Category Archives: Legends of Pizza Audios

Paulie Gee on Paulie Gee’s, Pizza and the Pizza Business

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Paulie Gee's Logo

I was extremely lucky to land this interview with Paulie Gee. After stalking him for 2 days at Pizza Expo, I was excited to be able to discuss pizza, and to discover his favorite pizzerias and how he started in the pizza business.

Albert Grande and Paulie Gee

Albert Grande and Paulie Gee

The interview started badly. I called him a legend of pizza as well as a pizzaiolo. He stopped me dead in my tracks by proclaiming he was no legend, just a guy who makes pizza. And he said there are no pizzaiolo at Paulie Gee’s, just pizza guys.

After we got over that bump, the interview went well. Paulie Gee was open about how he happened to get into the pizza business. After working in the IT profession for 30 years he decided to move on and follow his dream. Although he loved to cook, he did not see himself opening a restaurant. He knew it had to be pizza. So he formulated a plan.

He started to make pizza at home and worked at perfecting his craft. He used Peter Reinhart’s book: American Pie My Search for the Perfect Pizza as a model. He worked on his pizza dough recipe and kept working on it. He experimented with different dough recipes until he had it the way he wanted it.

"First and foremost its about the love of pizza..."

Paulie Gee on the love of pizza!

His goal was not to be a pizza hobbyist. Rather he knew all along he wanted to get into the pizza business. He made pizza for friends, family, and bloggers. He fed them pizza, got them drunk,  and they spread the word. He continued to make pizza and soon many people were discussing Paulie Gee’s great pizza..

His vision of Paulie Gee’s was not so much to open just another pizzeria. He wanted his place to be an experience. He explained he he wanted Paulie Gee’s to look like the “Little Rascals” opened up a pizzeria. He wanted his place to be totally different. He wanted a certain amount of mystery as well as a comfortable. All along the way he sought out assistance from established pizza makers who shared his vision. Paulie Gee is thankful to all the assistance he has received and he acknowledges the assistance from others along the way.

Paulie does not allow any of his employees to wear Paulie Gee logos or hats. Rather he encourages his staff to wear t-shirts and hats from other pizzerias. Celebrating pizza is one of Paulie’s goals. The pizzas are non traditional melding various flavors such as sweet and savory with a hint of hotness.

Albert Grande Interviews Paulie Gee

Albert Grande Interviews Paulie Gee

He is also very supportive of anyone else who wants to follow the path of having their own pizzeria. He embodies the heart and soul of pizza. Because as you may know pizza is more than just water, salt yeast and flour. Magic happens when you make pizza. Paulie Gee wants to spread that magic around.

In the following interview Paulie talks about his favorite pizzas in New York. He speaks about some of the pizza makers who influenced him. He closes out by talking about what it takes to follow one’s dreams. Here’s the interview:

You can listen to the audio of this interview and
download a copy if you wish below:

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Visit Pauie Gee on line at:
Paulie Gee’s
60 Greenpoint Ave.
Brooklyn, New York

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Discover Pizza Inspiration here, go to:
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Pizza Talk: John Arena and Jonathan Goldsmith

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Mix together flour, salt yeast, water (and depending who you talk to: olive oil), and you can make a great pizza. Mix together two of the most passionate pizza makers in the U.S.A. and there is no telling what you are going to end up with. The end result as in both examples will be pure pizza satisfaction. With the later you will discover what fuels that passion and drive. You will also understand the spirit of pizza and the relationships that can be created as a result.

Pizza Brothers: Jonathan Goldsmith and John Arena

Pizza Brothers: Jonathan Goldsmith and John Arena

I was very fortunate to snag John Arena (Metro Pizza, Las Vegas) and Jonathan Goldsmith (Spacca Napoli, Chicago) at the close of Pizza Expo 2016, in Las Vegas. The conversation was fast, furious and totally from the heart. Both come from very different places in the pizza industry.

