PMQ Pizza Magazine May 2019

May 2019

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

PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | Volume 23, Issue 4

May 2019

THE

GOOD The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly | PMQ.com

LIFE

Helping children with autism also creates outsized brand awareness for Fredi the Pizzaman P A G E 3 2

Southwestern-Style Pizza 26

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Mixers to the Max 44

Look Before You Lease 52

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I BELIEVE PIZZA IS AN ART. I BELIEVE IN USING NOTHING BUT THE BEST INGREDIENTS. IF YOU WANT AN AVERAGE, RUN-OF-THE-MILL PIZZA I BELIEVE YOU KNOW WHERE YOU CAN GO. What’s your declaration of independence?

Grande is championing operators who have an independent spirit and shared passion for excellence. By providing the finest all natural, authentic Italian cheeses, along with an unwavering commitment to quality, we’ll continue to advocate for independents and their love of the craft.

grandecheese.com 1-800-8-GRANDE © 2019 Grande Cheese Company

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FIND US ONLINE

AS SEEN ON PIZZATV.COM JIFFY PIZZA STICKS This simple, fun appetizer will make you take a second look at storebought pizza crust mixes. Starting with a crust mix from Jiffy, these kid-friendly pizza sticks feature a garlic herb blend, shredded mozzarella and quartered pepperoni slices, plus a little water, flour and Parmesan cheese. Simply knead the dough, slice it into pizza logs and bake them in the oven. Brush the baked sticks with a little garlic butter, and you’ve got a snack or appetizer anyone can make—and everyone will enjoy!

P I Z Z AT V. CO M / V I D E O/J I F F Y P I Z Z A S T I C K S

If you’d like to contribute to PizzaTV.com and our Roku channel, send links to your best video content to info@PizzaTV.com.

EXCLUSIVELY ON PMQ.COM

FRIEND OR FOE: THIRD-PARTY DELIVERY SYSTEMS

WHEN CUSTOMERS COMPLAIN ABOUT YOUR PRICES

With the rise of third-party ordering and delivery companies like DoorDash and UberEats, pizzeria operators have a choice to make. We asked various operators to help us weigh the pros and cons of these fast-growing services.

Some customers are griping on social media about this Think Tank user’s prices, and he’s at his wit’s end. Should he stand his ground, cut his prices, or give up and walk away? His pizza industry colleagues offer some wise advice.

P M Q . CO M / T H I R D PA R T Y S Y S T E M S

P M Q . CO M / P R I C E CO M P L A I N T S

HOW TO DEAL WITH BAD APPLES IN YOUR PIZZERIA

THE ESSENTIALS OF A PIZZERIA MANAGER’S SURVIVAL KIT

One bad apple can spoil a pizzeria’s entire culture, yet many owners and managers are reluctant to toss it out. A management expert offers some tips on how to resolve these tricky personnel issues once and for all.

P M Q . CO M / B A D A P P L E S

When crises happen, good pizzeria managers rise to the occasion. But even the best ones are likely to encounter problems they don’t know how to deal with. That’s why a basic “survival kit” might be a good idea for your restaurant.

P M Q . CO M / M A N A G E R S U R V I VA L K I T

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IN THIS ISSUE

MAY 2019 ON T COV HE ER

32

Between his Fredi the Pizzaman pizzeria and a nonprofit foundation with the same name, Fredi Bello has built brand recognition that extends far beyond the small town of Melvindale, Michigan. Photo by John Santilli.

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In Lehmann’s Terms

26

Best of the Southwest

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Chef’s Corner: Brittany Saxton

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Mixers to the Max

What’s Your Story: Mia Mia’s Pizzeria

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Look Before You Lease

IN EVERY ISSUE 6

Online @ PMQ

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10

From the Editor

64 Pizza Without Borders

18

Moneymakers

68 The Pizza Exchange

58

SmartMarket

82 Pizza Hall of Fame

66

Product Spotlight

Idea Zone 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.

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FROM THE EDITOR

Rick Hynum Editor in Chief

THE RICHEST MAN IN THE WORLD I suspect that, to many who know him, Fredi the Pizzaman, this month’s cover subject, is also Fredi the Everyman, one of the “little guys” of the industry—his lunch-only restaurant has just five tables—who looms tall because of his personal integrity and his passion for his work. In our interview for the cover story (“The Good Life,” page 32), Bello returned to the same themes again and again: authenticity, self-sufficiency, and, above all, family.

He speaks adoringly of his wife, Romina, of his son, Antonio, who has autism, and of his young daughters, Allesandra and Adriana. He long ago walked away from a lucrative but timeconsuming delivery operation because he knew that family came first. And get him talking about his father, who passed away a few years ago, and he might just get emotional.

“At 11 years old, I knew what I wanted to do [for a living],” he told me. “I watched the way my dad dressed, the way he worked, the way he shaved. I watched the way he’d deal with employees. I watched him draw up menus. And I knew that was exactly what I wanted to do. He taught me every little nook and cranny when it comes to the pizza business. And he made me so much better. Just watching him was a life lesson.”

Watching Bello in action is also a life lesson. He has built strong regional brand recognition in a little town of 10,000, and he’s done it by making great pizzas and doing good in his community, particularly for local schools that struggle to meet the needs of their students with autism. And, boy, does he work hard. He doesn’t just make all the food at his restaurant— he handles all the social media, represents his restaurant in frequent TV appearances, and singlehandedly runs his Fredi the Pizzaman Foundation as well.

Maybe he gets tired, but he doesn’t complain. Maybe he frets about the bottom line, but he never mentions it. Ask him about food costs and pricing, and he shrugs. “My customers tell me my prices are low, but I don’t want to raise them,” he told me.

“I want the place to stay busy. I don’t want people talking about my prices—I want them talking about my food.”

“When I was a little kid,” Bello adds, “my dad used to say if you and your family are healthy and your bills are paid, you’re the richest man in the world. I live by those words every day.”

Another life lesson learned!

May 2019

PIZZA MAGAZINE THE WOR LD'S AU THOR ITY ON P IZ Z A | P MQ.COM | P IZ Z ATV.COM

PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | Volume 23, Issue 4

May 2019

ON THE COVER: THE

GOOD The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly | PMQ.com

Helping children with autism also creates outsized brand awareness for Fredi the Pizzaman. Photo by John Santilli.

LIFE

Helping children with autism also creates outsized brand awareness for Fredi the Pizzaman P A G E 3 2

Southwestern-Style Pizza 26

A Publication of PMQ, Inc. 662-234-5481 Volume 23, Issue 4 May 2019 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 Senior Copy Editor Tracy Morin, tracy@pmq.com Contributing Editor Bill DeJournett, bill@pmq.com

International Correspondent Missy Green, missy@pmq.com Art Director Eric Summers, eric@pmq.com ext. 134 Creative Director Sarah Beth Wiley, sarahbeth@pmq.com ext. 135 Senior Media Producer Daniel Lee Perea, dperea@pmq.com ext. 139 Social Media Manager Heather Cray, heather@pmq.com ext. 137 Video Editor Blake Harris, blake@pmq.com ext. 136 Chief Financial Officer Shawn Brown, shawn@pmq.com Test Chef/USPT Coordinator Brian Hernandez, brian@pmq.com ext. 129

Mixers to the Max 44

Look Before You Lease 52

ADVERTISING

PMQ INTERNATIONAL

Sales Director Linda Green, linda.pmq@gmail com ext. 121

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PMQ Pizza Magazine 605 Edison St. • Oxford, MS 38655 662.234.5481 • 662.234.0665 Fax

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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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IN LEHMANN’S TERMS

HOW TO ACHIEVE A BETTER PAR-BAKED CRUST Q A

Do I need to adjust my dough formula for a par-baked crust?

Last month I explained how to prevent the formation of pita-like pockets in a par-baked crust. But there are other things you can do to facilitate making par-baked crusts in any oven type. While your regular pizza dough can be parbaked, you can also make some adjustments to achieve a better par-baked crust. Here are some tips: 1. Adjust the yeast level to about half of the amount you normally use for making your pizzas. This will control pocketing during baking.

2. Include a little sugar or sweet dairy whey to accelerate crust color development. This will also allow for a better bake. Pizzas made on par-baked crusts only need to be cooked long enough to bake the top of the pizza while thoroughly heating and crisping the crust; thus, the final baking time may be 25% to 30% shorter than that for a pizza made on a raw dough skin.

3. Dough used for making par-baked crusts should be well-fermented to help reduce bubble and pocket formation.

4. If possible, allow the formed dough skins to rest/ proof for a few minutes between forming and baking to reduce bubble and pocket formation.

Use these tips to finetune your par-bake dough formula and reduce bubble and pocket formation.

5. Always dock the dough skins immediately before baking. This will help in the baking process and provide some control over bubble and pocket formation.

In a par-baked pan-style crust, bubbling and pocketing are seldom an issue. Again, you can use your regular dough or make a specially formulated dough—both work equally well. Give the dough time to final-proof (rise) prior to baking. You’ll need to experiment with baking time and temperature for your oven, but this will be much easier than it is for par-baked thin crusts. Just make sure the crust is fully baked/set before removing it from the oven.

It’s not uncommon to have an uneven or slightly rounded top on par-baked pan crusts, so be sure to de-pan and invert the crusts onto a cooling rack or screen, which will flatten the top of the crust. When final-baking the pan-style pizza, place it back into the same size pan it was par-baked in, along with some oil (peanut oil works well). This will create a fried, crispier effect on the crust. Bake at about 450°F in a deck oven or 400˚ to 425˚F in an air impingement oven.

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

PMQ . CO M/D O UG H

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THE CHEF’S CORNER

Watch B Herna rian in-dep ndez’s th int erview with c Saxto hef Brittan y n at p mq.c britta nysax om/ ton.

BRITTANY SAXTON | SIX HUNDRED DOWNTOWN This five-time world champion has helped shed light on the world of pizza sports. | By Brian Hernandez Bellefontaine, Ohio: If you don’t pronounce it “Bell-Fountain,” you have already outed yourself as a tourist. Home of America’s shortest street, McKinley Street (only 20 feet long), and Campbell Hill, the highest point in Ohio, Bellefontaine holds some impressive records. So does Brittany Saxton, the owner of Six Hundred Downtown. Saxton has worked her way up the ranks of the pizza industry since she was 16. As a five-time world champion, Saxton has also helped shed light on the world of pizza sports, which was lesser known by the general public.

