This week, Josh and Denise sit down with Jay Hansji, owner of Pizza Buzz in Watauga, Texas. He shares how one pizza catapulted his business into a huge 6,000-squre-foot building. He even tried to discontinue the pizza and the people revolted.

Pizza Buzz is known for unique pizzas, from the famous pickle pizza and birria pizza to tandoori pizza and even customer creations as pizza of the month like the chicken parm pizza. We also talk about introducing Detroit-style pizza.

We talk about what happened when Pizza Buzz moved from a small DELCO shop to a large sit-down eatery.

Jay also shares the pizza he made for International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo. We talk competition pizzas.

We talk about Jay’s background and how he was able to grow the business from using frozen dough to award-winning pizzas. Jay shares how the pizza community helped him progress.

We close on advice Jay has for blossoming pizza makers.

Learn more about Pizza Buzz at https://www.pizzabuzz.com/ and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/pizzabuzzfortworth/.

Show Notes:

It’s NATIONAL PIZZA MONTH, the best month of the year! Start planning now! We are here to help you plan to have the BIGGEST & BEST October National Pizza Month with the official NPM logo, graphics, fillable social media images, press release, customizable social media calendar, pizza fun facts and more. Go to the Toolkit.

Register for PizzaCon, the fun new event is November 7 in Philadelphia. Registration is live, so secure your spot to attend today! Learn more about PizzaCon.

The Pizza Today crew is back together again. Jeremy, Denise and Josh hop on the podcast together for a special episode on the big 4th quarter for pizzerias and us. We’re here to help you get ready.

We kick things off highlighting Pizza Expo’s newest event. PizzaCon, November 7 in Philadelphia. Registration is live, so secure your spot to attend today! Learn more about PizzaCon.

October is NATIONAL PIZZA MONTH, the best month of the year! We go into some tips and ways for you to capitalize on pizza month. We are here to help you plan to have the BIGGEST & BEST October National Pizza Month with the official NPM logo, graphics, fillable social media images, press release, customizable social media calendar, pizza fun facts and more. Go to the Toolkit.

The year’s homestretch is filled with additional revenue generating opportunities from pizza’s biggest sales days, catering, holiday parties and gift cards. You won’t want to miss out on these sales avenues. We’re also talking about staying fully staffed and avoiding burnout. Read Time to Gear Up for the Holiday Season at Your Pizzeria.

As you can see, the 4th Quarter is a biggie. Let’s kick it off on the right foot with planning.

We’re not all business. We have some fun with Halloween.

This week, Denise goes one-on-one with Rick Herman, CEO of Log Home Wood Fired Pizza in McGregor, Minnesota, with a population of 350 people. So how has this business thrived for 10 years? Rick dives into the pivotal anniversary, focus of the business and how he’s been able to engage the community.

We also talk about the shifts the business has been required to make to operate in a hamlet dependent on tourism of northern Minnesota. Find out how he’s able to maximize winters.

He also shares a fun pizza special tied to a scholarship that he created, along with other marketing tactics.

We talk about the unique needs and operational considerations (like supply chain, delivery, growth) present in small town pizzerias. He offers advice on what to consider if you want to start a pizzeria in a small community.

Learn more about Log Home Wood Fired Pizza at https://northwoodspizza.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/loghomepizza/

This week on The Hot Slice Podcast, Josh and Denise chat with Ryan Ososky, owner of DTown Pizzeria in Hollywood, California. He caught our attention on Instagram for marrying two great pizza styles into one: Detroit and Tavern. We get into how and why, as well as what the response has been.

We dive into the challenges of the fickle Los Angeles market and how DTown grabs attention. Ryan is always floating new ideas out, including creating a dog-friendly pizza.

Ryan has competed well at the International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. Find out what has worked well for him and how he’s capitalized on the wins in his shop.

Ryan details how he plans to grow DTown

Show Notes:

October is NATIONAL PIZZA MONTH, the best month of the year! Start planning now! We are here to help you plan to have the BIGGEST & BEST October National Pizza Month with the official NPM logo, graphics, fillable social media images, press release, customizable social media calendar, pizza fun facts and more. Go to the Toolkit.

Register for PizzaCon, the fun new event is November 7 in Philadelphia. Registration is live, so secure your spot to attend today! Learn more about PizzaCon.

It’s National Cheese Pizza Day, September 5. We celebrate the quintessential holy trinity of pizza, the cheese pizza. It is the classic combination of cheese, red pizza sauce and crust. Check out more on Cheese Pizza Day. Our guest today is thriving in one of the most competitive pizza markets in the world, New York City. Frank Kabatas has amazing story of building the American Dream. He actually tried his first pizza at the pizzeria where he would land his first job when he came to America in 1997. That first job was at the pizzeria he owns today, East Village Pizza.

Listen to Frank share how he advanced in the pizza business. He details how much education and learning has played a significant role in his life.

He also shares his passion for being in the kitchen and working with pizza. He loves to experiment, which has resulted in viral dishes. We talk cheese pizza.

The pizzeria has amassed 1.7 million followers on Instagram. Learn more about his livestreaming approach.

Learn more about East Village Pizza at https://www.eastvillagepizza.net/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/eastvillagepizza/ .