John, from New York, grew up around pizza and began making pizza at a very young age.  John continues to make pizza at his pizzerias in Las Vegas. In addition, he also teaches the only certified Collegiate Level class on pizza at UNLV. John spreads the joy and love with pizza at several locations around Las Vegas. While he knows New York style pizza well, he is also able to make numerous styles of pizza. John was recently invited by Caputo Flour to go to Italy to help develop a New York Style Flour. He was accompanied by pizza luminaries Tony Gemignani, Scott Wiener, Guilio Adriani, and Michele D’Amelio. (You can see a video of this event by clicking here)

Jonathan Goldsmith, learned his craft by going to the source of pizza: Naples, Italy. Jonathan learned his craft from Master Pizzaiolo Enzo Coccia. Jonathan has studied and continues to study his craft. His pizzeria, Spacca Napoli, recently celebrated a tenth anniversary. Jonathan who was a concerned with social change in a former profession, carries that over into his business of creating pizza.

While John will use olive oil in his pizza creation, Jonathan will use none. Their pizzas can be quite different, however they share a love of pizza and of each other. They have developed a strong bond over the years which continues to grow. Their passion for the craft of creating pizza is endless. When asked where is the common ground, John holds up his hands.

Both Jonathan and John embody the true spirit of pizza. While there are certain differences in their style. there is common ground in turning simple ingredients into pure pizza magic. The wonderful thing about both is their willingness to share and collaborate with others who share in the joy of creating pizza.  Both are willing to share their experience with a pizza master or someone who is just discovering the love of pizza. Pizza is a dish which inspires and illuminates.

This is a great interview with two incredible pizza makers who share in the brotherhood of pizza.

 

 

You can listen to an audio of this interview,
or download it if you wish, below:

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Jonathan’s Pizzeria is:

Spacca Napoli

 

 

 

 

 

Spacca Napoli Pizzeria

1769 W. Sunnyside Ave.
Chicago, IL 60640
773.878.2420

John Arena is the co-owner of:

2015-08-21_10-32-40

 

 

 

 

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

2016-03-16_12-49-03

 

 

 

 

 

You can discover more about John by going to Pizza Quest:
https://www.fornobravo.com/pizzaquest

Information about Pizza Expo can be found:

Pizza Therapy supports the Pizza Expo

 

 

 

http://pizzaexpo.com

Pizza Therapy Website is located at:
http://pizzatherapy.com
And more Pizza Related Videos can be found at the
Pizza Therapy Channel on YouTube

Here is Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby’s book:
Everybody Loves Pizza: The Deep Dish on America’s Favorite Food

La Strada Pizza on Pizza, Secrets, Best Pizza Places

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lastradalogo

La Strada Pizza logo

Here is an interview I did recently with Nick Schneider, owner of La Strada, Pizza in Matunuck Rhode Island.
The pizza was excellent. A thin crust with lots of taste. We were all impressed. I had to ask him
what were his secrets. How did he learn to make pizza?

Nick gave me more than I asked for. He was honest and forthcoming…
and don’t even call him a pizzaiolo…he’s a pizza guy!

Albert: Nick, tell me how you got into the pizza business?

Nick: I got into the pizza business through my father Paul.
He’s been making pizza for over 50 years now. He opened his first place in his late teens
in Provincetown, Massachusetts called Spiritus Pizza, which is still there.

Paul, my father and John Yingling, (Jingles) opened Spiritus together. So it’s been around a long time,
then he opened a bunch of other places. He is one of the original East Coast, New York Pizza Guys.
I’m not saying that because he is my father but Paul Schneider is one of the original old school guys
and a lot of people have learned from him and used his recipe and are kind of pushing on.
He’s still around and that’s
where I got all of my pizza stuff from.

He’s an artist and sculptor and a cook and a really interesting guy. That’s where my pizza
comes from and where my esthetic comes from.

Albert: Is he still making pizza?

Nick: Oh yeah, he’s go a great place in a very unassuming spot,
in Ellsworth, Maine called, Finelli’s Pizza.

People are walking in there all the time with their chest out, saying I’m from New York, I’m from New Haven
and we know pizza. We’ve heard all about this place. And once they have the pizza, they become believers.
And he’s still there in Ellsworth, Maine and he’s still doing it. He makes the best pizza I’ve ever had! Ever!
Way better than mine.
Yeah, the best.

nickoven

La Strada Pizza Oven

Albert: So you learned to make pizza side by side with your Dad.
He took you by the hand and showed you how to make pizza.

Nick: I remember sleeping on flour bags as a kid. I’d always stay there because there was a
rush (of customers)
and he would work really late, and I was a kid and I would stay in the pizza shop…
lastradapizza

Albert: Do you make your dough the day before?