As a young woman in a male-dominated industry, Saxton had to prove her worth on the pizza making scene. At 16, she learned all the ins and outs of her first pizza job, starting with tossing the dough. She mastered that skill early on to silence the naysayers and earned her stars in the kitchen. She then moved her way up the ranks, from manager to owner.

At Six Hundred Downtown, Saxton tries to instill in her staff the importance of having fun and feeling a sense of ownership.

She holds five gold medals in the Fastest Pie Making and Largest Dough Stretch categories. She has also appeared on Guy’s Grocery Games on the Food Network and came in second. In addition to the importance of offering high-quality food, she understands the value that competing in pizza sports and culinary events offers for an independent pizzeria. That’s why she regularly brings her staff members to prestigious competitions, such as the U.S. Pizza Team Trials events. With numerous award-winning pizzas adorning the menu at Six Hundred Downtown, diners can expect to get a culinary treat on every visit.

For this edition of Chef ’s Corner, Saxton kindly shared the recipe for the award-winning Mad Hatter, courtesy of assistant manager and culinary expert Dalton Cornell. Cornell won gold with this recipe at the 2014 World Pizza Challenge in Las Vegas.

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THE CHEF’S CORNER

THE MAD HATTER INGREDIENTS:

INSTRUCTIONS:

16-oz. dough ball (stretched to 14”) Light drizzle of EVOO 8 oz. mozzarella, shredded 2 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced 2 oz. fresh arugula 2 oz. tart cherries 7 small dollops of fig jam preserves

Brush your 14” crust with an EVOO base. Top with shredded and fresh mozzarella. Add arugula, tart cherries and dollops of fig jam preserves.

Bake at 575° for 7 to 10 minutes, or until crust is brown.

After bake: 10 slices prosciutto, quarter-sliced 1.5 oz. Parmesan, shredded Balsamic reduction

After the bake, add slices of prosciutto and sprinkle with shredded Parmesan. Finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Slice and enjoy!

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

R E L AT E D V I D E O L EARN HOW TO M AKE TH E MAD H ATTE R IN OUR E XC LUS IV E R ECIPE VI DEO AT P M Q.COM/TH E MADH ATTE R

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MONEYMAKERS

BELLY UP FOR THE BADA BING

Kenny Bowers created a 10,000-calorie pie for a food-challenge promotion at his Dallas pizzeria.

Does anyone count calories anymore? Kenny Bowers, owner of Kenny’s East Coast Pizza in Dallas, certainly does. He toted up the calories in his Bada Bing specialty pizza and arrived at 10,000, a well-rounded figure at the center of a new promotion. The Bada Bing Challenge invites a team of two diners to wolf down a massive 32” pepperoni pizza. Those who succeed receive a $100 gift card, a commemorative T-shirt and a photo on the store’s Wall of Fame.

Losers have to shell out $50 and see their pictures posted on the Wall of Shame. Bowers has developed promos for big appetites before—as owner of Kenny’s Burger Joint, with locations in Plano and Frisco, Texas, he created the El Jefe Grande Challenge, requiring one person to finish a seven-pound, 7,000-calorie hamburger in under an hour.

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GET CREATIVE WITH GIFT CARD DESIGN Don’t stick to just one design for your gift cards. Target specific demographics with various creative designs, and then track sales of each card type. You can also use your gift card to promote specific menu items or your loyalty program.

FEEDING THE HUNGRY WITH REWARD POINTS When customers earn points with MOD Pizza’s new customer loyalty program, they can pay them forward to help feed hungry children, thanks to the fast-casual chain’s collaboration with Generosity Feeds, a national nonprofit that combats food insecurity. Every dollar spent at MOD Pizza is good for one reward point, with 150 points earning a free menu item. But when customers opt to donate their 150 points, MOD makes a $2 donation to Generosity Feeds. MOD says it has already worked with the nonprofit to provide nearly half a million meals to hungry kids in towns with MOD stores. “If we can help even a small percentage of these [hungry] children, then we’re accomplishing our real goal at MOD: to use the business as a platform to make a positive impact in the communities we serve,” says MOD co-founder Ally Svenson.

MOD Pizza and Generosity Feeds have worked together to provide nearly half a million meals to kids in communities across the United States.

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MONEYMAKERS

SOMETHING STINKS IN ANAHEIM

Dara Maleki, founder and CEO of the Pizza Press, says he had “serious doubts” about creating the Extra-Stinky Garlic Pizza. “But the unprecedented amount of garlic on this pizza will surprisingly have you coming back for more,” he adds.

Anaheim, California-based Pizza Press recently partnered with digital media house FoodBeast to create a new signature pizza that doesn’t skimp on the stench. The Extra Stinky Garlic Pizza comes packed with two full heads of garlic, including minced garlic and roasted cloves, plus a spicy tomato sauce, caramelized onions and mozzarella. The limited-time menu item was part of a package created for the Anaheim Hotel and Visit Anaheim. Priced at $149, the deal included the Extra Stinky pizza, a second pizza of the customer’s choice, two root beer floats and a one-night stay at the Anaheim Hotel.

QUICK TIP 2

GET SKINNY FOR THE SUMMER With warmer weather approaching, it’s time to get your pizzeria ready for bikini season. To appease health-conscious customers, offer “skinny pizza” options, mini pie sizes, or thinner crusts with fewer carbs. Denote your healthy options with special icons on the menu.

WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN? With five locations around Denver, Mici Handcrafted Italian made math fun for three lucky customers on Pi Day, but others learned that pi really is an irrational number. The tongue-in-cheek holiday, celebrated on March 14, pays homage to 3.14, the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. At each store, Mici offered free pizza to the first four people in line at 3:14 p.m. that day. But there was a catch. The first three guests, the company announced, would receive a whole 10” Formaggio pie, while the fourth had to settle for just .14 of a pizza. However, the company suggested in a press release, “It’s possible Mici might take pity on the .14 recipients and give them the remainder of the pie.” After all, who really wants to delve into decimals when slicing a pizza?

Mici Handcrafted Italian celebrated the circle of life with a quirky promo on Pi Day.

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WHAT’S YOUR STORY?

After immigrating to the United States from Turkey, Mert Sunnetcioglu studied to be an engineer, but food was always his first love.

MERT SUNNETCIOGLU | M I A

MIA’S PIZZERIA

From engineer to entrepreneur: how Mert Sunnetcioglu has quadrupled sales at pint-sized Mia Mia’s Pizzeria in just over three years. By Bill DeJournett When Mert Sunnetcioglu came to the United States from his native Turkey to study engineering, little did he know that his culinary hobby would turn into a career. Since purchasing Mia Mia’s Pizzeria in 2015, he has transformed the pint-sized Providence eatery into a thriving business, thanks in large part to his methodical use of marketing technologies. PMQ recently caught up with Sunnetcioglu to learn more about his journey—and the keys to his success.

PMQ: Tell us about your background and how you became involved in the pizza business.

Sunnetcioglu: I came to the States nine years ago to get my

master’s degree in engineering. When I was growing up in Turkey with my mom, our beach house was right on the Mediterranean coast. I grew up watching my mom and how she cooks. When I started going to college, I watched YouTube and tried to imitate the chefs on there—seeing how they cooked,

what they did—and my friends would come to my house, where I would cook for them. They would joke with me, “I think you should study culinary arts.”

Long story short, I couldn’t pursue my culinary arts dream in Turkey, because at that time there weren’t many opportunities to do that there. But when I came to the States, I was going to school in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and working at a local pizza place. I watched those pizza guys and how they did things. When I finished my master’s degree, I went to work at Pizza Hut for more than two years and learned the corporate culture, observing how they work. Then I said to myself, “It’s time to buy my restaurant.” I bought Mia Mia’s and opened on July 21, 2015. My first Friday, I was open 17 hours and got only 17 orders. It was brutal. But, since then, we’ve been selling great food with great customer service. We are open until 4 a.m. on the weekends, and we do late-night deliveries.

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The morning after never tasted so good, thanks to Mia Mia’s Hangover Pizza, made with ham, sausage, bacon bits, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, scallions and sunny-side up eggs.

Mia’s Loaded Fries feature seasoned potato wedges, melted nacho cheese, bacon and sour cream.

PMQ: What are the keys to your success at Mia Mia’s?

Sunnetcioglu: I try to serve the very best ingredients. I go

shopping every single day. If I run out of an ingredient, I don’t mind saying to a customer, “I’m sorry, I’m out of that ingredient today.” I don’t want to over-prep or serve food I wouldn’t eat. At the same time, I keep my food costs low and bring more customers in.

In 2019, everyone loves to talk about their bad experiences on social media. It’s difficult to get people to talk about the good things. In order to do that, first you have to serve good food, which I believe I do. We also have great customer service.

My delivery guys go above and beyond to make all of my customers happy. When a person comes into the restaurant, we call them by name. I’ll say, “Hey, Mr. Bill! How are you doing today? How is everything? Nice to see you!” It’s all about the customer service.

PMQ: What menu items make Mia Mia’s stand out?

Sunnetcioglu: Rhode Island is a small state. In Providence, there

are about 36 pizza places, but everyone does the same thing over and over again. What makes Mia Mia’s unique is that we think outside the box. For example, in the morning, people are looking for breakfast, so we have the Hangover Pizza, with bacon, sausage, mushroom, cherry tomatoes, a sunny-side up egg, and scallions. It sounds weird, but why not? Why not think outside the box? It brings more people in and brings us more attention.

We have different toppings, like goat cheese, which most of the restaurants around here don’t have. We have corn, prosciutto, arugula—all fun toppings. We prep all of the dough

in-house and make our sauces in-house. We mix our own blend of cheeses. We spend a lot of time on food preparation. When people hear my accent, they say, “You’re not American. You do things different from other pizza places.” That’s correct. Every time I do something, I take pride in it.

PMQ: Tell us about your approach to customer service.

Sunnetcioglu: Everyone here takes pride in what they do. People

want to feel special. If you go to Las Vegas, everyone knows you’re going to spend your money there. But if they treat you like a king, whether you have $100 in your pocket or $100,000, you feel comfortable spending more money. You feel like you’re home. At Mia Mia’s, we treat everyone like they are a king or queen. I have repeat customers, so I know what they’re going to get. When they call in, I say, “Mr. Charles, just give us 20 minutes and your food will be ready,” and boom! Every time he comes in, his food is always there.

PMQ: You have a pretty aggressive marketing strategy. Tell us more.

