

PIZZAPRO .............................................................Low cost pizza delivery insurance program Contact Julie Evans (717) 214-7616..............................................................www.pizzapro.amwins.com MACHINERY/EQUIPMENT

1-800-426-0323

www.northernpizza.com

Ovens Mixers Prep Tables Walk-ins Parts Smallwares

MAILING LISTS

MACHINERY/EQUIPMENT

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PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE M E AT TO P P I N G S

MAILING LISTS

Reach More Hungry Customers with an Occupant List • Saturate neighborhoods with your message • Personalize for more effective campaigns • Save on postage

PRESTIGE FOODS ............................314-567-3648 ........................MEATTRADER@MSN.COM Low Closeout Pricing! Call for this week’s special. For Deals That Go To Your Bottom Line.

It’s better than Every Door Direct Mail – and we’ll throw in free mailing software!

MINTS/CANDY

Get a Free Quote Now

www.melissa.com/hungry 1-800-MELISSA

Easy Way to Drive Traffic

MANAGEMENT

hospitalitymints.com

800 334 5181 keep more of your hard earned dough!

MIXERS

3 money saving programs:

sCheduLing • aTTendanCe • daiLy Log

FAST, PAINLESS SCHEDULING • MONITOR LABOR COSTS • REDUCE TURNOVER • NOTIFY EMPLOYEES • ELIMINATE BUDDY PUNCHING • IMPROVE COMMUNICATIONS • WEB-BASED

save time and increase profits!

• 61% of consumers say they would visit restaurants with mints more frequently • Customized with your Logo

www.timeforge.com 866.684.7191

Precision HD-60 Pizza Mixer 7-Year Unconditional Parts Warranty on all gears and shafts in the planetary and transmission!

MARKETING IDEAS

Holdsbowl! art 80-qundles a Ha . bag 50 lb our! of fl

www.pizzamixers.com • 1-877-R-MIXERS

The Original Variable Speed Mixer

Varimixer Strong as a Bear.

800-222-1138

www.varimixerusa.com www.varimixer.com V6OP

Pizza’s Great Storyteller

mixer@varimixer.com • 14240 South Lakes Dr • Charlotte, NC

Radio-style stories to bring customers in.

Let pizza’s greatest storyteller make you a local pizza hero!

• Fully-produced 1-minute pizza stories

Hear samples at PizzaTV.com/Rix

Heavy Duty MIXeRS RS

Rix Quinn

2-Year Warranty

60 qt. Pizza Mixer handles 50 lb. bag of flour Direct gear drive transmission • Rigid cast iron construction

Globe Food Equipment Co. | www.globefoodequip.com

M E AT TO P P I N G S

MOISTURE-ABSORBENT TOPPINGS CONDITIONER/SUPPLIES

JAN/FEB 2018 | PMQ.COM

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE MONEY MANAGEMENT

PIZZA BOXES

Money to Grow Your Business

CUSTOMIZE YOUR PIZZA BOX Doing It The American Way!

GrowthCapitalSolutions.com direct # (513) 601-3809

TAKE YOUR IMAGE TO THE NEXT LEVEL 7” to 36” Custom Boxes and Odd Sizes Available

UP TO 4-COLORS | NO PLATE FEES*

OLIVES

Rectangular Flat Bread Boxes Available

THE WORLD`S LARGEST OLIVE AND OLIVE OIL PRODUCER ACORSA USA 2200 FLETCHER AVE. SUITE # 702, FORT LEE, NJ 07024 Tel. 201-944-0474 ...... Fax # 201-944-1279 enrique.escudero@dcoop.es ... www.dcoop.es

888.400.3455 ext.107 | wpackaging.net 2001 East Cooley Drive, Colton, CA 92324

We offer a full line of Green Olives, Ripe Olives and Olive Oil from Spain for private label or branded. OU Kosher and BRC Certified. Inventory stored at 11 warehouses throughout the U.S.

Your food. Our custom-printed boxes.

A winning combination.

ON HOLD MARKETING/PHONE SERVICES

Ten case minimums. Pizza, sub, slice, kids and other boxes available.

800-626-0828 | starpizzabox.com PIZZA BOX LINERS

ONLINE ORDERING

Dinerware Integration Online Mobile Ordering Solution for Restaurants

Dinerware

PIZZA DELIVERY THERMAL BAGS YOUR ONE-STOP BAG SHOP • UNBEATABLE BAGS AT UNBEATABLE PRICES

$99 Monthly imenutogo.com 0% Commission Go Mobile Today!

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Grow Your Business with the power of online ordering More Orders. Starting Now.