Nick: I make my dough a couple of days before. I at least make it a day before, I like to make it a couple of days
before…Depends on how busy we are.

Albert: So you use a cold ferment method, as opposed to a warm ferment?

Nick: Both actually. I use a warm (proof) ferment, then a cold ferment and then a warm ferment.

Albert: So you think that is the secret to great pizza?

Nick: It’s not a secret anymore, cause you just screwed it up for for me. It was a secret!

You know when you came in here you asked me if I was a pizzaiolo, and I said no, I’m the pizza guy.
My dad’s a pizza guy, he’s not a pizzaiolo either. That stuff I think a lot
of this stuff and secrets that is out on the Internet now,like the DOC stuff is coming from these certifications.
There is a school that says you have to use this flour, you have to use this method, you have to use this water.
You have to do this and you have to do that.

I don’t think that is the case. I’m not a Prima Dona I don’t know anything about anything.
You just got to do what you
do and love it and that’s it.

And the most important thing I believe is the way the dough is handled.
My father calls this dough management.
The way the dough is handled, when it comes out, how long it is sitting around for before
it goes into the oven.
And of course the temperature of
the oven.

Your oven’s got to be hot, hot hot!

And that’s it…

Nick of La Stada and Albert of Pizza Therapy

Nick of La Stada and Albert of Pizza Therapy

This “your oven’s got to be made here by this guy, who is from this part of Naples, and using this flour,
that’s all”
a little to much, … I’m in Matunuck Rhode Island. I’m not brining in the water from New York. I don’t bring in any crazy stuff.
I just do it the way I was taught, which is the way my dad taught me. And it seems to work for us…

Here is the interview on You Tube:

You can watch the rest of this interview here. You can also listen if you wish and download for later listening….

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Find La Strada, here:
La Strada
920 Matunuck Beach Road
Wakefield, RI 02879
Shop: 401.284.2253 Mobile: 401.533.2019

Tony Gemignani Interview at Pizza Expo

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Tony Gemignani at Pizza Expo

Tony Gemignani at Pizza Expo

 

Tony's Pizza Napoletana

Tony’s Pizza Napoletana

Tony Gemignani, always has something going on. I got a chance to chat with him recently.
We talked all about pizza….

Tony discusses his latest concept for pizza called Capo’s.  This is a Chicago styled pizzaeria based on the prohibition era.
They specialize in deep dish Chicago pizza and have a whiskey bar as well as many different Chicago style Italian dishes.Tony explains when you look at the pizza industry, Chicago is making a new wave.

Tony’s got a new book coming out next year. He’s opening two new restaurants, one in California and one in Las Vegas.
Both restaurants will be opening at the end of the year. He’s also doing something pizza related for Hollywood.

Yeah you heard that right, Hollywood!

This guys got a lot on his plate! How does he have time for all of these projects.  How does he do it, I just had to know.

“I barely sleep, I just love it”, he stated sheepishly. “I always thought the independent operator could make a statement in this industry, and we are…”

I wanted to know if he still keeps making pizza. I mean how does he have time for all of his projects and still be a hands-on pizza operator.

“When you come to Tony’s (Tony’s Pizza Napoleletana) you’ll see me behind the line. There are a few things we introduced to Tony’s. I think I said a few years ago Detroit was going to make a big impact. I brought that to the Tony’s menu, Detroit style, about a year and a half ago. That style is one of the hottest styles on the Expo floor.A few years ago it didn’t exist.
Last year a guy won best pizza in the world. Now everyone is talking Detroit.So we’ve introduced a couple of styles: St. Louis and Detroit. Places that most people don’t think existwhen it comes to pizza, but, if you do it right, it can be pretty awesome.
So we launched that about a year and a half ago.

That’s been a big part of the program at Tony’s because we have every style.
It’s crazy to go to Tony’s now and get 11 styles of pizza…”

Tony Gemignani

Tony’s Back

Here’s a video interview. I recorded of Tony at Pizza Expo. Tony was very honest and forthcoming in his responses.

Tony was a super star at Expo. Everyone wanted to speak with him. I was very appreciative that he was able to

spend some time with me….

 

 

Tony’s Pizza Napoletana
1570 Stockton St
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 835-9888

No Reservations. No Exceptions.