Sunnetcioglu: For the millennials, we go crazy on Facebook and

Instagram. I take pictures with a professional camera and put them on Facebook. I run ads on Facebook, and I designed my own website. When you visit our website, a message pops up: “Follow us on Facebook. Follow us on Instagram.”

The third-party online-ordering service I’m using, ChowNow, is $149 per month, which is a good flat rate.

It’s a great deal for a small business owner, allowing you to order directly from Facebook or Instagram. I generally get 10 to 15 Facebook orders on a weekday and 25 to 30 orders on Saturdays and Sundays. When a customer orders with MAY 2019 | PMQ.COM

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Mia Mia’s Facebook followers can win a $25 gift card (complete with oversized check) by taking part in the restaurant’s “LikeShare-Tag” contests.

ChowNow, his information is sent to the business owner, so I can email them or call them with a special. I’ve been using that a lot, and I’m happy with it. We’ve had 20,000 orders placed on that platform. It’s also available as a smartphone app and not complicated to use. Customers just log in one time, so they don’t have to worry about a password or credit card; it stores that information. As long as you have your phone on hand, you can order whenever you want. And they don’t sell the information to other businesses. I currently have 1,379 registered users who either downloaded the app or who order directly from our website or Instagram account. We also have a mailing list. If they sign up, we will give them a free medium pizza, and we provide them monthly deals as well.

Bill DeJournett is PMQ’s contributing editor.

PMQ: What was it like training for one profession and ending up in another?

Sunnetcioglu: It’s a dream for me to come from overseas. I had a

dream to be an engineer, and when I realized that’s not what I wanted, that I wanted to cook, I just kept following my dreams.

Engineers look for high quality, low labor, and low cost of goods. I try to incorporate those principles into my restaurant.

We try to make everybody happy. So far, I’m doing well! After that first Friday night with 17 tickets, I’ve been here almost four years now, and my Friday nights are almost 200 tickets. In less than four years, I’ve almost quadrupled my business, and I’m just a little corner store in a low-income neighborhood, with one table—it’s basically a takeout and delivery joint. If I do that much business in that little store, I think I’m doing something right.

Mert Sunnetcioglu says he hits the supermarkets every day to find the freshest possible ingredients for his pizzas.

Got a story to tell our readers?

What makes your pizzeria different?

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

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

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S

e

Featuring toppings like prickly pears and Hatch chiles, Southwestern pizzas offer flavor that’s as big, bold and wild as the Rio Grande. By Rick Hynum

Southwest ch Watideo: V n the pin o t a wn s

From the high plains and stunning red-rock

a o our rn Pizz puts ste PMQ outhwe om/ .c S the pmq stpizza we h t u so

deserts to the Grand Canyon, the American Southwest has more than its share of natural wonders. One of them is named Pratt Morales.

The energetic, ever-smiling owner of Golden Crown Bakery and Panaderia in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Morales is an octogenarian with the energy of a college kid. He’s also the mastermind behind a menu of Southwestern-style pizzas that DANIEL PEREA

you’ll be hard-pressed to find anywhere else in the country.

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The pizzas at Golden Crown (left) can be made with blue corn, green-chile or a peasant-style dough. At Flancer’s, the prickly pear fruit sweetens up the chicken sandwich.

Morales founded Golden Crown as a neighborhood bakery in 1972 and now runs it with his son, Chris. Unlike some men his age, he has no fear of change. He has adapted with the changing times and trends, adding local craft brews, fruit smoothies and gourmet coffees to his menu, along with homemade specialty breads, sandwiches, pastries and cookies.

“About 12 years ago, we wanted to incorporate pizza into our menu,” Morales says. “However, we weren’t aware of how to make New York-style pizza, which is so popular, or Chicago, Boston or California styles. So I told my son, ‘Let’s not go with that, because we don’t know what the heck we’re doing. So why don’t we create a New Mexican pizza?’ That began our research into developing a crust that had local ingredients.”

DESERT MAGIC IN THE MOUTH

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Pratt Morales only incorporated pizza into his menu about 12 years ago.

DANIEL PEREA

It’s true that “Southwestern,” strictly speaking, isn’t an official pizza style, but with innovative pizzaioli like Morales leading the way, it could be. More and more pizza makers around the country have invented signature pies based on Southwestern and Mexico-influenced ingredients, from cilantro and cumin to chipotle, jalapeño, salsa and Hatch chiles.

Morales has taken it a couple steps further. Like a desertdwelling shaman, he draws from the region’s natural resources to conjure up balanced flavor combos that taste like magic in the mouth. And Morales doesn’t only use locally sourced ingredients as toppings; he incorporates

them into his pizza crusts. Golden Crown offers three crust selections: blue corn, green chile and a multigrain peasant dough. “Our ingredients are mostly New Mexican,” Morales says. “Our blue corn is milled locally and organic. We have it roasted to our specs. The texture is nice and crusty.”

But while most pizza makers keep their dough recipes simple, Morales piles on the flavors. His blue corn crust has 18 ingredients, he says, and the green chile crust is packed with 24 ingredients. For the latter, he rattles off a list that includes tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro and Parmesan cheese.

“We’re professional bakers, so we came up with our recipes,” he says. “The key was to bring all this flavor, all this color, all this texture, but not make it heavy. No oils, no fats, no sugar, very little salt—and when you put all these fresh vegetables on top, it’s unique. When people talk about a pizza being not the best thing to eat, they haven’t tried ours.”

Choosing the right toppings for a green-chile or blue-corn pizza crust is “like wine tasting,” Morales notes. “When you get the blue-corn crust, you want to top it with vegetables. If you want pepperoni or Italian sausage, go for the peasant dough, the closest thing we have to a traditional crust.

We pair the toppings to the crusts.”

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PMQ’s Brian Hernandez enjoys a slice of the Full Frontal, one of several southwestern pizzas developed by Lee Hunzinger of Zoli’s NY Pizza (pictured here at sister restaurant Cane Rosso).

FROM PRICKLY PEARS TO HATCH CHILES

Jeff Flancer, owner of Flancer’s Café and Pizzeria, has also learned a thing or two from Mother Nature. With two stores in Gilbert and Mesa, Arizona, he has borrowed from Native American culinary traditions to develop several menu items based on the fruit of the prickly pear, which grows on the prickly pear cactus. Although the cactus looks frightfully inedible, the flavor of the fruit is often described as a cross between watermelon and bubble gum. Flancer has a different take: “I think it has more of a botanical taste of honey with watermelon undertones,” he says.

Flancer’s Perfect Prickly Pear Chicken sandwich features chicken breast marinated in prickly pear syrup along with his New Mexican Green Chile Aioli, provolone, lettuce and tomato. Flancer describes the syrup as “sweet, like a jam…or, more closely, a glaze. The fruit is boiled down and thickened to give it a consistency that is a little heavier and almost saucelike.

We marinate the chicken breast overnight to get the flavors to meld together. We wanted to use this local ingredient in our sandwiches or on the chicken breast and wanted it to be used in a number of ways on our menu. We didn’t know at the time that this sandwich—and the prickly pear chicken in general— would be so well-received, but it’s our second best-selling sandwich of them all.”

Meanwhile, Hatch chiles, grown in the Hatch Valley in New Mexico, pack a more potent punch. “When you bring up Southwestern pizza, Hatch chiles are the first thing that come to mind,” says Lee Hunzinger, pizzaiolo at Zoli’s NY Pizza in Addison, Texas. “I look forward to Hatch chile season every year. I love that we can order them from mild to hot and, of course, for their flavor. Some peppers can be overwhelming and take over a pizza’s flavor. What I love about Hatch chiles

Lu

is their mild, sweet taste when they are roasted. The flavor is much more subtle than bell peppers, allowing other flavors to also shine on a pizza.”

Last year, Zoli’s featured Hatch chiles on a specialty pie that also came loaded with house-smoked Texas beef brisket, pepperoni, caramelized onions, mozzarella, and habanero/ honey barbecue sauce. Another showcased roasted Hatch chiles, vodka sauce, cremini mushrooms, smoked bacon, mozz and Pecorino. “They really are delicious peppers,” Hunzinger says.

Even Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of KISS, co-founders of the Rock & Brews chain, know you can’t run a restaurant in the Southwest without digging around in the local dirt for ingredients. Rock & Brews’ Albuquerque location features the Rio Grande Green Chile Pie, with a tomatillo salsa base, green Hatch chiles and a hard, crumbly Mexican cheese called cotija, plus grilled chicken, roasted red peppers, red onions, and mozzarella and pepper Jack cheeses.

“It’s not too spicy, but it has a little bit of heat to it,” says manager Kevin LeTourneau. “The Hatch chiles are hard to find year-round outside of New Mexico, so other [Rock & Brews] stores might use a poblano pepper or another seasonal pepper instead. Every one of our restaurants has core items, but we also have items to appeal to people of the local area and the cuisine they’re accustomed to.”

Delicious is delicious wherever you live, and pizzaioli around the country, from down-home independents to trendy chains like Pieology, continue looking to the Southwest for inspiration. Even as regional culinary fads come and go, it seems that Americans’ love of big, bold, zesty flavors, like the legends of Geronimo and Billy the Kid, will never fade.

Rick Hynum is PMQ’s editor in chief.

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Fredi Bello has built relationships with local TV news producers, area schools and sports enthusiasts, creating a well-known brand around his down-toearth personality, pizza making skills and integrity.

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W the atch Vid Lea eo: the rn mo r P

e iz and zaman about Fr bra ’ nd s mar edi effo aware keting n r ess pm ts at q fred .com/ ibel lo

THE

GOOD LIFE Providing support for children with autism has also helped Fredi the Pizzaman create outsized brand awareness for his fivetable restaurant—and live out his pizza dreams. By Rick Hynum Fredi Bello is an unpretentious man with a pocket-sized pizzeria, but he’s anything but small-time in his home state of Michigan. TV producers in Detroit call him for food segments on their morning news shows. Schools around the state call him to help students with autism. And customers, of JOHN SANTILLI

course, call him for a New Yorkstyle slice or a big bowl of goulash.

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Fredi Bello personally preps and makes every pizza and pasta dish on the menu, including his famous goulash.

“I know you hear the stories about Dom DeMarco and Di Fara Pizza in New York.

I’m just a younger version of him. I prep everything. I cook everything…I’m the only one that touches the food.”

— FREDI BELLO, FREDI THE PIZZAMAN

And when they call, Bello always answers. It’s not like he can pass them off to someone else anyway—he is, in his own words, “a one-man machine,” the proprietor and sole pizza maker at Fredi the Pizzaman, a five-table operation that has thrived for 13 years in the little town of Melvindale.

