The following interview is with Victor of Undici Taverna Rustica in New Jersey.

Victor claims to make the best pizza in New Jersey.

After listening to some of Victor’s responses, you will understand this is no idle claim.

Undici Taverna Rustica, has no equal in New Jersey or anywhere else. Their pizza is in a word: simply outstanding.

Honestly I was amazed at some of the information shared in this interview. Victor talks about his early influences of pizza, how he got into the business, his collaboration with Anthony Mangieri and more.
Albert:  Victor, thanks for taking the time to speak with me.
Do you have a memory of your first pizza? Please  describe it.

Victor: I made my first pizza as a child I was 3 or 4 years old at my father’s pizza parlor Rallo’s Pizzeria in Newark, New Jersey. They tell me it was pretty good maybe I had a knack early on.

Albert: Where did you grow up? How was the pizza?

Victor: I grew up as a child in Newark and then in My school days in Franklin Lakes New Jersey. The pizza was standard pizza parlor pizza. I ate the pizza but it never really impressed my as something delicious or gourmet.

Albert: How did you get interested in making pizza?

Victor: My dad was in the restaurant business his entire life so I was always around Italian food and pizza. My dad made a great pie in a conventional Bakers Pride oven. But he always used great ingredients his pizza’s were better than anyone else at the time.

Albert: Anthony Mangieri of Una Pizza Napoletana, is a legendary pizzaiolo. And I
believe he is from New Jersey. He is from what I understand, actually quite a purist when it comes to pizza.
You mention him as endorsing your pizza. Any endorsement from him holds a lot of weight in the World of Pizza.

How did you meet him?

Victor: I met Anthony riding bicycles; he and I share a passion for cycling. He rides more mountain bike then I do, I ride and race more on the road. But we used to ride together often. So we met on our bikes.

Albert: What is your relationship to Anthony?

Victor: He is a good fiend and my pizza mentor I believe he is the best pizza maker in America!

We made pizzas together at Undici my restaurant in Rumson New Jersey, for almost three months. We made so many pizzas together. He is a purest and that’s what I love about him.

Albert: Can you  give us an Anthony Mangieri anecdote or pizza story?

Victor: Sure as we were making pizzas I asked Anthony if the staff could eat them and he said no not until the pizzas are perfect.  About a week later we they tasted the pizza, a purest with a passion that is lost in most American kitchens.

Albert: How did you learn to make pizza? Did you struggle with anything in learning how to make great pizza?

Victor: I always knew how to make good dough, I learned that from my father but getting it all right at very high temperatures is very difficult. This is what sets the great pizzaiolas apart. They understand the balance of heat, texture of the dough, the cheese it’s a true art. So it took me quite a while to get the wood burning oven down, every day is a challenge.

Albert: I understand you make Neapolitan pizza. And your pizzeria is in New Jersey. New Jersey is famous for their tomato pies.

How is your style of pizza different or similar to the Tomato Pie?

Victor: This is a great pizza, classic Napoletana pizza, san Marzano tomato, Bufala Mozzarella, Caputo “oo” flour, fresh basil and really good extra virgin olive oil. Plus we use a three day dough so the dough has great character and life.

Albert: What makes your pizza the “best in New Jersey”?

Victor: Passion, precision and purity.  I have a deep passion for Italian history and culture, so I try every day to put on the table the closest possible thing top Pizza Vera Napoletana. If you taste my pizza and you have been to Naples you will taste, see and smell Naples in every bite. Very few people in New Jersey are doing this the authentic way.

Albert: What kind of oven do you have and why do you use it?

Victor: We use a Woodstone oven that burns only wood.

Albert: What kind of flour do you use?

Victor: Always Caputo it is the best.

Albert: Do you think water makes any difference when making pizza?

Victor: Absolutely only a master like Anthony could figure it out in California, because the water is not great there. In New Jersey the water has a perfect balance of minerrality to make great pizza. Yes it makes a difference.

Albert: Can you give the home pizza maker some pizza tips?

Victor: First buy a pizza stone, get your oven as hot as you can , use the ingredients I have described above and you can make a darn good pizza at home

Albert: Can you share a pizza recipe with us?

Victor: One of my favorites is making a traditional pizza Napoletana and when it comes out of the oven tossing some fresh garden arugula in olive oil and laying it on top of the pizza and then slicing some Prosciutto di Parma and laying a beautiful thin piece on each slice. BRAVO!!!!!

Albert: Do you make your dough the day before? Do you ferment your dough?

Victor: We start our dough with a mother on day one, some people call it a starter. On day two we add the remaining ingredients into the mother and mix the dough. We then let the dough set for 15- 30 minutes depending on the temperature of the kitchen. After it settles we ball the day and refrigerate it for use the third day. So the long and short answer is yes we ferment the dough.

Albert: Tell us a bit about your restaurant,  Undici Taverna Rustica? Do you have
a specialty house pizza?

Victor: The restaurant was built to recreate a Tuscan farmhouse, my partners the Diaco family had a major influence on the design it is absolutely a beautiful recreation. Besides pizza we make all of our own pasta homemade including ravioli and gnocchi.

Albert: How do you stay in touch with your customers?

Victor: We have a great staff that touches every customer that walks in our door. And we also monitor and use the internet and social media to touch our customers.

Tell us your website address: www.undicirestaurant.com
I love your video. You tell the whole  Undici Taverna Rustica pizza story.

Victor: I think my videos tell the whole story search Da Michele in Naples the best pizza place in the world I shot a great video from there.

Albert: Have your videos been a successful way to market  Undici Taverna Rustica?

Victor: Absolutely we have thousands of hits and views on our videos.