The philosophy at Tony’s:

A small pizzeria in Naples, Italy is the inspiration behind Tony Gemignani’s story for Tony’s Pizza Napoletana. A fulfillment in his ever growing passion for pizza drew him to self content when he first tried an authentic Neapolitan pizza. Since then he was determined to learn this art of pizza making and one day open a restaurant like no other.

 

Tony Gemignani and Albert Grande of Pizza Therapy

Tony Gemignani and Albert Grande of Pizza Therapy

 

 

You can listen to Tony’s Interview (and download it if you wish) below:
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Tony’s book Pizza: More than 60 Recipes for Delicious Homemade Pizza is available right here…


Domenico Crolla Pizza Master and Pizza Artist

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Domenico and Jenny Crolla

Domenico and Jenny Crolla

In the following interview, Domenico Crolla reveals his true inner pizza being. He explains how he first got into making pizza. His earliest pizza were done out of necessity. He needed to support his family.  He learned his craft so well he now creates the best pizza in Glasgow, Scotland. As a matter of face his pizza making skills have been honored throughout Europe as well as the United States.

Domenico and Albert

Domenico and Albert

 

This interview was recorded at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. Domenico was relaxed and very forthcoming. He explained the Secret Behind his Casino Royale Pizza, the most expensive pizza in the World. The pizza was created for a charity event and sold on eBay. It raised over $4,000 for charity.

Casino Royale Pizza

Casino Royale Pizza

Domenico runs an Italian Restaurant in Glasgow known as Bella Napoli. He takes pride in the menu, serving food made with the finast ingredients. He also makes pizza. Lots of pizza. During on particular pizza adventure, he was contacted by the Arch-Bishop of Scotland. The Pope (yes that Pope..) was in town and he had a desire for a simple Marinara Pizza. Domenico crafted the pizza and a member of the Arch-Bishop’s staff delivered it to the Pope.

Domenico has also created a stir in the pizza community with his pizza art. These are hand crafted pizzas which are in the image of famous people. These pizzas are  so realistic that it would be easy to think these pizzas are created with Adobe Photoshop CS6.
The truth of the matter is these images were created totally freehand.

Pizza Art by Domenico

Pizza Art by Domenico

Here is the video:

You can listen or download the interview with Domenico Crolla, if you wish, by clicking below:

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Update:

Domenico’s Pizza Art was just featured at the MSN Website, you can read the entire Pizza Art article here.

 


And if you are interested in Adobe Photoshop CS6, you can find it below:

Scott Anthony, Pizza Consultant Interview

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In the following interview Scott Anthony, of Fox’s Pizza Den in Punxsutawney, PA explains the secrets of success for business owners. Scott has been able to turn his pizzeria into a business that is not only profitable but also a valued business in his community of Punxsutawney.

Scott explains that for any business to be successful, one needs to be responsive as well generous to your community.

Scott and his company have created a series of fund raisers and events which have not only helped raise funds but also helped his business succeed exponentially.
Scott also discusses his book “Profits in the Pie” which outlines his secrets for success for not only pizzeria owners but all small businesses.

From Amazon:
“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!”
Scott Anthony

Here’s the Interview with Scott:

You can listen now or download for later listening:

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Kindle Edition:

 

 

Why You Should Make Your Own Pizza

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Pizza is a universal food. Originally confined to Italian neighborhoods, pizza has now become mainstream. Travel anywhere in the world and you will be able to find some type of pizza..

As noted bread baker Peter Reinhart explained to me: “Pizza is the perfect flavor delivery system.” Pizza is the ultimate comfort food.

With a little practice, you can easily make your own delicious home made pizza.

Here are four reasons why you should make your own pizza.

1) Making pizza is easy. With the basic tools found in any kitchen, you will be able to make pizza dough. All pizza dough follows the same basic pattern. Mix flour with yeast, water and salt. Some pizza dough recipes call for oil, however this may be omitted. (I use olive oil in my recipe, but this is a matter of preference.) There are many wonderful pizza dough recipes available to you. You need to find one that you like and will satisfy your own taste.