“I know you hear the stories about Dom DeMarco and Di Fara Pizza in New York,” Bello says. “I’m a younger version of him. I prep everything. I cook everything. I have a waitress and a busser, that’s it. I’m the only one that touches the food.”

The big-hearted Bello touches a lot of lives, too. As the father of a son with autism, he founded the Fredi the

Pizzaman Foundation, a nonprofit that equips schools with sensory rooms that help children calm and focus themselves. Between his pizza brand and his nonprofit—each of which builds on and strengthens the other—Bello’s name is known far and wide, from the Motor City region to Ohio and Indiana.

But Melvindale is where he wants to be, firing up pies and raising awareness about an increasingly common—and oft-misunderstood—disorder. “I love talking to my customers, shaking their hands, asking, ‘How’s your family and kids?’” he says. “It’s amazing. I couldn’t be happier. And you don’t hear that too often in the restaurant business.”

“YOU HAVE TO BE YOURSELF”

Bello was 11 when he started working in his dad’s pizzeria, Bello’s, in Inkster, Michigan. “My father opened his first pizzeria in 1976 and owned it for 30 years,” he recalls. “I learned everything from my dad. Not just making pizza—I learned about hard work and doing the right thing, how to treat people, how to handle tough things and good things.

He was my hero.”

After his father opened two more Bello’s locations, Bello, then 20, purchased one of the stores from him. He ran the operation, largely a delivery joint, for 15 years, but the long hours wore him down. Eager to start a family and for more face time with his

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May 6, 2019 Anacapri Foods Show Liberty House Jersey City, NJ US Pizza Team Acrobatic Trial on ESPN3

June 25, 2019 New England Pizza Conference Renaissance Club Haverhill, MA

September 9-11, 2019 International Baking Industry Expo Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, NV October 18–22, 2019 Host Milano Strada Statale Sempione 28, 20017 Rho Milan, Italy November 13-15, 2019 European Pizza & Pasta Show Olympia Hall London, England

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As the father of a child with autism, Fredi Bello has become a hero to area schools by equipping sensory rooms where kids can calm and focus themselves when they’ve become overstimulated or stressed.

“Everything I’ve wanted to do to help others is coming true because of the pizzeria and the brand—and I don’t have the words for it sometimes.”

— FREDI BELLO, FREDI THE PIZZAMAN

customers, he sold Bello’s and founded Fredi the Pizzaman as a lunch-only, sitdown operation catering to a business clientele.

He chose Melvindale because it’s situated in the heart of Ford country. “I’m a few minutes from Ford Motor Company’s headquarters in Dearborn,” Bello says. “Most of my customers that come in for lunch don’t live in Melvindale. They live all over the state of Michigan, in Ohio and Indiana. They come here to work because of the big factories, so Fredi the Pizzaman’s name spreads very, very far.

My community is huge.”

It’s a community of working folks, and Bello’s brand is blue collar through and through. There’s nothing slick or flashy about his website; in fact, it’s a bit jumbled, a patchwork of links, videos and graphics touting both his menu and his foundation (mostly the latter). But Bello understands digital marketing better than many operators of his generation. He has 6,000-plus followers on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter—not too shabby for a five-table store in a town of 10,000.

“My most effective marketing tool is social media, no doubt about it,” he says.

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Bello learned the pizza trade from his late father, who operated several pizzerias. His son, Antonio, loves to help his father in the shop, scooping flour and stretching dough.

High performance and heavy duty

The beauty of Bello’s digital marketing is that he seldom tries to sell you anything.

He tweets more about sports and autism awareness than pizza. Photos of his wife and three kids fill his Instagram account, along with shots of famous Detroit athletes.

So when he slips in a video from his kitchen now and then, the response is strong.

Sporting his #insidethepizzaoven hashtag, these short videos show Bello opening his 1960 Blodgett oven and peeling out tasty-looking pies with nicely charred bottoms. One recent video, posted in late March, showcased a pan of goulash—his out-of-the-box specialty—and a pepperoni pie with bubbling cheese baking on the stone. It logged more than 6,500 views. Two days later, another video, depicting a veggie pizza, drew nearly 1,800 views.

Bello also finds YouTube videos of classic Detroit sporting events—such as the 1984 World Series, won by the hometown Tigers—and plays them on his widescreen TV. “People come here because they know I show stuff like that,” he says.

“They get a kick out of it and talk about it.”

“Getting more personal [on social media] and letting customers know a little bit about you—that’s a big tool a lot of people miss out on…You have to be yourself.”

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Fredi Bello’s advocacy for autism awareness and good deeds for local schools frequently earn coverage of his brand on local TV stations.

Additionally, Bello uses social media to forge more intimate connections with his followers. While authenticity might be a marketing buzzword these days, it’s a way of life for Bello.

“My restaurant is who I am,” he says. “I’m not going to put something on social media or on the menu that’s not me. But I try to find out who’s watching me on social media. I will post a picture of Dan Marino or a favorite show from the ’70s to spark a conversation and see who replies. If they respond, I know it’s probably someone my age. Getting more personal and letting customers know a little bit about you—that’s a big tool a lot of people miss out on. I believe in being different, being unique, but, above all, you have to be yourself.”

“A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE BOY”

Because he wears his heart on his sleeve, emotion sometimes overtakes Bello when he speaks of his family, especially his sixyear-old son, Antonio, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of three. “Our lives completely changed,” he says. “But we decided this was what God wanted for us and we were gonna make the best of it and go with it.”

Like many children with autism, Antonio struggles to communicate his thoughts and feelings and to comprehend the noisy, hectic world around him. But he’s making progress— he attends kindergarten with non-autistic children now and talks more around the house with his parents. “He loves

GLuten Less Less is More Where

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This race car sports the Fredi the Pizzaman logo in racing events around the area; Bello’s #popthattab campaign for autism awareness brings in tabs from across the country. The tabs are sold as scrap metal, with proceeds supporting the foundation.

coming to the pizzeria with me on Saturdays,” Bello says. “I believe that’s good for him. I think he needs to be around older people. He needs to see customers and see me working. He loves to help me scoop flour and stretch out dough. Now he’ll see customers, walk out front and say hi. They might have to say hi to him first, but he’ll say hi back. He has a great smile. I couldn’t ask for a better boy, autism or not. He’s a beautiful little boy.”

After Antonio’s diagnosis, Bello started using his reputation as a pizzaiolo to raise awareness about the disorder. He began in 2016 by organizing a golf outing fundraiser that drew 30 competitors. “The next year, it blew up, and I had 130 golfers,” he recalls. “I thought, if I can do this, I can do more.”

He launched the Fredi the Pizzaman Foundation and started equipping schools with sensory rooms designed for kids with special needs.

Sensory rooms use a variety of objects to calm or stimulate a child through the five senses. “If they’re having a bad moment from stress or not being able to communicate or to do something that’s asked of them, a sensory room gives them a safe place to decompress, redirect and work off some of their energy,” Bello

explains. “Ten or 20 minutes in a sensory room can redirect them right back to being happy, and then they’re willing to listen and learn again.”

As a recurring guest chef on Detroit’s Fox 2 TV station, he has frequent opportunities to spread the word about the service he provides. “Whenever I go on the news or do a radio interview, I talk about the foundation,” he says. School officials then contact him about their needs, and Bello makes a site visit to meet the teachers and administrators in person and later delivers the equipment himself.

In February, he equipped a sensory room at Alice M. Birney Elementary School in Southfield, Michigan, to the tune of $2,268. “That one was very personal to me—they were looking for help for so long, and no one would help them.

It touched me because it touched them. When the local TV news station showed up, I had to stop [the interview] because I was about to cry on camera.

Everything I’ve wanted to do to help others is coming true because of the pizzeria—and I don’t have the words for it sometimes.”

One hundred percent of all sales of Fredi the Pizzaman T-shirts go to support the foundation’s work on behalf of children with autism.

MAY 2019 | PMQ.COM

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Bello is, above all, a family man. In this picture, he poses with his wife, Romina, and (from left) daughters Allesandra, 9, and Adriana, 5, and son Antonio, 6.

Bello’s well-publicized advocacy for autism awareness and his good deeds for the schools have, in turn, created top-ofmind awareness of his pizza brand. “It is good for business, although that’s not why I do it,” he says. “Teachers and administrators will tag me and thank me on social media, and that creates a lot of buzz. I don’t need or want the attention, but as the Fredi the Pizzaman brand has grown, the charity grows, too. I see many more people coming into the restaurant, talking about my story and buying a T-shirt.”

And his foundation, like his pizzeria, is a one-man show. “It’s hard for me to hand off the work to other people,” he says.

“Pizza means so much to me. The foundation means so much to me. I have so much love for it, I have to do it myself.”

That means franchising Fredi the Pizzaman is not in the cards. “I admire people who can open five or six restaurants and do well,” Bello says. “But I’ve come to the realization that this is what I love. This is where I belong. Growing up, Dan Marino was my favorite football player. He made people happy by throwing touchdown passes. I belong in front of a pizza oven, making pizza and making people happy.”

Rick Hynum is PMQ’s editor in chief.

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Mixers TO THE

Max

Learn experts’ top tips on everything from choosing the right model and features to keeping your mixer in tip-top shape over years of service. By Tracy Morin

A mixer is a major investment for any pizzeria—a heavy lifter that can thrive for decades and make or break your dough (and, potentially, other menu items). As such, choosing the right type, as well as maintaining it for maximum longevity, are key considerations for pizzeria operators.

From planetary and spiral varieties to vertical cutter mixers (VCMs), we tapped H O B A RT

experts to offer helpful hints on getting the most out of this vital piece of equipment.

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H O B A RT

SIZING IT UP

Carolyn Bilger, Senior Marketing Manager Hobart, Troy, OH The most important questions when purchasing a commercial mixer: What’s the application? What are you planning to mix?

How many hours per day are you open, and how much time is needed for food preparation? Understand your dough’s absorption rate, because that constitutes the capacity; every mixer has a capacity chart to tell you if you need a 40-, 60- or 140-quart bowl, for example.

To find the absorption rate, divide your flour weight by your water weight. With 25 lb. of water and 50 lb. of flour, that’s a 50% absorption rate. We find it’s our customers’ biggest challenge—they may get a mixer into the operation and realize it’s not large enough for the batch, so they need to cut the batch and increase labor, or they might have continuous maintenance issues because they’re overworking the machine.