Albert: What is in the future for  Undici Taverna Rustica?

Victor: Undici will continue to serve the freshest seasonal interpretations of Italian cuisine in New Jersey and continue to make perfect Pizza Vera Napoletana for many years to come.

Albert: Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions. Pizza on Earth, to you.

And Pizza All Over:

Undici Taverna Rustica

11  West River Road
Rumson , NJ 07760

732-842-3880

www.undicirestaurant.com

Victor from Undici

And for more great New Jersey Pizza:

Discover The Best Pizza in New Jersey at Pizza Therapy

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Anthony Mangieri is truly one of the Legends of Pizza.

He has true passion and puts part of himself in each pizza he creates.

Peter Reinhart first told me about Anthony:

He’s dedicated to the craft of pizza making. He makes so much pizza and so many dough balls a day. When they run out, he closes. That’s it. This is what I do. He doesn’t sell anything except pizza there and you can’t even buy…I don’t think he even sells bottled water there. He says: It’s just pizza because this is what I do.

Chris Bianco says of Anthony;

Now, with this great fervor of…you know, like for instance, I think Anthony at Una Pizza Napoletana does a great job.  He is someone who is incredibly dedicated and I respect immensely.

I think he is someone that is doing something that is really important in our industry as far as a pizzaiolo.  He’s in New York at Una Pizza Napoletana and he is doing something that is really important as far as really understanding technique and old method and kind of time honored Neapolitan recipes.

Peter Reinhart and Chris Binanco in Legends of Pizza, Volume 1

From:”Il Fatto Quotidiano”, daily italian paper:

 Stands out as one of the best pizza makers in the world, Anthony Mangieri at Una Pizza Napoletana, doing an extraordinary job with mostly local products: just open Wednesday through Saturday, no reservations, just five kinds of pizza and five different italian wines on the menu.

You can watch this incredible movie of Antony here. Lisen to his unique pizza pholosophy. He has a sense of humor but he takes his pizza very seriously. For Anthony, pizza is his life.

Anthony has moved his operation to San Fancisco:

Una Pizza Napoletana
210 11th St + Howard St   San Francisco, CA 94103

HOURS OF OPERATION
Wednesday Thru Saturday 5pm until out of dough

Website: Una Pizza Napoletana

Facebook: Una pizza

Thank you Anthony for all that you do. Pizza Therapy salutes you. And wishes you the absolute best!

You can watch another film about Anthony called Naturally Risen, here.

Anthony only uses Caputo ” 00″ Pizzeria Flour 25kg (55lb) Bag

 
You may not need a 55 pound bag of flour: Antimo Caputo 00 Pizzeria Flour (Blue) 12 Lb Repack

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Joe Pergolizzi is a pizzaiolo, who founded “The Fire Within”.   The company, located in Boulder, Colorado,  creates Mobile Pizza Ovens, and offers a total support system for those interested in succeeeding in the the pizza business. For Joseph this is a sacred mission. The Fire Within also offers classes, workshops, encouragement and assistance. This is an entire organization dedicated to pizza success through artisan pizza creation.

On their website, Joseph explains:

“We took the age old concept of a wood fired oven on a trailer and modernized it for today’s use. In addition to manufacturing a practical line-up of mobile pizza ovens and we created the tools you need to be set up for success.

After a fiery debate, our 100+ customers across North America agreed upon a collective mission. It is the intention of the Fire Within mobile pizza caterers to save the world from common, cardboard-box-pizza one wood-fired pizza at a time. Taste testers welcome.”

For the record: Pizza Therapy, and Legends of Pizza, whole heratedly supports the mission of The Fire Within.

I was lucky enough to snag an interview with Joseph. I totally raked him over the coals and asked him the tough questions!

He was always gracious and very forthcoming.

Albert: It seems to me that your company has lots of different hats…

Please tell me what exactly is “Fire Within”?

Joseph: Simply, Fire Within offers a turnkey mobile wood fired oven business. In addition to manufacturing almost a dozen custom mobile wood fired oven designs we offer entrepreneurs the necessary tools to succeed and welcome them into a community where they can thrive. For those that need a business plan we’ve written a comprehensive 200 page business manual called Rolling In The Dough that has over 6 years of professional advice on running your own business.  For those that would like hands on training and a business intensive our hands on Getting Started workshops are designed for the first timer as well as the accomplished chef. We started our own mobile pizza oven business over 6 years ago which we still do some select catering events and concerts here in Boulder.

Albert: Do you remember your first pizza? How did you get interested in making pizza?

Joseph: I actually do remember my first pizza. My parents have this photo of me in my high chair eating a slice of pizza from Denino’s with a bottle of beer on my table.

As a young kid I remember looking over the counter at pizzaeria’s and I would stare at the guys making pizza. I was so curious about the dough I couldn’t quite figure out what the texture was of dough – was it wet? soft? fragile?….

Albert: Where are you from Joseph? Where did you grow up?

Joseph: I was born in Brooklyn hours after my parents had pizza at Spumoni Gardens. (True story) They raised us in Staten Island.

Albert: Can you share some early memories of pizza?

Joseph: There are so many. One was a constant occurrence as a teenager. I would scrounged up change from everywhere across the house to get a slice of pizza at the pizzeria in front of the bus stop. Another funny one was eating an entire pie with my best friend on the curb in front of Gino’s pizzeria on Staten Island. We somehow thought it was going to be an impossible task to eat an entire 18’’ pie. After we both had 4 slices we both thought we would be stuffed. We weren’t. We ordered 2 more slices, each.

Albert: Can you explain some of your influences for your pizza?