2) Making pizza is healthy. Since you are making your own pizza, you have total control over the ingredients used. I encourage you to use the freshest ingredients available. The old standards, pepperoni, sausage, tomato sauce, and various cheeses make excellent toppings for pizza. There are many vegetables that can be used for pizza as well including fresh garlic, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, onions, mushrooms and zucchini. Fresh seafood such as shrimp and clams can also compliment your pizza. Experiment. You will create new taste sensations. You are only limited to your imagination when deciding what to put on your pizza.

3) You will save lots of money. You will be amazed at how economical it is to make your own pizza. The actual price of putting together a quality pizza at home is much cheaper than buying pizza at a pizzeria. One way to save money is by purchasing ingredients on sale. You can multiply your savings by obtaining items in bulk at a food discount warehouse. For example some items like mozzarella cheese can be purchased in bulk. Use what you need, and freeze the rest to be used the next time you make pizza. The savings of buying your pizza ingredients in bulk is substantial.

4) Making pizza is fun. Pizza can be a wonderful group activity. When you make pizza, you can get everyone around you involved in some part of the process. Pizza is also an enjoyable family activity. All kids love making pizza. Pizza is a fun activity which can be enjoyed not only by families but by singles as well. When you make pizza, you make magic happen.

Still not convinced you can make your own pizza? Here are some steps you can take to painlessly, create your own pizza. Start with a frozen pizza shell purchased at a supermarket. This is a good way to begin to learn how to make your own pizza. You are in complete control of what toppings you will use.

The next step is to purchase fresh pizza dough from a bakery or pizzeria. This will give you good experience in working with dough and shaping your pizza. Making pizza like this will allow you invaluable experience.

Finally, you can try making your own dough from scratch. Making dough may seem difficult at first, but will get easier and easier over time. You can find a link box to get a free copy of my pizza dough at the end of this article.

Without much effort, you will be making healthy pizza, saving money and having a lot of fun. The hardest part of making pizza is the clean-up.

Listen to an audio of this article, here:

Learn to make your own homemade pizza and dough at Pizza Therapy, click here, now!

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Olive Oil

The Pizza Snobo Interview by Pizza Therapy

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Pizza Snobo Interview from pizzatherapy.com

Pizza Snobo Reviews pizza

Pizza Snobo is a pizza review site. They review all types of pizza the good, the bad and the not so good.

In the following interview, Al the creator of Pizza Snobo reveals all of his favorite pizzerias.

He explains:

  • What is behind the concept of Pizza Snobo
  • Why he decided to review pizza
  • Pizza Snobo’s unique pizza review rubric
  • The best pizzerias in New York
  • The best pizza in Washington D.C.
  • How health departments rate and review pizzerias
  • The pizza in Paris
  • How he decides what is good pizza
  • And so much, much more…..

This is truly a fascinating interview. You will discover the truth about great pizza. And what makes pizza not so great.

Pizza Snobo grew out of a great love and passion about pizza.

You can visit PizzaSnobo for more pizza reviews.

If you want to find more about The Best Pizza in the World visit Pizza Therapy.

Listen to the Pizza Snobo Interview, below:
(You may also download this interview for later listening. Look for link below player.)

Un Americana Italia Interview

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Sky Dylan Robbins is a filmmaker with an unbridled passion for food. you can hear it in her voice. You can feel it in her film.

Her latest project,  Un Americana in Italia chronicles her food adventures in Italy. The film is comprised of 12 different episodes. Each episode takes you on a different quest to discover the truth about food. She gives us an understanding of why we are so obsessed with food.

After watching a clip of her discuss pizza, I knew I had to interview her. She introduces us to  the master pizzaioli of Naples. This is the birthpalce of Pizza. Thanks for the introduction, Sky.

Her film tells us about ourselves and why our love affair with food will continue.

Sky takes you inside the underground secrets of how various food is produced. She also reveals the passions of those who create these amazing foods.

Food for Sky is magical. She celebrates the creation of food. She celebrates the consumption of food.

Eating and sharing food together is an event that deserves to be celebrated.

Here is a preview of her film:

In our interview Sky reveals the following:

  • How she started a love affair with Italy and Italian food
  • How she planned and executed her film
  • The magical events that allowed her to complete each episode
  • The truth about the Water Buffalo in Italy
  • Why Bologna is one of the most special food destinations on the planet
  • The inside secrets to the Best Flour in Italy, Caputo
  • The true passion of the master pizza makers in Naples

and much much more. Please listen to this interview, and download it if you wish.