The majority of maintenance issues arise from those who don’t buy the right machine for their application, which creates

havoc. When you overtax the machine, you wear out your gears faster and limit the life of your equipment.

Also, plan for growth. Some pick what they need right now, without thinking of how the business might expand. Have an idea of your future plans, too! Finally, keep your machine clean; wipe it down at the end of the day, wash your bowl and agitators, and allow them to dry properly. Every manufacturer provides cleaning instructions, so follow those guidelines. You can also ask about basic warranties, factory-trained service, extended warranty packages, or preventative maintenance programs.

TYPE CASTING

Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann The Dough Doctor Consulting, Manhattan, KS The lower the absorption, the more difficult the dough becomes to mix. As a result, you have to downsize your dough accordingly. If you want longevity from your planetary mixer, don’t overload or overstress it. If in doubt, talk to the manufacturer about the absorption and type of dough—bread,

“The majority of maintenance issues arise from those who don’t buy the right machine for their application, which creates havoc. When you overtax the machine, you wear out your gears faster and limit the life of your equipment.”

— CAROLYN BILGER, HOBART

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

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pizza, pastry, etc.—and ask for a recommendation for how much flour should be used for that size bowl. All 60-quart mixers, for example, are not created the same; they have different capacities and vary by model and age.

If you’re tripping out your thermal overloads, you need to immediately reduce the size of your dough.

When planning for growth, note that spiral mixers can mix doughs as small as 25% maximum capacity or as big as 115% or 120% —which I don’t recommend! A spiral mixer pulls and twists the dough, giving it more of a kneading action. Many say it aligns the gluten strands in a better fashion. The bowl is much larger in diameter than a planetary bowl, and the longevity of spirals has an excellent track record.

The planetary type is a jack-ofall-trades mixer. Most come with attachment hubs to grind cheese or cut vegetables, for example. A spiral doesn’t have attachments; it does one thing—

“When planning for growth, note that spiral mixers can mix doughs as small as 25% maximum capacity or as big as 115% or 120% —which I don’t recommend! A spiral doesn’t have attachments; it does one thing—mix dough—but it does that job very well.”

— TOM LEHMANN, THE DOUGH DOCTOR CONSULTING

mix dough—but it does that job very well. Vertical cutter mixers (VCMs) can mix a dough very fast, in seconds, and have two types of mixing attachments.

The dull one can be used for making dough, the sharp for dicing cheese.

With VCMs, however, it’s important to monitor your mixing times and finished dough temperatures.

Maintenance-wise, mixers are often neglected on the bowl lift—such as when they’re not cleaned or lightly lubricated. I don’t like to use oil, because a baking operation is a very dusty environment, and the mixture of oil and flour can gum everything up.

Graphite or silicone is a much better lubricant. Do this about once per year.

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

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802-658-6600 | Essex Junction, VT www.marsalovens.com

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PERFECT PARTNERSHIPS

Evan Priesel, Sales & Marketing Manager Univex Corp., Salem, NH There is a range of fi xed-bowl, removable and overturnable spiral mixers—important for pizza dough. Planetary mixers have more versatility; you can attach a batter beater or wire whip, and you pay more for those options. For planetary mixers, find a bowl scraper (standard or as an option to add on); they’re useful, because anything that goes to the edge gets scooped in and added to the mix. There are also safety features to consider: When the safety cage gets opened, the machine won’t operate. You can also find a model to switch speeds on the fly, so you don’t have to turn off the machine.

When making dough in a planetary mixer, use the first or second speed so you don’t overwork the mixer. For spirals, make sure you clean the machine daily or after your daily batch for sanitary purposes. Scrape off the excess dough on the bowl (for a fixed bowl) or put it in the sink to wash (for a detachable bowl).

Make sure you’re mixing the right amount of dough. Mixers can make all your dough in one batch, but with proofing time and dough processing, that approach may not be the best fit; you might want to make three smaller batches throughout the day.

Before buying a new mixer, work with your manufacturer or dealer to do a trial. Ask about the warranty and if they have an authorized service company that’s near you, so you won’t be down long if something goes wrong. Ask as many questions as possible. Utilize the knowledge that mixer companies have in the factory, from absorption rates to proofing time, so you get the right mixer (and size) for your needs. Understand your batch size, and make sure the manufacturer understands your postmix procedures.

NEED FOR SPEED: THE VCM

SHOPPING AROUND

Andrew Adreani, National Sales Manager Varimixer Think about how easy it will be to clean the mixer, especially for smaller operations. You need to pass health inspections, and mixers have areas where gunk can build up. Beyond the shiny new model, what does the mixer look like when it’s messy and you’re busy?

Also look for safety guards, which are fairly standard now.

Today’s machines are smoother, quieter and more stylized than they once were, but they are powerful. Don’t turn your back on them, and ensure you have a safety grid. Make sure microgrids are shutting off the motor when they’re supposed to (sometimes they get loose).

Look at horsepower, but that’s not the full story—it’s about how you get the horsepower to the bowl. You can lose a lot of energy in the transfer, so you may have a 3-horsepower motor but get 2-horsepower action in the bowl. Also, you’ll want to lubricate the power lift two or three times per year (we recommend lithium grease), as they’re moving parts. Some planetary mixers need an oil bath.

Ask about maintenance procedures before buying. What happens if you blow a fuse or have a motor overload?

Belts may need to get changed every 10 years, or you could need general service for timers or something else. Look at the warranty on parts and labor, but VA R I M I X E R

Kevin Keith, National Project Manager, Robot Coupe USA, Ridgeland, MS A VCM has multiple applications, handling all of the basics in a pizzeria.

You can make dough for breadsticks or pizza; make your own red or white sauces or salad dressings; or pelletize cheese. With a VCM, be willing to experiment with your mixer’s applications.

VCMs have higher rpms, so you activate the yeast by generating heat in the mix. Instead of eight to 12 minutes of mixing time, you can do it in 45 seconds. Tilting arms can be helpful on VCMs, since you might have a 45-lb. dough ball and don’t want to lift that out of a machine. Instead, you can tilt the bowl to remove the dough ball. Digital timers also help users, since they don’t have to worry about overprocessing. If you do multiple batches or runs, when you’re done, it can even reset itself back to your given mixing time.

Keep up with maintenance on a direct-drive motor.

Maintain and check your seals every six months. And clean the machine—detachable components help with this, so you can sharpen, maintain and sanitize as needed.

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UNIVEX

read the fine print—attachments can break, and they may not be covered. And some will warranty to a certain percent of dough hydration, like 35% or 40%.

Finally, look at flexibility. If you’re making other products besides pizza—pies, sauces, dressings, meatballs, batter or cannoli cream—you might look toward a planetary mixer, since a spiral is for only bread or pizza dough. A planetary offers more flexibility, but you’ll want a strong model to handle dough as well.

WEIGHING YOUR OPTIONS

Ashton G. Macauley, Vice President Precision North America, Albany, NY Your manufacturer can help you choose among different hooks—depending on dough recipe and preferences on mixing times—or supply different motors and transmissions to accommodate the proper rpms and gear reduction for certain batch times and dough consistencies.

Ask about support—whether the mixer goes down and needs to be fixed, or if you simply have a general cleaning, operating and preventative maintenance question. Are they available 24/7? Can you talk to a knowledgeable person who knows the machine inside and out? The manufacturer should also provide maximum info so the user can do his own preventative maintenance; that will save money and make sure everything is kept up properly over the long haul.

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor.

“Look at horsepower, but that’s not the full story—it’s about how you get the horsepower to the bowl. You can lose a lot of energy in the transfer, so you may have a 3-horsepower motor but get 2-horsepower action in the bowl.”

— ANDREW ADREANI, VARIMIXER MAY 2019 | PMQ.COM

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LOOK BEFORE YOU LEASE A veteran pizzeria operator explains 7 key factors to consider when negotiating a lease for your next restaurant space.

By Michael Androw Do you remember the first car you bought with your own hard-earned money? That car was shiny and beautiful. It was the new love of your life. Then, a month or two later—after some of the novelty had begun to wane—you said to yourself, “I probably overpaid for that car a bit.” But who cares, right? You loved that car, and it didn’t matter if you got fleeced on the price. The money was already spent, and you were happy.

MAY 2019 | PMQ.COM

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A commercial real estate broker can be invaluable in helping you obtain essential data about a particular site for your next restaurant.

Those same feelings can start to creep in again when restaurateurs see a wonderful space available for lease. We instantly envision our beautiful pizza restaurant thriving in that now-empty space. The mirage can start to look quite real in our imagination. But we need to exercise discipline and keep those romantic emotions in check.

Falling in love and overpaying on a commercial lease can have disastrous consequences. Brokers and agents can provide a seemingly endless checklist of things that need to be considered and negotiated. It can be overwhelming.

Let’s look at seven major points to consider before you put pen to paper and sign that next lease.

1

HIRING AN ATTORNEY

Signing a lease and building your dream pizzeria is a lifechanging move, and it should be treated as such. You would never perform open-heart surgery on yourself, because you’re not a doctor. The same logic holds true when it comes to negotiating and signing that lease: Do not attempt to go it alone. Attorneys don’t come cheap, yet they are a necessary expenditure that cannot be overlooked. They are your one true protection in a field in which you are not a professional. In addition, by hiring that attorney, you’ve just established a business relationship and probably gained him/her as your first loyal customer. Well done!

2

SELECTING A SITE

“Oh, what beautiful awnings!”

“Did you see that gorgeous entryway?” “Those bushes and the landscaping are spectacular.” Resist the urge to fall head over heels in love.

Remember that first car you bought and overpaid for. A commercial real estate broker can be a huge asset when it comes to site selection. The property’s listing agent or broker has the landlord’s and their own best interests in mind and might not be the appropriate person from whom to get advice. Instead, consult with a local commercial agent or broker. Be up-front and tell the broker your exact intentions. Offer to take the person out for a cup of coffee or lunch.

Pay a higher security deposit only as a last resort. Anyone opening a restaurant knows capital is key. Avoid tying up needed dollars in a security deposit.

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Since rent will be one of your biggest recurring expenses, don’t sign on the bottom line until you know your monthly rent fits in with your financial projections.

You will be surprised at how many will actually make time to meet with you. Their business reach is based on relationships, and many will gladly take a few minutes to build that relationship with you, even if they do not formally represent you. That relationship can lead to new deals down the road.

These brokers have a war chest of research and statistics that you probably didn’t even know existed. They can provide traffic counts and studies on a given location that show which direction has heavier flows at certain times of day. For example, is your potential space located on the side of the road that sees heavier traffic in the morning or evening (i.e., commuters going to or coming home from work)?