Joseph: My influences may not be your ordinary influences as other people in the pizza community. Art, a great painting as Color and not too many flavors all at once. The sauce should be as pure as possible.

Albert: What is the most important the crust or the toppings?

Joseph: Ouch, tough question. A good pizza can not have a lacking crust. Toppings you can take off.

Albert: What is your favorite pizza? Why?

Joseph: This is a strange answer.

Peter Reinhart says, there are 2 kinds of pizza. The one that you share with a friend and then there is the one that has carefully selected ingredients. The first kind is my favorite pizza. Interestingly enough my favorite pizza changes every few years. For the past 2 years it’s been a white pizza with kalamata olives, rosemary, with parmigiana and either ricotta cheese or another kind of cheese.

Albert: What is the best pizza in Colorado?

Joseph: Tough call, I have a few friends who own pizzeria’s. In Boulder, Pizzeria Basta and Pizzeria da Lupo. In Denver, Dave Bravdica and Tom Garnick at Brava Pizzeria Della Strada.

Albert: The U.S???

Joseph: The Sicilian slice at Spumoni Gardens in Brooklyn is hands down the best Sicilian you will ever eat. No disrespect to those that like to make it, but it’s futile. They figured it out. I don’t make a Sicilian pie out of respect. They achieved perfection. There is one one Sicilian pie. Everything else falls somewhere between Chicago pizza and Focaccia.

Thin crust pizza is either Joe and Pat’s in Staten Island (they won best pizza in NYC) or Denino’s. It’s the subtleties in NY pizzerias. The napkins, the grenade chilli flake dispensers. Whether it’s the table cloths or the tables that make you feel like your back in Junior High. Some say it’s all about the water. Ok. Sure. Whatever makes sense to people.  If it’s not from NY it’s Neo-american pizza. I stand with the rest of the NY loyalists who speak the truth

Respect needs to be given to Crust, Tony G’s in SF, Tony Calzone at Rebbecca’s, Jay Jerrier of Cane Rosso in Dallas, Chris Bianco in AZ, Matt Tierney at Pele’s in FL. For each of their own credit they have done our craft good.

Albert: Favorite pizzaioli?

Joseph: Honestly and I may have touched on this here or in other places and I truly don’t mind sticking my neck out on this…. it’s about the passion, it’s about the love of wanting to make someone happy, it’s all the simplicity that comes along with pizza. how easy it is to eat, how easy it is to make. my favorite pizzaioli is the one that never stops learning, holds no secrets, welcomes everyone over to the table to eat and makes pizza regardless if they got paid or not.

The joy of cooking with wood.

Albert: What are your best tips for making pizza?

Joseph: Depending on your comfort level, years making pizza —For starters, focus on Color, Pizza is simple. leave space to where you can see the crust through the sauce. less is more. most of the time it;s one main ingredient takes the center stage, then it has one or 2 back up singers and then a little bit of flair with some spices.

Albert: What type of flour do you use?

Joseph: Gusto’s

Albert: Do you feel using great flour is critical for great pizza?

Joseph: Absolutely, but you can have a great flour but still make a lousy pizza.

Albert: It seems that The fire With-in has created a type of pizza community.
How do you stay in touch?

Joseph: The people I’ve been lucky to meet and speak with over the years are truly special. They are following their passion, leaving career’s, mortgaging their house, building their own pizza empires.

I was sharing this story with my father the other day – the day after GM laid off 5,000 workers an ex-employee called me and said “ I just lost my job and I’m looking for something new to do. I want to do something I love, something that is for me.” I’ve heard so many stories just like that. To hear people share their dreams of owning their own business or wanting to make a difference in people’s lives through food is very special, it’s changed my life to witness this time and time again. I’m humbled.

Albert: You have a unique pizza philosophy?

Joseph: Pizza presence and meaning is bigger than I fail to realize sometimes.

The product:

I had a student once who was so bent on making authentic Neapolitan pizza. He stressed he wanted to learn the authentic tradition and that it was the best way to make pizza. What he had a difficult time understanding was that he was very far removed from what pizza meant to him. Being genuine comes from within, not from a recipe book. People can tell when you care. The only way you can screw up a pizza is thinking that you know everything there is to know about pizza.

The people:

Pizza promotes conversation. Pizza is an art form to be appreciated. Pizza is comfort food. The only way to ruin a nice meal is to think that you know what good pizza is and the person you are eating it with doesn’t

The experience of eating pizza:

Eating a slice of pizza is unlike eating anything else. Being able to grab a slice of pizza at a deck oven pizzeria fold it in half, walk with it while eating it or sit down and eat it at a small table. It’s a meal, it’s a snack. You don’t just time having a slice around meal time. It’s comfort food. People have a slice as part of their routine in life or they go to a sit down pizzeria every Friday night or call in an order to be picked up.

Wood fired pizza:

Wood fired pizza is it’s own unique pizza experience. It’s like having a third party join you for the meal, in this case it’s the fire. Even though it’s not sitting down with you at the table we are acutely aware that this food was made with fire. It has an impact on the meal, on the conversation.

I’m fortunate enough to be part of something very special with these mobile ovens. Mobile wood fired oven caterers are promoting them and making these 2 pizza experiences available and accessible.

Making Pizza as a profession or a hobby can be very satisfying.

For us pizza fanatics stepping back and looking at how much we get from pizza can be quite a shock.I’m not sure how VPN fits into my philosophy. It has a place in pizza culture but it’s not near my top of ways I relate to pizza.

Albert: Tell me more about the pizza school and how one can enroll….