PRICES AS LOW AS

$13.49

$10

ATE FLAT R ING SHIPP

1-844-HOT-BAGS

Satuisafaractniotened! g

www.deliverybagsdepot.com

SliceLife.com/JoinNow or (844) 880-2346

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PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE PIZZA DELIVERY THERMAL BAGS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY SPECIALS

High Quality Pizza Tools

Made in Italy Since 1986

Phone 630-553-9135 sales@gimetalusa.com www.gimetalusa.com JAN/FEB 2018 | PMQ.COM

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA DELIVERY THERMAL BAGS

PIZZA OVENS

WWW.XLTOVENS.COM TO ORDER CALL (316) 943-2751 | TOLL-FREE: (888) 443-2751 | FAX: (316) 943-2769

PIZZA MARKETING

TRADITIONAL, FAST CASUAL, ARTISAN...

WE’VE GOT PIZZA COVERED VENTLESS IMPINGEMENT CONVEYORS, BATCH, AND ARTISAN BATCH OVENS 1-800-90TURBO | www.turbochef.com

PIZZA OVENS

EARTHSTONE OVENS, INC. 6717 San Fernando Rd..................................Glendale, CA 91201 800-840-4915 ....................Fax: 818-553-1133 ............................. www.earthstoneovens.com All units UI listed.

MARSAL & SONS, INC. ................................................The new standard in the Pizza Industry Brick Lined Deck Ovens • Standard Deck Ovens • Prep Table Refrigeration 631-226-6688.................... marsalsons.com ..............................rich@marsalsons.com WOOD STONE CORPORATION..................... Stone Hearth & Specialty Commercial Cooking Equipment ............................1801 W. Bakerview Rd.................................... Bellingham, WA 98226 TOLL Free 800-988-8103Fax: 360-650-1166 ................................woodstone-corp.com

Stone Deck, Pizza Dome, and Bakery

www.univexcorp.com Tel. 800-258-6358 Fax. 603-893-1249

Get the latest and greatest in pizza news, recipes, videos, marketing strategies and technologies at www.pmq.com!

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PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE P I Z Z A PA N S

PIZZA SUPPLIES

• Pizza Preparation and Delivery Products •

National Marketing, Inc.

www.nminc.com 800-994-4664

734-266-2222

Fax: 734-266-2121

Manufacturers’ Direct Pricing • Call or order online • We export

Introducing

THE

PIZZA BUTLER!

Space-saving footprintEasy storage | Versatile Function Sturdy Contruction | Customizable

Call Manny at 718-894-1212 ext. 218 Order online at www.thepizzabutler.com PIZZA PEELS

PRINTING

WATERPROOF MENUS - Full color printing on 14mil synthetic stock - Super durable - won’t rip or stain - Spills clean right up - FREE Rounded Corners!

- FREE Design - NO Templates!

CHASE

MENUS

www.chasemenus.com | 1.866.661.4152

JAN/FEB 2018 | PMQ.COM

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PRINTING

PRINTING

P R I VAT E L A B E L I N G

R E F R I G E R AT I O N

ROOM KEY ADVERTISING

HOTEL ROOM KEY ADVERTISING DIAL #600 from your room for In-Room SPEED DIAL Papa John’s ROOM DELIVERY to Your Business

PIZZAROOMKEYS.COM • 866-912-3539 SAUCE

TOMATO PRODUCTS

with a real passion for fresh-packed product

Neil Jones Food Company produces premium quality tomato and custom blend sauces packed from fresh, vine-ripened California tomatoes. We are a family owned and operated corporation. Our San Benito facility has been packing the finest tomatoes since 1915. We strive to bring you the very best tomato products, whether you prefer fresh-pack #10 cans or fresh-pack shelf-stable pouches.

pmq.com/Recipe-Bank/

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PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE PRINTING

A

SAUCE

Flyers 8½ x 11

E

(All Inclusive Design, Print, Fold)

C

12,500 25,000 50,000 100,000

= = = =

$699 $899 $1399 $2199

F

B

SCALES Commercial weighing scales for restaurants, catering, delis, and other retail markets.

Menus 11 x 17

M OH

(All Inclusive Design, Print, & Fold)

12,500 25,000 50,000 100,000

= = = =

$1199 $1499 $2399 $3799

G

D

Jumbo Flyers 11 x 11 (All Inclusive Design, Print, & Fold)

O

F

25,000 = $1099 50,000 = $1499 100,000 = $2099

M

H

For customers supplying their own file: $100 off the 8-1/2 x 11 pricing; $150 off the 11 x 17 pricing; $125 off the Jumbo Flyer Pricing

A

I

Supplied files/artwork must meet all BCMS file requirements

Pizza@YamatoCorp.com 262-236-0000 S P I C E F O R M U L AT I O N , B L E N D I N G & PA C K A G I N G

TELEPHONE EQUIPMENT/SUPPLIES/SERVICE Specializing in voice and data communications service, repair, installation, sequencers and on-hold messaging.

GUARANTEED LOWEST INDUSTRY PRICE!

www.fidelitycom.com.........................800-683-5600

TO M ATO P R O D U CT S

The Best Tomatoes Italy has to Offer Imported to North America exclusively

by Orlando Foods.

