Back in June, I received a call from Marissa Ross, Coordinating Producer for the Travel Channel’s popular “Food Wars” show. The program was filming a pizza showdown in the Big Apple, and the producers wanted me to serve as an expert piz...

Fresh … seasonal … local … it’s almost become a mantra. The Slow Food movement has made farm-fresh produce hip again, and every new farm to jump on board brings prices down further. Now, pizzerias are being challenged to re-think their entire...

What is the next level for you? Boosting sales, opening another location, franchising? Each has his own mission; each must take critical steps to bring his operation to that new level. My personal mission is to make my pizzeria the best it can be —...

Mushroom Madness Americans love mushrooms on pizza, but they can be delicate and have a relatively short shelf life. Portobello mushrooms add a dense, hearty flavor to pizzas, and they can carry their own as a topping. When shopping, choose ones that...

Tables don’t just hold utensils, drinks and food. These important pieces of furniture can also set the right ambiance for your restaurant. “The tables, along with all the furniture, are a piece of your décor package,” says Michelle Bus...

PIZZA VOLANTE We saw the blue car (pictured at left) out front and knew we had to stop. When we were served a bubbling hot pizza from a wood-burning oven, we were glad we did. The creations at Pizza Volante occupy the middle ground somewhere between ...

It was a cold, dreary day when Pizza Today visited Nashua, New Hampshire, last spring. Outside, a torrential downpour made the streets slick and dark. But inside two-story Lui Lui, the company’s oversized wood-burning oven took center stage, making...

In the July issue of Pizza Today, Editor-in-Chief Jeremy White asked the question, “is pizza fast food?” He then answered with a resounding no, laying out his argument as to why pizza is anything but fast food. Not long after the commenta...

I heat my home with wood. I have a boiler backup system, but firewood is a natural byproduct of living in the middle of 40 acres in the forest. Wood fires need attention; nature abhors a vacuum. When the fire burns down to coals, I either watch the f...

Last month, in our annual “Event in Print” issue, Big Dave Ostrander floated ideas pizzeria operators could use to promote National Pizza Month. Not only is October National Pizza Month, but it also ends with one of our industry’s five ...

Q: I’ve heard you mention that the dough should be mixed to a specific temperature. Do you arrive at this temperature by varying the dough mixing time?       A: The finished dough temperature is varied by making adjustments to the te...

Marilyn Mayberry heads Iowa-based Pizza Ranch’s development team. The Western-themed buffet concept operates 151 stores in nine states, and it has plans to open up to 14 new locations this year despite a tough economical climate.     &nbs...