We host our getting started with your own mobile wood fired oven business 6 times a year. In 2012 we will be adding a few other workshops to our offering, specifically advanced wood fired oven cooking. Peter Reinhart will join us next year for a 3 day workshop. He taught an advanced cooking class for us last year and it was a huge success. We have taught over 200 people how to start their own mobile pizza business. After just the first day the group comes together like a family. A small community is born. People see how similar we all are, we all like fire, we all love pizza, we all are independent souls, we are all searching for something new. I teach people to make their business an extension of themselves. I don’t think enough people were given permission or shown the way on how to do that.

Albert: Where is The Fire Within headed?

Joseph:: We have a number of great projects in the works. Some will be cut from our business plan but I think we’ll have a few really cool things to offer artisan chefs and entrepreneurs in 2012. We are really excited to talk more about it shortly.

Albert: Please add anything else you like.

Joseph: I once spoke with Jim Leahy from Sullivan Street Bakery in NYC. I was really impressed by his continuous pursuit to perfect his craft. He’s mastered great dough recipes and he still had the fire to learn more to still be humbled by the knowledge still yet to be learned. Someone so accomplished yet still looking at things from a beginners mind. Artisanship is a pursuit, not an accomplishment. The respectable bakers and chefs are the ones that encourage and make something feel obtainable. I think this type of genuine humility in chefs/teachers is rare.

Thanks so much Joseph. We wish you continued success.

Contact:

The Fire Within
PO Box 1563, Boulder, Colorado 80306

Pizza on Earth, Good Will to All!
Albert Grande
Creator of The Pizza Therapy Digital Store:
Rare E-books, How to’s, Software, and Tutoritals

Learn Cooking with Fire: French Family Recipes & More for Woodfire Ovens (Book & DVD)

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Pepe's Clam Pizza

From Gary Bimonte, Frank Pepe’s grandson, we are pleased to share the real history of Fank Pepe’s:

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana

is one of the oldest and best-known pizzerias in the United States. Known locally as Pepe’s, is has its Original Location in the Wooster Square neighborhood of New Haven, CT, as well as stores in Fairfield, Manchester and Danbury CT, Yonkers, NY., and Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Frank Pepe Pizzeria was founded in 1925 by Frank Pepe (b. April 15, 1893 d. September 6, 1969). Born in the town of Maiori, on the Amalfi coast, southwest of Naples, Frank Pepe was the quintessential Italian immigrant. Poor and illiterate, he immigrated to the United States in 1909 at age 16 with little more than his health and a strong work ethic. His first job was at a New Haven, CT factory until he returned to fight for his native Italy in World War 1 a few years later.

He married Filomena Volpi, also from Maiori, in 1919. As newly-weds they returned to New Haven, CT in 1920 to begin building their new lives together.

Frank Pepe took a job at a local Wooster Street macaroni manufacturer, Genneroso Muro (the current location of Libby’s Italian Pastry). He then worked for Tony Apicella at his bread bakery, also on Wooster St.

He made his first entrepreneurial move by establishing his own bakery at 163 Wooster Street — in business today as Frank Pepe’s the Spot – baking his bread and delivering to the local community with a cart. Since he had difficulty documenting, because of his illiteracy, to whom he delivered and to the quantity, he soon abandoned his efforts of delivery. Instead, he made the fortuitous decision to start a business where his customers would come to him.

In 1925, with his wife Filomena, who was a pivotal influence on his success (she was literate and learned to speak and write English), they started making a simple and humble product from their homeland, pizza — or as they would say in their Neapolitan dialect, “apizza” (ah-beets). They baked their pizzas offering two types, tomatoes with grated cheese, garlic, oregano and olive oil and the other with anchovy. The Original Tomato Pie is still offered today and anchovy is still available as a topping. Mozzarella and additional ingredients were to follow.

In the formative years 1925 — 1937, he employed a small crew of relatives that included his half brother Alessio Pepe and his son Mac, cousin Tommy Sicignano, nephews Salvatore and Tony Consiglio. Incidentally, Salvatore Consiglio, after learning pizza baking from his uncle Frank, eventually made the decision to establish his own pizzeria on Wooster Street, the well known Sally’s Apizza.

In 1937, Frank Pepe bought the building next door at 157 Wooster Street, and moved his pizzeria to what is historically understood to be the main (although not the original) location. The original location continued as a pizzeria, called The Spot and operated by the Boccamiello family.

Like many business owners of the day, Frank Pepe lived above the pizzeria with his family that now included his daughters Elizabeth and Serafina. Everyone worked downstairs in the pizzeria. Frank Pepe became know as “Old Reliable” for his contributions to community and unwavering love for his growing family.

In the late 1970s, Elizabeth and Serafina, purchased the original bakery (163 Wooster St.) from the Boccamiello’s and re-opened Frank Pepe’s the Spot as an annex to the main building.

Pepe’s reputation as one the country’s premier pizzeria spread through word of mouth. In the early 1990s, Elizabeth and Serafina retired and the business passed to their children – Anthony, Francis, Lisa, Bernadette, Genevieve, Jennifer and Gary — who still operate the business today and have overseen its expansion.

Frank Pepe originated the New Haven-style thin crust pizza which he baked in bread ovens fired by coke. Coke is a byproduct of coal and it was used extensively until the late 1960′s when it became unavailable and hence coal was then put into use to fire the oven.

Pepe’s signature pizza, the White Clam Pizza, was most likely an organic inspiration by Frank Pepe; an idea born from the fact that Pepe’s also served raw little neck clams from Rhode Island, on the half shell, as an appetizer. This development occurred around the mid 1960′s and gradually became popular through the past 40 years. Contrary to what many have heard, Frank Pepe did not have an allergy to cheese and tomatoes and the white clam pizza’s evolution should not be attributed to this false malady.