Show Notes:

Take the 2024 Pizzeria Operator Survey now at https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7926725/Pizza-Today-s-Pizzeria-Operator-Survey-2024 .

October is NATIONAL PIZZA MONTH, the best month of the year! Start planning now! We are here to help you plan to have the BIGGEST & BEST October National Pizza Month with the official NPM logo, graphics, fillable social media images, press release, customizable social media calendar, pizza fun facts and more. Go to the Toolkit.

This week we’re exploring tech in pizzerias with George Panagopoulos, owner of Dedham House of Pizza, in Dedham, Massachusetts. This tech-savvy operator has taken over an over 50-year-old pizzeria. He is driving the business into future by developing a custom AI chatbot. As he has stepped into the owner role, George has implemented self-ordering kiosks, mobile app, rewards program, online specials and third-party delivery companies.

Listen as George shares what motivates him to advance his business technology and offers insights on how other operators can do the same.

We talk about what the future of Dedham House of Pizza will look like and how he is helping educate his customers to get there.

Here is a brief overview from Dedham House of Pizza:

Dedham House of Pizza is a Greek family-owned pizzeria located in the heart of the historic Dedham Square, a suburb of Boston. Serving up an array of New England Greek pan-style pizza prepared with daily-made, in-house dough, calzones, subs, roll-ups, pastas, salads, beer, wine, desserts and more, DHOP has been providing fresh food to the local community for over 50 years. Through implementing recent innovations such as self-ordering kiosks, a mobile app, a rewards program, online specials, catering offerings, gluten-free pies and three third-party delivery companies, third-generation owner & operator George Panagopoulos has taken an individually-owned mom & pop pizza shop to a nationally-recognized pizzeria.

The pizzeria’s patriarch, Andreas Panagopoulos, immigrated from a small Greek village called Eleochorio (Village of Olives) outside of Greece’s third largest city, Patras. Andreas and his siblings were farmers growing grapes and olives, and they made their humble living producing wine and olive oil. In search of the American Dream, Andreas arrived in the U.S. in his mid-20s, working a variety of jobs and falling in love with pizza. Andreas arrived in the U.S. in 1981 and by 1983 was working as an employee at the pizzeria. By 1991, he was managing it and by 1996, he and his wife Maria owned it, eventually enlisting their entire family to work as well including their son, George, who serves as the current owner and operator.

Learn more about Dedham House of Pizza at www.dedhamhouseofpizza.com and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/dedhamhouseofpizza.

Show Notes:

Take the 2024 Pizzeria Operator Survey now at https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7926725/Pizza-Today-s-Pizzeria-Operator-Survey-2024 .

October is NATIONAL PIZZA MONTH, the best month of the year! Start planning now! We are here to help you plan to have the BIGGEST & BEST October National Pizza Month with the official NPM logo, graphics, fillable social media images, press release, customizable social media calendar, pizza fun facts and more. Go to the Toolkit.

This week on The Hot Slice Podcast, Denise and Josh chat with Jessica Hellaine and Nick MacDonald, owners of Black Dog Pizzeria in Dublin, Ohio.

First, we learn what Columbus-style pizza is. Black Dog also serves New York-style pizza. Nick is the mad scientist of the business always experimenting with the dough and menu. Explore the evolution of its New York-style pizza. We talk menu development and employee input. Learn about their playful pun pizzas and marketing.

Jessica runs the marketing, social, front of house and other operations. We talk about how the pizzerias is gaining attention and grassroots growth through community and neighborhood events and competitions.

A mostly DELCO operation, they talk about converting third-party to their in-house delivery program.

Listen until the end when we find out what is top of mind in pizza business with Jessica and Nick and how the business recovered from a fire.

Show Notes:

Check your Email for the 2024 Pizzeria Operator Survey. Learn more about the survey get a link to the survey. 

October is NATIONAL PIZZA MONTH, the best month of the year! Start planning now! We are here to help you plan to have the BIGGEST & BEST October National Pizza Month with the official NPM logo, graphics, fillable social media images, press release, customizable social media calendar, pizza fun facts and more. Go to the Toolkit.

Register for PizzaCon, the fun new event is November 7 in Philadelphia. Registration is live, so secure your spot to attend today! Learn more about PizzaCon.

This week, Jeremy and Denise chat with Jeff Cincotta, Chef Owner of Molinari's Italian Eatery & Pizzeria and Ravello Italian Kitchen in Watertown, Massachusetts. Prior to opening Molinari nine years ago, Jeff spent his career as an executive chef at private clubs.

He was ready for a change and opened Molinari. We dive into his background and transitioning to ownership and talk about the culinary creativity he brings to the business.

Molinari uses local seasonal ingredients. Jeff talks about his approach to local and shares some of his menu creations.

Don’t miss the end when Jeff shares tips and motivation for fellow operators.

Show Notes:

Jeremy and Denise highlight Pizza Today’s Pizzeria of the Year, Camporosso in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky. Read the full story.

Check your Email for the 2024 Pizzeria Operator Survey. Learn more about the survey get a link to the survey. 

Check out the recent Pizza of the Week and how your pizza special can be considered at https://pizzatoday.com/topics/people-pizzerias/pizza-of-the-week-boxcar-pizza-portland-oregon/