This can have a definite impact on the value of the space. Studies show drivers are less inclined to turn left across oncoming traffic. This type of data helps to determine which sides of which roads will be conducive to the success of breakfast and coffee establishments (morning traffic patterns) and which work better for restaurants (evening

There is no gray area when it comes to assignability on your lease. It must be included and should be considered nonnegotiable on your end. traffic patterns). A relationship with an agent or broker who can share these insights will have tremendous value.

And you’ve probably just gained another loyal customer!

3

RENT TOLERANCE

Rent will be one of your biggest recurring expenses, so that dollar figure must fall in line with your financial projections. The restaurant industry standard is approximately 10% of total sales.

However, since pizza-based restaurants generally operate on a higher profit margin than standard restaurants, 8% of total sales is commonly used. In other words, if you’re looking at a potential lease payment of $50,000 per year, you

will need to generate $625,000 per year in total sales. Before you sign on that dotted line, make sure your financial projections support these numbers.

There is no wiggle room here. Anything less would be setting yourself up for failure. Be prepared to say no and walk away if those numbers cannot be realistically met. You will thank yourself later.

4

PERSONAL GUARANTEES

Every landlord wants a personal guarantee, and no tenant wants to provide one. This means that you, personally, will provide payment for the term of the lease regardless of any LLC or corporate dissolution. We always want to plan for

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An attorney can help protect your interests when it comes to signing a lease and building your dream pizzeria.

the best with our businesses, yet we always need to be prepared for the worst. This can become a point of careful negotiation between the parties. Keep the following in mind: • Work to limit the length of the guarantee. It can be negotiated that, after an initial term period has elapsed, it’s obvious your restaurant is unlikely to fail and go out of business, thus limiting the need for such a guarantee.

• Offer a potential close-ended guarantee, where you would provide rent payment for a predetermined amount of time after the business closes. Six to 12 months could suffice, as it would give a landlord ample time to re-rent the space.

The last thing you want is to pour your heart, soul, and hard-earned money into a space, only to learn the landlord has leased the space two doors down to another restaurant with pizza on the menu.

• Pay a higher security deposit only as a last resort.

Anyone opening a restaurant knows capital is key. Avoid tying up needed dollars in a security deposit at all costs.

Unfortunately, life and business can take unexpected turns, resulting in financial discord. Adding the personal guarantee of a lease term on top of this risk can create a mountain of fiscal peril.

It is imperative to take your time and negotiate to a common ground where both parties feel comfortable moving forward.

5

REQUIRING A NO-COMPETE CLAUSE

Requiring a no-compete or exclusive-rights clause in your lease can be key to success. A landlord wants to lease all available spaces for 100% occupancy. The last thing you want is to pour your heart, soul, and hard-earned money into a space, only to learn the landlord has leased the space two doors down to another restaurant with pizza on the menu. A landlord will probably not agree to turn away other potential restaurant tenants. But you can certainly negotiate an agreement that would preclude any other restaurant from serving pizza or perhaps other menu items essential to your success. Some operators have negotiated exclusive rights to employing waitstaff. This can prevent any other full-service restaurants from operating on the property. There is a lot of room for creativity here, and negotiating this should not be overlooked.

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Determining the layout of your restaurant ahead of time can save a lot of heartache and expense.

6

REQUIRING ASSIGNABILITY

There is no gray area when it comes to assignability on your lease. It must be included and should be considered nonnegotiable on your end. If, for any reason, you can’t continue to operate the business, you need to be able to sell it and free yourself from the obligations of the lease. Otherwise, in the event of some unforeseen occurrence, you will be stuck with an asset that you cannot sell and is thus worthless.

7

DETERMINING LAYOUT

You don’t need to be an architect to roughly figure out your restaurant’s potential layout. You should have an idea of the kitchen equipment you’ll need and its dimensions.

Be sure to take into consideration local fire codes and required clearances. Find out how many ADA-compliant restrooms your local jurisdiction will require. Allocate space for storage, refrigeration, server stations and an office. Does the remaining space allow you enough room to comfortably install the number of dining seats you had anticipated? Remember, you need to generate X number of dollars per seat to meet those financial projections you laid out when determining whether you could afford this lease. If the answer is no, then put that pen down, walk away, and move on to another potential space.

This one will not magically work just because you fell in love with it.

In closing, contact that attorney now and have him or her review all of your upcoming legal documents. There are many issues to be considered and discussed when it comes to your commercial lease, and that’s what attorneys are best at. We’ll chat again when it’s time to renew your lease. Buona fortuna!

Michael Androw, a 30-plus-year restaurant veteran, began making pizzas in 1986 and currently owns the award-winning E&D Pizza Company in Avon, Connecticut.

MAY 2019 | PMQ.COM

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Made in the USA vs.

Imported Brick Ovens SMART MARKET

SPONSORED CONTENT

AN INTERVIEW WITH MARRA FORNI FOUNDER FRANCESCO MARRA Q: Why is choosing between domestically produced and imported ovens such a difficult decision for restaurateurs?

FM: There are many factors to consider. If consumers aren’t educated about a particular product, they will fall for the cheaper options. Sure, you might save a little bit of money today, but in the long term, you’re going to spend a lot more. If you’re looking for equipment that’s accompanied by great customer service, logistical assistance, post-delivery support, engineering assistance, and a tech service department, a domestic oven might sound expensive to you, but it’s definitely going to get you the best return on your investment in the long term.

Q: Why do domestically manufactured ovens cost more?

FM: Quality comes with a price. If one company has a staff of 60-70 people and another only has one-tenth of that labor force, that should tell you who the best option will be. All the additional value a company provides adds to the cost. Of course, you have to do your research to make sure the company really provides that extra value, but once you do that, the budget should not dictate the decision to buy a good piece of equipment.

Q: Why is domestic the best way to go?

FM: First, we’re in the U.S. So, we should support our own companies. Also, an importer doesn’t necessarily know American manufacturing standards. The U.S. has higher standards, ensuring a quality work environment, safe employees, and a better product. This is vital. Marra Forni provides ETL and NSF certifications. It takes years to get certified. It’s too easy for a company that has not gone through the certification process to provide a cheaper product because they didn’t have to put up the upfront investment.

Q: What would you say to a restaurateur contemplating this big decision?

FM: A restaurateur might say, “Domestically manufactured ovens are too expensive.” Well, a pizza in Italy is 4 euros, while a pizza in the U.S. is an average of $12-$20. But we live in the U.S., so the cost of doing business is higher, the cost of labor is higher—the overhead, the liability insurance, everything is more expensive.

Q: What are some additional benefits of working with your company?

FM: Marra Forni produces one of the highest-performing brick ovens on the market today and is 100% made in the USA. Most of all, we’re here for you with 24-hour nationwide tech support, culinary support, and customer service. Don’t go with the cheapest option; choose the one that will deliver the most value in the long-term.

Learn more at marraforni.com.

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

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Tired of Expensive Credit Card Fees and Costly Chargebacks?

SMART MARKET

SPONSORED CONTENT

PAY@ THE DOOR Are you debating upgrading to EMV when a large percentage of your sales are card-not-present deliveries? Pay@ the Door is the answer.

SpeedLine Pay@ the Door could save you hundreds of dollars each month in credit card processing costs and reduced chargeback liability for delivery transactions, including online orders.

“Pay@ the Door is software that allows delivery restaurants to accept payment at their customers’ door upon delivery instead of accepting payment over the phone. They actually collect payment using a mobile app and EMV PIN pad at the door,” says marketing specialist Elizabeth Kelly of SpeedLine Solutions. “Basically, the customer calls the store or places an order online, and, instead of giving their credit card number at the time of order, they pay at their door when their food is delivered.”

Pay@ the Door accepts EMV chip cards at the door, and because the card is present (unlike payments made over the phone or online), your processing charges are lower. Credit card companies charge higher rates if you’re not using EMV technology, because EMV is more resistant to fraud. When EMV technology is not in use, customers just swipe their card and sign the slip.

This puts the business at higher risk of credit card fraud, because a fraudster can counterfeit a magnetic stripe card and use it with a forged signature. The chip on an EMV card makes counterfeiting almost impossible, so that’s what payment processors want you to use. “If you’re not using it, then you are liable for any chargebacks,” says Kelly.

Pay@ the Door reduces or eliminates liability for all delivery chargebacks.

“It means that if someone pays by credit card over the phone and then they call their credit card company and say, ‘Oh, I didn’t buy that,’ the credit card company charges the store for picking up a fraudulent payment,” says Kelly.

“That doesn’t happen with EMV Pay@ the Door because a chip card is used, and the payment is ‘card present,’ so the credit card company holds the liability. Depending on how many chargebacks you get, it can make a big difference. So much so that we say Pay@ the Door is a game-changer for profitable restaurant delivery.”

Pay@ the Door includes the Pay@ the Door app (which requires a mobile Apple or Android device with cellular data) and a Bluetooth EMV PIN pad. The service is currently only available in the United States.

Visit info.speedlinesolutions.com/pay-at-the-door or call 888-400-9185 for more information.

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I p

•

•

•

F s

EMV Pay@ the Door

Shrink credit card processing fees and avoid delivery chargebacks with EMV payment at the door.

Pay@ the Door Increase delivery profit with EMV payment at the door.

• Cut processing rates • Avoid delivery chargebacks • Speed up deliveries Note: Pay@ the Door is currently only available within the USA

Find out more: speedlinesolutions.com/pay

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IDEA ZONE

SPONSORED CONTENT

Do you have the Fire Within to go mobile?

“There is a certain romance with the fire—the vision of the flames, the smell of the wood, the warmth and crackling sounds all add to the ambiance. Cooking with fire is one of the most primordial experiences we have as humans, and you can bring that to somebody’s backyard.”

With a yield of 100+ pizzas per hour, catering from 50 to 200 people is all within reach.

Where do you begin with a mobile business? Fire Within provides a wealth of resources to ensure that you have everything you need to achieve success. Their training courses teach you everything you need to know to run a successful mobile wood-fired catering enterprise.

Drive your branded oven down the highway worry-free with Fire Within. Fire Within trailers are made by the same manufacturer that builds trailers for the armed forces. “There is no cutting corners when it comes to good engineering,” says Ajith. “Safety is our priority.”

Are you going to sit back and wait for people to walk through your door? Or are you going to take your signature taste to your community?