A lot has happened since Frank Pepe starting baking “ah-beets” 85 years ago. Pizza has gone from an obscure ethnic dish to become a mainstay of the American dining scene. But what hasn’t changed at Pepe’s is the family’s commitment to the tradition of food quality and commitment to the community at large that Frank Pepe envisioned in 1925.

For more info about Pepe’s Visit Pizza Therapy Pepe’s Page

Comments from Pepe’s Pizza Lovers

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Here is the inside scoop for Pizza Expo 2012

Listen as Tony G. talks about what he will be doing at Pizza Expo:

Keynote Addresses

The first two days of Pizza Expo will kick off with remarks from a couple of industry standouts with very different stories to tell.

Tuesday, March 13, begins with a speech—open to all attendees—by Nick Sarillo, owner of two hugely popular Nick’s Pizza & Pub locations in suburban Chicago.

Dubbed two years ago as the “Blue-Collar Millionaire” by Inc. magazine, Sarillo left his first career as a home-builder and dusted off some old family recipes to enter the pizza business in 1995. He placed two goals among his top priorities: creating a family-friendly restaurant that would become a hub for repeat business; and molding a new model for employee culture, one that drives his staff to stay longer and work harder.

That he’s succeeded is obvious by the multi-million-dollar revenue at both Nick’s restaurants, and by the advance interest in his new book outlining his business philosophy, A Slice of the Pie, scheduled for releas in summer 2012.

Wednesday, March 14, will be launched with a 7:45 a.m. keynote by Marla Topliff, president of another suburban Chicago-based success story—the 170-unit Rosati’s Pizza chain.

She’ll share her personal journey from local representative for Welcome Wagon to a position as its national sales manager, and relate how some of Welcome Wagon’s then-novel neighborhood marketing tactics still apply today. But Topliff credits another position she held while raising her children as her truest training ground: president of the local PTA. She’ll explain how running a Parent Teacher Association group educated her in the arts of politics and persuasion, and helped fuel her rise from marketing director to president at Rosati’s, where she is one of the top women executives in the pizza business.

She’ll also address the role marketing has played in Rosati’s tremendous growth and explain how the company’s cohesive brand image continues to solidify its success.

Competitions

For the 2012 show, we’re adding a new demonstration area—located on the Exhibit Hall floor and outfitted with stadium seating—allowing us to expand the International Pizza Challenge? while continuing the Making Dough With Tony Gemignani workshops and a full slate of pizza-making and hot-topic menu item demonstrations.

The Pizza Challenge will feature four divisions in March 2012: Traditional and Non-Traditional, plus the first-time categories of American-Pan and Italian-Style. Attendees can observe the preparation and judging of these entries and taste the pies themselves to form their own opinions. Winners in each division move on to the Pizza Maker of the Year finals.

The Challenge will also bring back past Pizza Maker of the Year winners for a special “Best of the Best” competition that is sure to wow the audience.

Seminars and Workshops
Among the 75-plus seminars and cooking demonstrations will be these special new sessions:

Power Panels

We’ll convene panels consisting of top operators who are on the cutting edge in their approaches to top-of-mind topics. You’ll be able to learn from the best on subjects including: finding and keeping the best pizzeria employees, building blocks for profitable menus and proven tactics for driving business with social media marketing.

Operator Presentations

We’ve gone to great lengths to bring in more pizza owners and operators to speak about how they excel in specific segments of the business. Among the operator-presenters appearing at Pizza Expo 2012 are: Peter Cooperstein of Amici’s on delivery, Glenn Cybulski of Seasons Pizzeria and Clovers Sports Bar on appetizers, Doug Ferriman of Crazy Dough’s on selling slices, Clayton Krueger of Farrelli’s on social media, George Hadjis of Oggi’s on building community partnerships—and several more.

Super-Segment Thursday

Seminar sessions on the final morning of Pizza Expo will be turned over to special topics presented by those who know them best—pizza people. The morning will begin with a Power Panel on social media marketing featuring advanced practitioners of this new advertising art. Breakout sessions will follow: Bill Jacobs of Piece Pizza on his branding campaign, Mike Rangel of Asheville Pizza and Brewing on tapping higher beer sales, Matt Galvin of Pagliacci’s on growing the catering segment, Michael Shepherd of Michael Angelo’s on working well with vendors—and more.

Pre-Show Monday

After a well-attended day of workshops and seminars geared toward new operators and first-time attendees in 2011, we’re expanding the offerings in 2012. In addition to repeating Big Dave Ostrander’s workshop, “So You Want to Open a Pizzeria,” a second pay-to-attend session is being added: “How to Turn Your Good Restaurant Into a Great Business” with restaurant business guru Jim Laube.
A special Power Panel—“The $2 Million Club”—will also convene, featuring Tony Gemignani, Peter Cooperstein, George Hadjis, Bill Jacobs and Mike Rangel, all of whom preside over pizza operations that average $2 million-plus per unit in revenue. Their subject: “How to Outcompete the Big Chains.”
And a track of afternoon seminars for first-time attendees is being added to go with the track for new operators that was so well attended at our last show.

Here is what Tony had to say to me last year at The Pizza Expo:

As a side note:

Attending Pizza Expo 2012
will be an incredible opportunuty for you and your business!

If you are serious about your pizza business, just do it!

Respectfully submitted,

Albert Grande
The Pizza Promoter

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Scott Anthony Pizza Consultant and Author of "Profits in the Pie".

Scott Anthony knows pizza. From his humble pizza shop in rural Pennsylvania he has built an empire.