201-368-9197 | orlandofoods.com

6 x 11 EDDM Post Cards As low as 25 cents per address!

I

(Includes Postage)

JK

I

JF K B

H H MCall today O 877-604-3111 Every Door Direct Mail Specialists Call for more information *Promotional Pricing good through March 31, 2018 JAN/FEB 2018 | PMQ.COM

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE TO M ATO P R O D U CT S

YEAST

WINGS

ALWAYS WITH YOU.

Come follow us, like us, and engage with us on these social media platforms!

TABLECLOTHS

. ed!

S e E E HE ou n FRTC as y A any W S m s

ra

de Or

You Top the Pizza, We’ll Top the Tables!

Updating your dining room is easy with our easy-care vinyl table covers … always made to your specs. Fabrics are also available by the roll.

• 372 colors and 65 mix-and-match patterns • Covers are custom made within 2-3 weeks • Available with velcro, umbrella holes or elastic for a perfect fit.

• No minimums required

View and order patterns online at Americo-Inc.com Call 1-800-626-2350

601 East Barton | West Memphis, AR 72301 96 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE

JAN/FEB 2018 | PMQ.COM

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PIZZA HALL OF FAME

(Clockwise from left) The iconic Antonio’s “boot” sign points guests to downhome Italian fare; students picket outside the pizzeria after original owner Antonio Miceli ejected rowdy youths in the 1950s; Antonio’s has become a fixture on bustling Ventura Boulevard; vintage menus celebrate the restaurant’s 25th anniversary in 1982; a couple enjoys their date night at Antonio’s in the ’50s.

Has your pizzeria been in business for 50 years or longer? If so, contact us at tracy@pmq.com

ANTONIO’S PIZZERIA AND ITALIAN RESTAURANT

Find th e video pizzatv on .c narrate om, d Rix Qu by inn

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Despite 60-plus years of time-tested recipes and down-home warmth, Antonio’s owners continually strive to ensure lasting success in a crowded SoCal market. By Tracy Morin By the 1950s, brothers Antonio and Carmen Miceli had already made it in Hollywood. Their Miceli’s restaurant in the heart of America’s entertainment capital had been going strong since 1949.

In 1957, the two set their sights on the growing San Fernando Valley, opening a location in Sherman Oaks, California. But after a family rift erupted, Antonio decided to blaze his own path in the Valley, renaming the restaurant Antonio’s in 1958. “He didn’t like the way the family was running the business,” recounts Alexandra Lunardon, current co-owner of Antonio’s with brother Steven. “There were debates on the recipes; maybe the family was looking to cut costs.

But Antonio wanted to keep everything as it was.”

The divide was so deep that when Antonio was ready to retire in 1988, he refused to sell to his family—even though they offered more than the chosen successors. Meanwhile, Steven had been looking into different restaurants, and his best friend’s dad heard Antonio was looking to sell. After a successful meeting, Steven spent months training with Antonio to learn the recipes—and Antonio felt comfortable that Steven, as a “blank canvas” with no restaurant experience, would change nothing. “We kept everything Antonio had on the menu,” Alexandra notes. “Of course, we’ve added things over the years. You want your regulars, but you also have to create new business regularly.”

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In the now bustling San Fernando Valley, competition is fierce— so, despite being a community fixture for decades, Alexandra (who’d previously logged experience with big-name restaurant and hotel brands) admits she’s tried “a million things,” marketing-wise.

Last year, she hired a PR firm to celebrate Antonio’s 60th, landing numerous blogger nods and an article in LA Weekly. The pizzeria also partners with a slew of third-party delivery providers, gaining exposure among new customers, and a two-page gluten-free menu has become a huge hit with local celiacs.

Next, Alexandra is looking to boost her catering business and bottle the famous Antonio’s salad dressing for retail. “A lot of older places are complacent—and even though we keep it fresh, we’re not trying to be the next froufrou spot,” she says. “You just can’t fall asleep on your business, and you have to be present. You either care or you don’t.”

Despite the ever-whirring grind to succeed, Alexandra is proud of the Antonio’s identity, with its emphasis on old-fashioned values: top-quality food and above-and-beyond customer service. “We do what we know, down-home Italian food and great pizza,” she says.

“This is a homey place, not pretentious. When you walk in for the first time, you’re part of the family.”

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor.

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EscalonBrndAd_PMQ_7.875x10.875.pdf

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The most important ingredient of your dish is, well, you. All your hard work and innovation are what's earned your specialties their "special" title. We know you go to great lengths to make sure every bite tastes just right. And that’s why we protect our tomatoes’ natural flavor by hand sorting, gently processing and never adding bitter preservatives like citric acid. We think the fresher, sweeter taste will inspire you. Explore just how many ways you can use our tomatoes at escalon.net/recipe-overview

©2018 Escalon Premier Brands

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