To find out more about the company selling the most mobile woodfired ovens in the world, visit FireWithin.com or call 888.240.9758.

Anyone can benefit from a mobile operation, even if you’re already in a brick-and-mortar shop. A Fire Within mobile wood-fired unit will allow you to take your signature taste out into the community, setting you apart from your competitors while generating additional revenue and increasing brand awareness.

During your slow season, a mobile operation can keep your sales going strong. ”We slow down here in town in the summer, and this has completely picked up the slack,” says John Durning of Pizzeria Deville in Libertyville, Illinois.

Durning sets up his Fire Within oven at the local farmer’s market to pick up some extra business. Along with specialty breakfast pies like French toast pizza, Durning cooks up bacon-egg-and-cheese biscuits for fellow market-goers. When Durning’s not at the market, he’s booked at private parties for special occasions. “It looks like a pizza oven, but you can cook anything in it,” says Ajith Dharma, the Principal at Fire Within.

Whether it’s the market or someone’s backyard, going out into the community gives you an upper hand on your competition. “Let’s face it: Carrying 30 pizza boxes into a backyard isn’t very sexy,” says Ajith.

www.firewithin.com 62 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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WARM UP YOUR RESTAURANT PATIO WITH PREMIUM QUALITY

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PIZZA WITHOUT BORDERS

R E L AT E D V I D E O PIZ Z A A D O PT S IT S OWN PER SO N A LIT Y IN EV ERY COR N E R O F T H E WO R LD . G ET A S N E A K P E E K IN TO T H E LAT IN A MER IC A N P I ZZA CH A MPIO N SH IPS IN B UE N OS A I R E S .

WATCH T H E V ID EO AT PMQ . CO M/SO UT H A MER I C A R I S I N G

SOUTH AMERICA RISING Things are looking up south of the equator. By Missy Green Javier Labaké is the director of the Argentinian pizza and empanada association APPYCE. Find them online at appyce.com.ar.

Watch out, New York and Naples. Two South American port cities—Buenos Aires, Argentina, and São Paulo, Brazil—consistently make the list for best places in the world to eat pizza. What makes these cities like sisters in pizza? A large Italian population with a history of pizza culture is a start.

Both North and South America received a wave of Italian immigration in the early 20th century. Javier Gustavo Labaké of APPYCE (Asociación de Propietarios de Pizzerías y Casas de Empanadas), the pizza association and school in Buenos Aires, says their version of pizza was made primarily to satisfy hunger. “Argentinian pizza is abundant in its amount of dough and ingredients. In Argentina, we work with dough that has risen for just three to six hours with a lot of yeast. This way, we achieve a dough that continues to produce carbon dioxide, and we add an impressive amount of toppings to it, so you’re able to satisfy anyone with just a few slices.” Pizza in São Paulo follows a similar model, where toppings are plentiful and pizzerias offer a huge variety of tastes and toppings. “Any pizzeria [in Argentina] can have 25 varieties of pizza, minimum,” says Labaké.

With all that pizza variety, is it any wonder American chains had it rough coming into the Argentinian and Brazilian markets? Carlos Zoppetti of the ConPizza Institute in São Paulo says Pizza Hut’s debut in Brazil was unsuccessful. However, with time the company was able to gain a foothold and now has 16 stores scattered around Carlos Zoppetti (left) with PMQ’s Missy and Steve Green at ConPizza in São Paulo. ConPizza organizes workshops and conferences throughout Brazil, teaching everything from marketing to pizza recipes.

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Upcoming pizza events in Latin America

São Paulo. “There was resistance among consumers when Pizza Hut first opened in 1989 because Brazilians were used to an artisanal product,” Zoppetti says. “Today Brazilian consumer habits have changed, and food eaten outside the home has increased by 14% in the past 15 years. This has helped Pizza Hut be more successful.”

In Argentina and neighboring Uruguay, American chains are scant. Domino’s and Pizza Hut both opened and closed their doors in Argentina. The whole of Uruguay has a single Sbarro in a shopping mall. “Argentina’s economy varies radically every four or six years, making it not very tempting for foreign investors,” Labaké notes. “However, when investments are made, they tend to get very good results since the consumption of pizza in Argentina is high.”

Entrepreneur and chef Danilo Ferraz recently launched Hell’s Pizza, based on a New York-style pizza concept, in Buenos Aires. The first one opened last year with major success, and Ferraz says three more locations are underway.

Ferraz cites an important shift in how Argentina—and much of the world—is now consuming pizza. “Every culture has their pizza. What you see now is every kind of pizza everywhere. In the past, for example, Argentinians didn’t accept Neapolitan pizza. It’s small, it’s not crunchy, there are few toppings. Today there is much more knowledge and respect for other traditions.

We are living in an age of a pizza revolution.”

Zoppetti confirms that new types of artisanal pizza styles are also becoming popular in Brazil. He believes there is still much room for foreign investment. “We expect a more sustainable economy [now that the country’s former president is in jail on corruption charges], and this has gotten foreign companies interested in doing business in Brazil.”

Due to their rich pizza history and brusque changes in economy and government, Latin America has been one tough cookie for American chains to crack. Nonetheless, pizza of all types is gaining popularity, providing economic opportunities for companies domestically and internationally.

•

9th Latin American Pizza Championship Buenos Aires, Argentina | June 5-6 An official selections round leading up to Parma, this competition has nine categories

•

35th FISPAL Foodservice São Paulo, Brazil | June 11-14 The largest trade show in Latin America featuring over 470 exhibitors.

•

FIPAN São Paulo, Brazil | June 11-14 International trade show with an area dedicated to a pizza focus

Stay on top of international events at pmq.com/Events

Danilo Ferraz is recognized for being the first to commercialize grilled pizza with his franchise Morelia. “If there’s something we know in Argentina it’s pizza and grilling,” says Ferraz. Morelia has recently expanded to Peru and Uruguay.

Pizza Hut is gaining traction in Brazil where money spent on food outside the home continues to rise.

Missy Green is a pizza spinning gold medalist and PMQ’s international correspondent. She currently resides in the Netherlands.

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

VOLANTÉ SYSTEMS

Volanté Systems’ tablet POS solutions provide flexibility, improve customer experience, and increase efficiency, offering portable ordering and checkout technology with no sacrifice in features or functionality. The tablet can be used as a handheld mobile device on its own or as a countertop POS with the optional docking station add-on, serving customers where they’re seated and boosting your bottom line!

877-490-6333, volantesystems.com

DINE ENGINE

Offering a better digital experience for restaurant guests, DineEngine was designed as a turnkey solution to give smaller brands an affordable way to provide a modern online ordering user experience, just like the big corporate chains. With Dine Engine’s API integrations, including automatic upsell options and loyalty programs, restaurants can see a 300% increase in sales.

855-358-3463, dineengine.com

AMERICAN EAGLE

Ideal for Pinsa Romana, American Eagle’s AE-5080 mixer offers the perfect combination of capacity and affordability. Featuring a heavy-duty, single-mold, cast-iron construction with a powerful dual motor system, it easily allows dough to attain the 80% hydration level necessary for pinsa. The bidirectional stainless bowl and electric timers make it superb for all types of pizza.

800-836-5756, americaneaglemachine.com

DOORDASH

With DoorDash, pizzeria owners can grow their business with faster delivery, pickup, and payment services. Give customers an easier ordering platform and get weekly payments and quicker processing, adding to your bottom line. The easy-to-use mobile app gives you access to new customers while giving existing customers more access to your menus.

Enter code PMQ for $0 activation.

855-554-5779, doordash.com/merchant/apply

THRIVE

With monthly plans starting as low as $149, managing your pizza delivery business with Thrive tools has never been more affordable. At a flat rate of $349, the Preferred Processor Ultimate Plan includes unlimited licenses and third-party integrations, plus the full suite of Thrive tools. Put your pizzeria over the top with Thrive’s state-of-theart Multipact dual-display terminal with built-in printer. bit.ly/thrive-pmq

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(734) 421-1060 • tim@paprod.com 68 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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IZ Z A IS W O R T H UR P Pizza Liner I T! O Y • Allows you to handle pizza with ease.

• Eliminates the cardboard taste.

• Absorbs grease and allows moisture to escape.

• Ensures a crisper crust every time.

• Keeps pizza 12-15 degrees warmer upon delivery.

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Bakeable Tray • With Revolutionary ADVANCED BAKE TECHNOLOGY! • Prevents oven drips & spills.

• Patented bi-directional bumps allow for air flow & moisture release resulting in even baking.

• Eliminates “soggy crust” centers.

• Unsurpassed quality, durability, workmanship & performance!

• 3 wide Velcro strips for secure closure everytime.

• 600 denier heavy duty stain resistant imitation nylon.

• 210 PU coated lining ~ won’t crack or peel!

800.783.5343 • PerfectCrust.com MAY 2019 | PMQ.COM 3.3x4.875_PMQ_Ad_QtPg_4.4.14.indd 1

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE

PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE

BAKING STONES

CHEESE SHAKER LIDS

CHEESE

COMPUTER SYSTEMS: POINT OF SALE

Authentic Flavor for Modern Menus

CALL (800) 824-3373 OR VISIT SAPUTOUSAFOODSERVICE.COM Mozzarella I Provolone I Blue Cheese I Gorgonzola I Asiago I Romano

The BEST Pizza POS OS OS

877-968-6430 PDQpos.com

The Fastest POS on the Planet The Easiest to Learn & Operate Online Ordering / Rewards & Loyalty Mobile Reporting/Enterprise Complete EMV & PCI Compliance

Choosing a POS: right the first time speedlinesolutions.com/PizzaPOS 1-888-400-9185 POS Integration with: PMQ_January2019_1inchGraphicBox.indd 1

12/17/2018 10:04:19 AM

Dinerware

Custom App $99 Monthly + 0% Commission imenutogo.com Online Mobile Ordering Solution (718) 554-0524 70 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE

C O N S U LT I N G

DOUGH

CUTTING BOARDS - EQUAL SLICE

DELICIOUS MADE-TO-ORDER BREAD AND PIZZA DOUGH Old World Tradition with New World Convenience.

www.mamalarosafoods.com

To locate a distributor near you, call 734-946-7878.

DESSERTS

DOUGH DIVIDERS/ROUNDERS

Be Inspired. Be Creative. Be Original.

Red, White, and Blue Pizza with Nutella®

Fried Pizza Dough with Nutella®

Breakfast Pizza with Nutella®

For more exciting recipes and tips about Nutella®, visit www.ferrerofoodservice.com or call (800) 408-1505 for more information.