Profits in the Pie
is based on his experiences at:

Fox’s Pizza Den
115 N Findley Street
Punxsutawney, PA 15767
814-938-4615
Fox’s Website

Scott’s Pizza Consulting Business Website

Now he is ready to tell all of his secrets. He has published a new book entitled: Profits in the Pie: Effective Marketing Tactics to Seize YOUR Slice of the $38.1 Billion Pizza Pie

This is an outstanding book for anyone who is in the pizza business. Or for anyone who is seriously considering the pizza business.

Anthony holds nothing back here. He reveals all of his secrets, and what has made him a success.

I personally know Scott and I can attest to his expertise in the business.

One of the best things about him, is that he and his pizzeria, give much back to the community.

That may be an inkling to his wildly successful restaurant.

He is able to go head to head with much larger chains. As a matter of fact the town he is located in: Punxsutawney, PA, which  has a population of less than 10,000. Very small by anyone’s standards.

Yet, Scott has been able to grow his business exponentially.

Scott explains:

Profits in the Pie: Effective Marketing Tactics to Seize YOUR Slice of the $38.1 Billion Pizza Pie

“Turn YOUR Passion into Profits’, so you can always do the things you love.
The business tactics and strategies in this book flat out work – not only for
me, but for students and friends of mine. Inside this book you will find tactics
and strategies to:
-Help you envision what your life can be out of the kitchen – Have the time
to do the things you love with the people you love!

-Open your eyes to the possibilities of happiness in the pizzeria – looking
forward to a profitable & enjoyable day at work – everyday!

-Give you marketing ideas that are tried & true – not wasting money, but
making $1000’s!

-Help you easily implement marketing tactics – have an action plan you can
act on making you a local celebrity!

-Tweak ideas & make them your own – be the talk of your town with
‘innovative’ ideas that generate free press!

My 17 years of pizza experience can help put you on your way to the bank.
This book has no theory. It’s operator to operator – and contains what you
need to grow your pizzeria!”

If you run a pizza business or ever thought of the pizza business, you need to grab this book:

Here is my audio review:

Profits in the Pie: Effective Marketing Tactics to Seize YOUR Slice of the $38.1 Billion Pizza Pie

Also available in Kindle format:

Profits in the Pie

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Post tags: how to run a pizza business, pizza business, profits in the pie, scott anthony

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Pizza is loved the world over. But is pizza exceptional the world over? It depends on where you look. These days, it is essentially a universal topic. There are mediocre pizzerias everywhere and there are outstanding pizzerias everywhere. So anywhere you go, you can find a pizza shop to suit your tastes. England, for instance, has several exceptional shops in various cities. To name a few, Brighton has Pizzaiola, Cambridge has Cherrybox Pizza, Trowbridge has Pasquales, London has Franco Manca and Bournemouth has Vesuvio.

Most of these have some very original and perhaps what some may call, odd
combinations. Pizzaiola`s menu is a good example of this. Their “Al Tonna” pizza includes tomato sauce, oregano, mozzarella cheese, olives, garlic and tuna. Their “Marinara” is identical to the “All Tonna” but with the addition of prawns and nchovies. However, they also implement more familiar topping combinations such as the Hawaiian with ham, mozzarella, pineapple and tomato sauce and the Pepperoni, or “Meat Feast”.

Cherrybox Pizza has a few more familiar options, although they also have equally less mainstream menu items as well. One that is particularly unique is the “Peking Duck”, topped with shredded cucumber, mozzarella cheese, shredded duck and Chinese hoi sin sauce. Another unique item is the “Moroccan”, made with a hummus base and topped with shredded lamb seasoned with cumin, raisins, mint yogurt sauce, red onions and mozzarella cheese.

While Pasquales is specially known for its excellent garlic bread, Franco Manca is known for its sourdough crust pizzas. Their menus are seasonal and their summer options and pie names, are simpler. Their most distinctive pies include the “Number 3″, with buffalo ricotta cheese, courgettes and basil with their organic specialty “Franco and Lloyd Somerset Pecorino” and the “Number 4″ with buffalo ricotta cheese, home cured Gloucester Old Spot ham and wild mushrooms.

Vesuvio distinguishes its daytime menu from its nighttime menu, with a larger variety of pizzas on the nighttime menu. Unlike the others, they serve a full menu with pasta and side dishes. They share Pizzaiola`s Marinara pie, along with a couple of others that overlap with other distinguished pizzerias. However, they offer a unique “Pizza Vulcano” with mozzarella cheese, tomato, spicy Italian sausage, olives and the option of either dried or fresh chili. The “Pizza Parma” is also unique, featuring prosciutto, wild rocket, shaved Parmesan, cherry tomatoes, olives and fresh basil. There is also the “Pizza Paesana” with tomato, onion, mushrooms and
egg.

As you can see, specialty pizzerias are not limited to Italy. You do not have to go far in the UK for unique or “standardized” delicious pizza.

Those looking to enter the pizza industry can even gather inspiration from these pizzerias, simply by viewing these recipes online, though tasting them is a finer experience. You can even search for a catering equipment supplier online.

Whether you are just a pizza enthusiast or looking to enter the business, finding delicious pizza can be a quick click away.

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Post tags: best pizza in the uk, International Pizza, legends of pizza, UK Pizza

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In my car, I have a battered copy of The Magic Of Believing
by Claude Bristol I have read this book many times and I always seem to get something new out of it. If I know I need to wait in a line, such as at a bank or food shopping, I will take the book along to read. This seems to make the line move faster.

Simply put, The Magic of Believing states, the energy of the subconscious mind can help individuals achieve any goal. If you believe it, it will happen. This book contains countless examples of the hidden power of the subconscious mind and how it can influence our lives.

Bristol speaks about two people cooking an item using the same ingredients, and the same recipe. One item turns out to be a failure while the other is a successful culinary achievement.