I would greatly appreciate any of your comments about this amazing interview with Sky Dylan Robbins

You can listen to an incredible interview with Sky Dylan Robbins below. Download this interview for later listening

Right  Click Here (and save).
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The $25,000 Pizza Recipe Interview

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I was excited to hear the news that our friend  had made it to the finals of Food Network’s: “Ultimate Recipe Showdown”, 

I was very proud to hear our own Gail Churinetz, a winner of the Pizza Therapy Recipe Contest, was being featured on The Food Network.

Gail has been a long time supporter of Pizza Therapy   and she is like a member of the family.

Gail writes:

Hello Albert….

Just wanted to keep you posted regarding my Pizza making…..I am the one that won your competition several years back…I am going to be on Food Network “Ultimate Recipe Showdown”,  I made the finals and my recipe….. “Crawfish & Andouille Sausage Pizza”.

 

Gail the $25,000 winner with Guy

]Gail and Guy on the Ultimate Recpe Challenge

 

I was even more excited when Gail gave me the news that she had won, the “Ultimate Recipe Showdown”

I knew I had to interview her. And this exclusive interview follows.

Gail shares:

  • How she came up with the recipe
  • What she did to enter the contest
  • What she asked Flo Consiglio, wife of Sal Consiglio
  • Her secret ingredient that she took from Sally’s Apizza on Wooster Street in New Haven, Connecticut
  • Why this helps her make award winning pizza
  • What goes on behind the scenes at the Food Network
  • What she will do with her $25,000
  • Her other $5,000 bonus prizes as part of her winnings
  • Inside pizza tricks and tips
  • Her secret hobby and passions
  • Why you should enter your own recipe

Gail holds nothing back in this interview.

You can listen right here, or download it for later listening if you wish.

Listen below:

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You can follow Gail on her Facebook page:

Gail Wallenta Churinetz

Thanks so much for this great interview Gail.

pizza on earth,

albert grande

The Pizza Therapy Pizza Blog

 

Gails $25,000 pizza recipe is now included in The Pizza Therapy Pizza Book: Unlock the Secret of Making Pizza
:

 

Steve Lieber: World Pizza Champion Interview

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Steve Lieber knows pizza….

He is a member of the World Pizza Champions. He has an incredible story to tell. In the following interview he tells his pizza story.

He explains how he got into the pizza business. He learned how to make pizza. He worked in a number of restaurants and decided he wanted to become a master pizziolo.

According to Steve's bio:

Over the years, Lieber established himself working in high volume restaurants that posed many challenges and soon found great success…A self-described “pizza fanatic,” Steve regularly travels the globe to attend conventions and further his knowledge of the industry to perfect techniques and capitalize on the latest in pizza trends.

 

You can watch Steve make his truffle pizza, here:

 

 

 

Listen to the interview with Steve below:

In the following interview, he explains how he:

  • learned to make pizza
  • how his passion for pizza led him to try to master the coal fired oven pizza
  • The differences between a coal fired oven and other pizza ovens in making pizza
  • how he met Tony Gemignani.
  • What happened to his pizza making, after attending The International School of Pizza
  • How he won the Best Pizza in the United States Award
  • He give lots of pizza making tips for the home pizza maker
  • He explodes the myth of using water to make pizza
  • Where he is going with pizza
  • How giving back to the community has helped his business

This is an incredible pizza interview. The highlight may be his "Babe Ruth" moment during a pizza contest.

Steve has many secrets to share and he holds nothing back in the following interview.

Steve Lieber is truly one of the Legends of Pizza.

Click play button to hear interview:

 

 Or use this player:

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Jon F. Noted Pizzaiolo Tells His Secrets

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Jon F. on the state of Pizza in New Haven, Italy and beyond!

 
 
Jon F.'s amazing pizza from pizzatherapy.com
 

 

Jon F. has been around pizza his entire life. As a matter of fact member’s of his family owned an Italain Restaurant. It was not until he went away to college did his entire perspective of pizza change.  One of his friends took him to Pepe’s Pizza in New Haven and this event transformed his notion of pizza.

The first thing he noticed was the enourmous coal fired oven. “What manner of beast is this?” he wondered. As soon as he had his first taste of New Haven pizza, he realized, his total idea of pizza had changed, forever. He ended up going back again and again.