Dessert is the last impression you’ll make on a customer.

DOUGH PRESSES, ROLLERS

Make it count.

Taste It Presents

908-241-9191 * www. tasteitpresents.com

DOUGH

D O U G H T R AYS/P RO O F I N G T R AYS

DeIorio Foods

@DeIorios

blog.DeIorios.com

DeIorios.com

pmq.com/Recipe-Bank/

• Dough Trays – extremely durable and airtight!

Outlasts All Other Dough Trays • Dough Tray Covers – designed to fit!

• Plastic Dough Knives – two ergonomic designs!

• Dough Tray Dollies – heavy duty!

Excellence in Customer service since 1955!

The preferred dough tray of the largest pizza companies in the world.

Buy direct from the manufacturer with over 25 years manufacturing in dough trays.

Call 800-501-2458 ........... www.doughmate.com ......... fax: 908-276-9483 MAY 2019 | PMQ.COM

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE

D O U G H T R AYS/P RO O F I N G T R AYS

FOOD DISTRIBUTORS

The Original Dough Box

MANY IMITATE. NONE CAN DUPLICATE • Fiberglass strength & durability outlast plastic trays • Secure stacking, won't bend or sag • 3 standard sizes with snap-on lids • Optional lids and dollies available

FRYERS

BE THE

KING OF

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

Premium Flours Make Gluten-Free Tasty & Easy!

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

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

FLOUR

Exceptional pizza starts with exceptional flour.

Traditional Pizza Flours, Whole Grain Flours, Pizza Crust Mixes, Private Label Packaging, Proprietary Blending, Custom Development

FURNITURE/FIXTURES

Heat your Restaurant with SUNPAK® Outdoor Patio Heaters

For more information call 1-800-553-5687 or visit www.baystatemilling.com

Wall or ceiling mounted, nothing on the floor

A revolutionary ingredient changing the way people enjoy Italian cuisine

Natural Gas or Propane Models

Carlo F. Pedone • 414.301.4245 • carlo@pinsaromana.us

Learn more about Pinsa Romana or attending the academy: pinsaromana.us • pinsaschool.com

Made in the U.S.A.

www.infradyne.com

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Heckers & Ceresota Scan for Demo

Premium Flours Make Gluten-Free Tasty & Easy!

SINCE 1843 THE UHLMANN COMPANY 1-866-866-8627

◆

HeckersCeresota.com

FOOD DISTRIBUTORS

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

H AT S

FOR MORE CHEFWARE, VISIT WWW.TASTEOFITALY.ORG (PGS 22 & 23)

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PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE

MAILING LISTS

HOTEL 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

Reach More Hungry Customers with an Occupant List • Saturate neighborhoods with your message • Personalize for more effective campaigns • Save on postage It’s better than Every Door Direct Mail – and we’ll throw in free mailing software!

Get a Free Quote Now

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

MANAGEMENT

keep more of your hard earned dough!

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

INSURANCE

save time and increase profits!

Restaurant Delivery Insurance Program

www.timeforge.com 866.684.7191

MARKETING IDEAS

Hired & Non-Owned Auto Liability Coverage

Have your agent contact us today!

Matt Andrews: 717.214.7606 | matt.andrews@amwins.com

MAGNETS

M A C H I N E R Y/ E Q U I P M E N T

1-800-426-0323

www.northernpizza.com

Ovens Mixers Prep Tables Walk-ins Parts Smallwares

www.pizzatv.com MAY 2019 | PMQ.COM

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE

805-473-8494 | 1-800-760-8662

MARKETING IDEAS

100 %C ott on

Pizza’s Great Storyteller

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

lo Po

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M E AT TO P P I N G S

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.

Custom Caps

100% Cotton Raglan Sleeve T-Shirt with Sewn Material

Cotton Poly-Blend Chef Shirt

FOR MORE CHEFWARE, VISIT WWW.TASTEOFITALY.ORG

(CLICK PGS. 22 & 23)

MIXERS

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

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

www.pizzamixers.com • 1-877-R-MIXERS

F 1U5M%BREOLLFA!S S

& FLAG

11’ 6” Outdoor Flags (with stand)

72” Patio Umbrella

S

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PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE

MIXERS

ONLINE ORDERING

Heavy Duty MIXeRS RS

POS Integration with:

2-Year Warranty

Dinerware

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

Custom App $99 Monthly + 0% Commission imenutogo.com Online Mobile Ordering Solution (718) 554-0524

MOISTURE-ABSORBENT TOPPINGS CONDITIONER/SUPPLIES

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

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

ON HOLD MARKETING/PHONE SERVICES

PIZZA BOXES

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

CUSTOMIZE YOUR PIZZA BOX SAVE $$$ on BOXES TAKE YOUR IMAGE TO THE NEXT LEVEL

7” to 36” Custom Boxes and Odd Sizes Available

UP TO 4-COLORS | NO PLATE FEES*

Rectangular Flat Bread Boxes Available

O N L I N E DATA R E P O RT S

Euromonitor International

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

PIZZA BOX LINERS

Your Strategic Partner for Company Growth Contact us at info-usa@euromonitor.com or visit www.euromonitor.com

Discover all the pizza trends in the Pizza Consumer Trend Report.

312.506.4060 | info@technomic.com

MAY 2019 | PMQ.COM

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE

PIZZA DELIVERY THERMAL BAGS

PIZZA MARKETING

PIZZA OVENS

Stone Deck, Pizza Dome, and Bakery

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

CONTROL THE

BEAST marraforni.com

inquiries@marraforni.com

888.239.0575

PIZZA OVENS

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

TRADITIONAL, FAST CASUAL, ARTISAN...

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

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PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE

PIZZA OVENS

Increase food quality score & decrease food cost

PIZZA PEELS

PIZZA SUPPLIES

1-855-278-3385 • info@hotrocksoven.com • www.hotrocksoven.com

WOOD STONE CORPORATION ...............Stone Hearth & Specialty Commercial Cooking Equipment .1801 W. Bakerview Rd ..................... Bellingham, WA 98226 TOLL Free 800-988-8103 Fax: 360-650-1166.............. woodstone-corp.com HOTROCKS_PUB_3.5x2_E03.indd 1 2019-04-12 PIZZA PANS

• Pizza Preparation and Delivery Products •

14:39

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

PIZZA PEELS

pmq.com/Recipe-Bank/

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

MAY 2019 | PMQ.COM

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE

PIZZA DELIVERY THERMAL BAGS

Model PBF10/1416S -Packed 2 $87.98 or $43.99 + S & H Model PBF10/1618S - Packed 2 $91.98 or $45.99 + S & H

Warranty: 6 months for all manufacturing defects!

Order Manufacturer Direct Toll Free: 1-844-545-9675 Fax: 763-577-5680 SAUCE

Since 1915, The Neil Jones Food Company has been producing premium quality tomato and custom blend sauces. A family owned and operated corporation, we only pack from the freshest and finest vine-ripened California tomatoes. So whether you prefer classic #10 cans or new shelf-stable pouches, you will always get the very best in fresh packed tomato products from Neil Jones Food.

SCALES

Booth #3937 78 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE

T E L E P H O N E E Q U I P M E N T/ S U P P L I E S / S E R V I C E

PRINTING

TO M ATO P RO D U C T S

WINGS

YEAST

pmq.com/Recipe-Bank/

ALWAYS WITH YOU.

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

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

MAY 2019 | PMQ.COM

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE

TA B L EC LOT H S

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 FREE SWATCHES!

601 East Barton | West Memphis, AR 72301

ALWAYS WITH YOU.

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

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

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PIZZA HALL OF FAME

(Clockwise from top) C&M Pizza’s original storefront attracted moviegoers from next door; a parade passes C&M in the ’60s; Spike Novsis works the kitchen in the mid-’70s; Spike and Debbie Chesbrough (middle) have kept C&M thriving.

Watch of Fam Pizza Hall PizzaT e videos on PizzaT V.com and th V Rok u chan e nel!

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

C&M PIZZA Thanks to a Greek shepherd-turned-tailor and a barefoot teenager looking for a waitress job, this Massachusetts pizzeria has thrived for 55 years. By Tracy Morin Greek immigrant Spike Nousis, a shepherd back in his homeland, clearly needed an alternate moneymaker when he arrived in the United States in the 1940s. During a stint as a tailor at a dry cleaning business, he and his wife, Katherine, spotted a building for sale in Leominster, Massachusetts, and quickly jumped at the chance to enter the pizza business. They developed the recipes as they went, opening C&M Pizza in 1964, and struck even more success when, in 1970, they bought a property down the block that afforded supplemental income potential, with the pizzeria joining residential and commercial space.

But just before the move, in 1969, a 17-year-old named Debbie Chesbrough, driving to the shoe store with her mother, would alter the pizzeria’s course for future generations. “She was going to buy new flip-flops and saw a help-wanted sign in the window, so she ran in barefoot and got the job,” recounts Andy Sears, who now co-owns C&M Pizza with Chesbrough, his mother. “With the relationship they built, Spike and Katherine became my godparents when I was born.”

After Spike passed away in the ’90s and the business faced an uncertain future, Chesbrough reached out to Sears, who then owned a mortgage and real estate company. To Katherine’s delight, the mother-

son duo purchased the pizzeria in 2003. Though the original recipes remain and in-store nostalgic arcade games thrill kids and adults alike, they’ve made plenty of improvements: equipment upgrades, new menu items, social media marketing, online ordering. Last March, Sears added an immediately successful take-and-bake lineup to the operation, even infiltrating a local grocery store and developing a cauliflower crust. And townspeople showed their approval by recently naming the pizzeria best in town in a contest sponsored by the mayor.

After all, beefing up sales is required in a town that 19 competing pizzerias call home. Sears notes that C&M, celebrating 55 years in 2019, remains a community touchstone, entrenched in local events and schools (for example, offering teachers a free personal pizza to give away to the student of the week). But a lot of its longevity, Sears believes, comes back to basics. “In a busy operation with a lot of staff, mistakes happen—nobody’s perfect—but you need to fix it right away,” he says. “You need great customer service, calling everyone by name so they feel at home. And you can’t cut any corners; people will notice, and it’s not worth it!”

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor.

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CALL FOR A FREE SAUCE SAMPLE! 716-984-5666

BILLIONS & BILLIONS OF WINGS SOLD! Wing King

-Joey LaNova /joeylanova /lanovawings @joeylanova La Nova Wings

www.LANOVA.com

4/12/19 2:20 PM

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