The successful cook, saw the finished product in their mind’s eye. This successful cook, baked their heart and soul in to the finished dish. They created a spiritual link with the food.

Making pizza, is no different. You must put your spirit into each pizza you create. The great pizzaiolos such as Gennaro Lombardi (Lombardi’s), Frank Pepe (Pepe’s) and Salvatore Consiglio (Sally’s Apizza), knew this, and made pizza for the body as well as the soul. They were masters of Spiritual Pizza.

Spiritual pizza is made when you connect with your pizza on a higher level. You put a part of yourself into each pizza.

Make all of your pizza, Spiritual Pizza. Your pizza will taste better. Your pizza will be better.

Robert writes:

In your article on spiritual pizza making you say:” Spiritual pizza is made when you connect with your
pizza on a higher level. You put a part of yourself into each pizza.
Make all of your pizza, Spiritual Pizza. Your pizza will taste better. Your pizza will be better.”

That really hit home with me, you wouldn’t believe what I put into my pizza making and it really shows in
the pizza. If I’m making a pizza for company and really want it to be its best I will turn on the oven
light and keep looking in at it to make sure it is just right, my wife laughs at me but the pizza is
always great.

I’ve spent years now trying to perfect the crust, after all it’s the crust that makes the pizza, everything else
is just toppings, right?. A couple of very important things I have learned along the way.

If you are going to experiment away from a recipe,
WRITE DOWN THE CHANGES YOU MAKE! Otherwise who can
remember what they did the next time.

I’ve found that “Hotel and Restaurant” flour seems to provide the most “Pizzeria” taste and consistency I
believe it is the extra Gluten.

More yeast and sugar (or honey) in the mix than is
usually called for seems to work well for me as far as a nice light dough that tastes great.

Let the pizza rise! at least once but even better twice and at least an hour each time, then roll it out
at least half an hour before you put a topping on it of any sort and cover it with plastic wrap so it can
rise a bit before you squash it with toppings.
5. And finally, make sure you preheat the oven and get it as hot as you can for the amount of toppings you
have on it. More toppings, less temperature so it can have a chance to cook all the way through, raw dough
is nasty. the reason for the hot oven is that the dough does an initial rise just after it
is exposed to the heat and that makes for a much better crust I think than you get with lower temps.

Yipes, and I don’t even do this for a living! but if you look in my pantry and fridge and freezer you would swear I did.

Anyway yep, pizza is a spiritual experience for me and everyone that tastes it begs me to open a pizza
parlor.

Pizza on Earth and Good Will to All!
Robert Cotterill

My Response:

Thanks so very much for sharing your great advice, Robert.

I received many wonderful comments about Spiritual Pizza. I feel to do anything worthwhile, we must put our heart and soul into it. We will then connect with a higher spiritual power.

We must realize there is a greater power that we can connect with. Thanks everyone for your wonderful positive energy.

You should check out The Magic Of Believing
This is an incredible life changing book.

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Post tags: claude bristol, Frank Pepe, gennaro lombardi, lombardi's, magic of believing, On Making Pizza, pepe's pizza, sally's apizza, salvatore consiglio

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I cornered two Italian pizza masters (pizzaioli) at the Pizza Expo in Las Vegas.

I told them I was not leaving until they gave me their best pizza tips.

They had no idea what I was talking about: they do not speak any english.

They just nodded and waved. Nodded and waved.

I decided to find an Italian translator.

I needed to know the secret. I had to know their best advice. I had to discover what made great pizza, great!

I needed to have the best pizza advice, from Antonio Stariata and Adolpho.

Don Antonio Stariata and Adolpho, two master pizza makers from Naples, share their best pizza tips. This interview was conducted at the Pizza Expo, in Las Vagas.

And you need great pizza tools to make great pizza. Check out this pizza peel:

Epicurean Cutting Surfaces 21×14-in. Pizza Peel Series Pizza Peel The Pizza Peel won’t necessarily help you to hand toss the dough, but it just might make you want to. It works great with frozen pizzas as well. The beveled front edge helps to scoop the perfect pie from the oven and the hole in the handle makes for a convenient hanging option.

Epicurean Cutting Surfaces 21×14-in. Pizza Peel Series Pizza Peel

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Post tags: Antonio Stariata, best pizza advice, how to make pizza, how to make pizza dough, pizza peel, pizza tips, pizzaioli

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Wooster Street in New Haven Connecticut is an Italain food paradise. You will find great Italain food, but especially great pizza. Home of Sally’s Apizza and Pepe’s, Wooster Street boasts extraordinary pizza. But these two well known pizzerias are not the only great places to have pizza on Wooster Street.

Abate’s makes great pizza on Wooster Street, also.

When you are in the shadows of two pizza heavy weights, like Pepe’s and Sally’s, you definitely try harder.

In the following interview, Louis Abate explains what makes his pizzeria special. He shares his pizza secrets. He has been on Wooster Street for over 20 years, so he is no fly by night. Louis is here for the long haul…

You can visit Abate’s yourself.

Abate Apizza and Seafood Restaurant129 Wooster St
New Haven, CT 06511
(203) 776-4334

Here is one of my favorite books:

pizza

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Post tags: Abate Apizza and Seafood Restaurant, abate's pizza, pepe's pizza, pizza in new haven, sally' apizza, wooster street pizza

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Over 40 years ago, in New York, two cousins learned to make pizza at their family pizzeria.

Young John Arena, (12) started working for 50 cents an hour. It was fun but difficult. He worked hard but he began to learn the pizza business.

After a short while he asked his younger cousin Sam Facchini (11) to come by to work as well.