This taste of Pepe’s inspired him to go on a quest to discover incredible pizza. He started making his own pizza based on some of the pizza he tasted in his travels. He would eventually go to the West Coast of the United States and sample pizzas created by Brian Spangler of Apizza Scholls. He was drawn to Italy to find some of the best pizza that country had to offer.  This is his story a story of pizza discovery.

I’m pleased to present to you a wonderful pizza interview. Noted pizza expert Jon F. shares all of his secrets including:

  • His take on what makes Pepe’s Pizza so special.
  • Inside information about  Sally’s Apizza on Wooster Street 
  • The real secret to Pepe’s Pizza and Sally’s Apizza
  • Jon’s thoughts on Italian Pizza
  • The difference between Italian pizza and American Pizza
  • The Pizza of Portland
  • Apizza Scholls
  • Taste Bud
  • The most important thing you can do when you cook your own pizza.
  • more pizza tips and tricks.

Jon’s interview is informative, lively and interesting.

He is a pizza expert and he reveals many tips and tricks.

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This interview is sponsored by The Pizza Therapy Pizza Book.

 

 

Legends of Pizza: Volume 1 and 2

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What can you learn from the Masters of Pizza?…

The Legends of Pizza Project is a series of interviews with the most influential pizzaioli (pizza masters) on the planet.

  • You will learn as Peter Reinhart explodes the myth of high gluten flour.

  • You will be astounded as Peter Reinhart reveals who really created
    Wolfgang Puck's Pizzas and the California Pizza Kitchen Menu

  • You will listen as Gary Bimonte (Pepe's) discusses for the first time:
    "The Birth of the Clam Pie!"

  • You will discover the true story of Frank Pepe

  • You can find out the biggest change at Pepe's in over 80 years!

  • You will be engaged as Chris Bianco explains his pizza philosophy

  • Chris Bianco will infect you with his pizza passion

  • You will find out Chris Bianco's future plans

and so much more…

 Here's what Ed LaDou said of Legends of Pizza:

"I received the Legends of Pizza CD, and listened to it in my car as I drove to work and back this afternoon. … Brian and Tony's interviews were great …They both…had a lot of helpful and insightful things to say about the pizza craft…. my interview came out well. … I am very grateful I came out sounding like I knew a few things about pizza. You did a fantastic job on the CD and I couldn't be more pleased."
Ed LaDou on the
Legends of Pizza, Volume 2 ®

 

  Claim Legends of Pizza Volume 1 at this link: 

http://www.pizzatherapy.com/legends.htm 

Claim Legends of Pizza Volume 2, at this link:

http://www.pizzatherapy.com/volume2.htm

Get the transcripts of the recordings, here: 

http://pizzatherapy.com/transcript.htm

 

 Legends of Pizza E-Book


 Here's what noted Pizzaiolo jon F. had to say about The Legends of Pizza. Click below:

Albert Grande Interview of the BBC Chile

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I was recently interviewed by the BBC in Chile.

They were interested in Pizza Therapy. They wanted to konw how it started and why I loved pizza.

Thank you BBC, Chile. I appreciate the opportunity to share my passion for pizza. Thanks for allowing me to explain Pizza Therapy.

during the initial interview, everything I said was translated into spanish. Both the questions and the answers.

This interview does not contain any of the tranlations.

Chef Carl Oshinsky, Pizza Gourmet Interview

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What Your Mother Never Taught You, The Pizza Gourmet Will

There is no doubt that Chef Carl Oshinsky was ahead of his time. Way ahead. Long before there was a Cooking Channel, Chef Carl, had a pizza show on PBS television. Unfortunately, he missed the wave. Now there are many shows that feature pizza, but Chef Carl was the first. His show featured his vision of pizza. He has a unique spin on the entire process.

In this interview, we discuss his uniqe spin on what makes pizza special. He discusses pizza stones and why you need them, to create excellent pizza.

As a matter of fact at one time, Chef Carl was in the business. He sold pizza stones all over the country. He is recognized as one of the true originals in the world of pizza. His toppings and pizza creations are really very much outside the usual pizza box. But that is what makes him special and unique. His pizzas are simple, yet elegant. His ingredients are the finest available. He knows what he likes. The most interesting part of the interview for me, was when he discussed his own pizza business.

