June 2010
2 posts
It's all about the dough, no it's the oven, no...
Everyone has an opinion about what makes a pizza great, and by extension what makes a great pizzeria. We want to find something that we can focus on, some key element that simplifies the process. Well the answer is… Willie Mays. That’s it… Willie Mays! Runs, hits, makes the big plays, steals bases, bangs out home runs. To be truly great, to be a legend, you have to be able to do...
Be Commited to the Commitment
A few weeks ago I was able to spend some time in Chicago at the National Restaurant Show. Times are tough, no doubt about it. The show certainly had fewer attendees than we have seen in the past. Some of the booths and exhibits were scaled down. Of course some businesses chose to skip the show completely. But, here’s the thing: when we stop learning, when we stop investing in our future...
May 2010
2 posts
Full Contact Cooking- Celebrity Chef VS Grandma
I have some great friends at Nick’s Pizza and Pub in suburban Chicago who have generously shared their unique business philosophy with me over the past few years.
One of the guiding principles of Nick’s is that all food must pass “the Grandma test”. Before bringing a food item to the table, employees must ask themselves if they would serve the dish to their Grandma. This...
ssssshhhhhhh... It's a Secret
In the early 1900’s there was a legendary jazz musician named Freddie Keppard. Most people never heard of him and here’s why: Freddie Keppard was always afraid that some young musician would steal his secrets. He was so paranoid he would play his horn with a handkerchief over his hands so rivals couldn’t see what he was doing. He went so far as to refuse to record his music,...
April 2010
2 posts
The 2 Secret Ingredients of Pizza
If you are reading this it’s safe to say you are a pizza fanatic. You have probably traveled to hundreds of pizzerias in the quest for the mythological “perfect pie” You have spent hours debating the merits of different types of ovens, flour, cheese and tomatoes. Over time what becomes painfully clear is that there is no universal set of rules, recipes or agreed upon standards...
The Tao of WOW!
I know this has happened to everyone. You discover a new pizzeria, some really cool little spot that no one seems to know about. The service, vibe and food blow you away. You think “WOW! I can’t wait to bring my friends here” You talk it, up gather all of your favorite pizza fanatics, and with great expectations you convene for a life changing pizza experience. But wait, this...
March 2010
14 posts
Brooklyn's Finest →
No Teacher, No Method, No guru
Raffaelo Esposito created the pizza margherita (maybe). Gennaro Lombardi brought pizza to America (perhaps). Ike Sewell invented the Chicago Deep Dish pizza (so we are told) What does this mean to todays pizza maker? Well, everything…and nothing.
Let me explain: Clearly we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. In any art form or craft we should feel compelled to conduct...
Learn More →
Pizza, the worlds most important food
Ok, so I may be a little biased, but just a little. I think I can make a case for pizza being the greatest food in the history of mankind. One word…COLLABORATION. Quite simply. pizza is the worlds great collaborative food. From its invention and development to the next pie that comes out of our oven, every pizza ever made represents a unique blend of ideas and ingredients from different...
Our Chicago pizza brother →
6 tags
Best tour in New York City →
Zen Mind... Pizza mind
We are hearing more and more about different organizations that have established themselves as the governing body of “authentic” pizza making. The idea is that they can somehow standardize and define a particular pizza making style and then offer certification (at a price) to people who have met the standards. Take a wild guess at what would have happened if somebody visited...
Great Pizza friends in New York →
Cool stuff for home pizza makers →
Our restaurant site →
3 tags
The way of the Pizza Guy Vol. 2
Just about every day someone comes up to me in our restaurant and mentions how much they hate the big chain pizzerias. I know they are trying to compliment me because they see us covered in flour, agonizing over every pie. Well here’s the truth: The big guys have helped us way more than they hurt us. When I was a kid pizzerias only existed in Italian neighborhoods. Pizza was still some kind...
4 tags
The Way of the Pizza Guy
A few weeks ago I had an opportunity to judge an international pizza contest held at a really unique little place in New York called Slice- the perfect food (more on them at a later date). While evaluating the pizzas I was listening to comments from the audience. It occured to me that it was almost impossible for people to be objective about pizza. Nobody (including me) was able to completely...