This did not sit well with Uncle Rocky, one of the brothers who owned the pizzeria.

He told John, “I didn’t hire him, you did…so you pay him…”

And John did. He split his 50 cent per hour wage in half. Both he and Sam were now making 25 cents an hour.

Here is the story as explained by Sam:

Years later, Sam and John , would see an ad in an Italian newspaper in New York, describing a pizzeria for sale. The problem was that it was in the desert town of Las Vegas. The year was 1980.

The first day they opened, someone rode up to their shop on horseback and ordered pizza. They knew they were in for a ride!

They struggled at first. Making dough in Las Vegas was very different from making dough in New York. The humidity of the desert air affected the dough process greatly. They experimented and after a short while they perfected their dough.

They have come a long way since those early years and now make award winning pizza. They are both Legends of Pizza.

They have been featured on Entertainment Tonight, guests on Regis and Kathy Lee, and made pizza for Air-Force One.  John and Sam, now host monthly “reservation only” pizza seminars. Metro has received the highest awards in the restaurant industry, including:

• Top Ten Pizzerias in America- USA Today
• National Pizzerias Operators of the Year- Pizza Today Magazine
• Best of Las Vegas- Las Vegas Review-Journal
• Best Pizza-LV Weekly Magazine
• Top Pizza  in Las Vegas- Zagat’s Restaurant Review
• Best in City- aol.com
• Best Pizza in town- UNLV

They learned their craft well and now make the best pizza in Las Vegas.

Visit Metro at:

1395 East Tropicana Avenue
Las Vegas, Nevada
Tropicana & Maryland Parkway
Phone: (702) 736-1955

Repectfully submitted by:
Albert Grande
The Pizza Promoter

Ads By CbproAds

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Post tags: Best Las Vegas Pizza, Entertainment Tonight, John Arena, Metro Pizza, Regis and Kathy-Lee, Sam Facchini

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I came accross these amazing videos that I felt I needed to share.

Here you can see Roberto Caporuscio of Keste and Don Antonio Starita of Pizzeria Starita demonstrating pizza.

It is fun to watch as Roberto translates for Don Antonio.

In the following video you can see the dough handling technique of Roberto Caporuscio of Keste.

You can see the masterful way the dough is handled. Gently yet deliberately. There is magic in those hands. Roberto is simply an amazing pizzaiolo.

For more pizza adventure, visit:

Pizza Therapy

Albert Grande
The Pizza Promoter

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Post tags: Don Antonio Starita, Keste, Keste pizzeria, Pizzeria Starita, Roberto Caporuscio

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Roberto Capruscio learned to make pizza from the masters in Naples.

Naples, Italy is the birthplace of pizza. He studied and perfected his craft through years of hard work. He has been rewarded and honored by his ultra successful pizzeria Kest, located at at 271 Bleeker Street, in New York City.

The Keste website describes Robert’s journey:

“Roberto Caporuscio was born and raised on a dairy farm in Pontinia, about an hour’s drive from Napoli where he first developed his culinary skills producing and selling cheese.

It was, however, in Napoli, the birthplace of pizza, that Roberto went to study the art and craft of this culinary delight with the most talented masters of the Neapolitan pizza makers. After training with the best, he opened two successful pizzerias in Pittsburgh, followed by A Mano in Ridgewood, NJ . Each endeavor brought critical acclaim from the culinary industry, as well as the rave reviews and articles in books and magazines.

Two years ago, Chef Roberto became President of APN (Associazione Pizzaiuoli Napoletani) and consultant to a variety of restaurants in Chicago, Denver, St Louis, and Madison – bringing his knowledge, experience and influence to a wider audience.”

i was fortunate to be able to interview Robert recently at the Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. He discusses what it takes to be a legendary pizzaiolo. He talks about his experiences and his training. He also tells why he feels Keste has become so successful.

You can visit:
Keste
271 Bleeker Street
New York

Keste website

Here is something I have in common with Roberto.

We were both featured in Ed Levine’s Book,

Pizza: A Slice of Heaven: The Ultimate Pizza Guide and Companion

Now that is amazing!
Albert Grande
The Pizza Promoter

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Post tags: Keste pizzeria, legend of pizza, pizza, Roberto Caporuscio

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Goodfella’s Brick Oven Pizza of Staten Island New York opens Official Brick Oven Pizza School

The world famous Goodfella’s of Staten island announced today its official opening of Goodfella’s wood fired pizza school of New York. It will be one of the most comprehensive pizza schools in the country.

Focusing on the art of wood fired pizza ,gourmet breads and cheese making. Founder Scot Cosentino Says “We will be running the school from our original location at 1718 Hylan Blvd Staten Island New York.

It will be a completely hands on experience turning pizza makers from all over the world into gourmet artisans who will master the art of wood fired pizza. We also will be focusing on Gourmet Breads, Sauces, Cheese making and offer a variety of services from custom brick ovens to complete consulting on start up operations.”

Goodfella’s Founded in 1992 and has been an industry trend setter and leader in gourmet brick oven pizza since its inception. Wining numerous national and international prizes for its gourmet creations such as the Vodka Pie,Smokin Goodfella and Sally Pie.

Goodfella’s Brick Oven Pizza has also been known as one of Rudy Giuliani favorite place for pizza and known as a local celebrity hot spot for years and featured on many TV Segments.

****

Contact information Scot Cosentino

(718) 987-2422 www.goodfellas.com

Scot, I want to wish you all the best
with your new Pizza School!

pizza all over Staten Island,

Albert Grande
The Pizza Promoter

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Post tags: goodfella's, how to make pizza, learn how to make pizza, pizza school, school of pizza

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