He becomes a traveling minstrel of pizza. He is a hired gun of pizza. He comes to your house and sets up a temporary pizza shop. He give lots of tips and information about how this business could work for the right person.

This was a great interview and I know that you will find lots of useful tips, and tricks. Here is Chef Carl's website: The Pizza Gourmet. You can also find many different pizza tools available.

You can also get a copy of his book: What Your Mother Never Taught You, The Pizza Gourmet Will. Also be sure to check out all of the incredible recipes, videos and pizza information. His site is a gold mine of pizza knowledge. Let me know what you think…. pizza on earth, albert grande Make Pizza, Be Happy

Secrets from Inside the Pizzeria the Interview

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Secrets from Inside the Pizzeria

 

Secrets from Inside the Pizzeria is a video guide of step by step instructions on how to make pizza.

Bev Collins is an unusual pizza master. First she never had pizza until she was sixteen. Next her first pizzas were out of the box kits. Not something you would expect from a pizza expert.

You can listen to an  interview with Bev at the end of this post

 Her passion for baking soon became evident. She had many life adventures and a number of professional experiences.

Her invlovement with pizza continued to grow. She became involved with a National Pizza Chain, working in their research and development section.

She was forced to learn the inside tricks of making pizza.

She shares this knowledge in her video tutorial, Secrets Inside the Pizzeria. You can get your own copy at at this link.

I have a copy and I like it. It gives some great tips on creating pizza.

  • Bev explains the best pizza stone
  • She gives great tips about what kind of flour to use
  • Where to find the right flour
  • Cheese blends you can use
  • Excellent step by step directions to make dough
  • Some inside tips on why your dough needs to be cold
  • Why you need to proof your pizza

And you can claim your copy of Secrets from Inside the Pizzeria here.

Listen to the Bev Collins interview, below:

Legends of Pizza Volume 3: The Lost Evelyn Sloman Interviews Part 3

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The Legends of Pizza Volume 3 is a series of interviews done with master pizzaiolo, Evelyn Sloman. These interviews contain a wealth of knowledge, pizza history and pizza passion.

 Evelyn learned to make pizza while growing up in New York. The Tontonno’s and Lombardi’s operated legendary Pizzerias in New York and Evelyn was able to learn from these masters.

You will discover Evelyn’s insights and secrets about pizza including:

  • A review of the Lombardi Method
  • How the master used measurement for their pizza
  • The Artisan Bread movement and pizza
  • The importance of fermentation in pizza
  • How Evelyn learned to rule the dough
  • The one key ingredient for pizza
  • High gluten or not high gluten flour…
  • The use of flour in pizza
  • The best tomatoes to use for pizza
  • Why Evelyn’s recipe gets better and better

Thank you so much Evelyn for this incredible knowledge.

This episode of Legends of Pizza, Volume 3, is brought to you by the Pizza Therapy Pizza Book.

 Make pizza Be Happy,

albert

Listen Below:
Just Press the Play Button

Legends of Pizza Volume 3, Evelyn Sloman, Part 2

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This is part 2 of Legends of Pizza, Volume 3

  • Evelyn discusses how pizza came to the United States

  • She explains how she gained her knowledge about how to make pizza

  •  Who was the very first pizzaiolo in the United States

  • Why bread baking is closely related to pizza making

  • How U.S. pizza is different from Italian pizza

  • What is the "Lombardi Formula"

  • What did Evelyn learn from the Jerry Totonno and Jerry Lombardi

  • How the skill of pizza making "flowed out of Lombardi’s and Totonno’s fingers"

  • How to "listen to the dough"

  • Why the Italians give their dough a "rest"

Legends of Pizza, Volume 3: Evelyn Sloman

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I’m very excited to share with you Part of Legends of Pizza Volume 3 Part 1.

These interviews were conducted a while ago. I had started to edit them and was ready to release Legends of Pizza Volume 3.

I was very excited about all of the knowledge that Evelyn brought to the world of pizza.

Then disaster struck: my hard drive crashed, leaving me with nothing but digital dust of an incredible conversation with Evelyn Sloman.

Recently after spending hundreds of dollars, I was able to recover most of the files from my hard drive. Luckily, I could save parts of the original mp3’s of the Evelyn Sloman interview

 I was able to piece together parts of the interview and hope to release the rest of Legends of Pizza Volume 3.