Industry Headlines
August 29, 2012

Cheese Blending 101

There’s nothing wrong with straight mozz on pizza — plenty of people do it. It’s as classic as it gets. But variety is the spice of life, and today’s diners like to explore new options and flavors. Cheese blending lends interest and flavor to what is typically the blandest portion of your pie. But what cheeses should you incorporate, and in what portions?

We’ve got a brief primer to answer those very questions. Click here to check it out.


Slice of Hope Effort in Full Swing

Last year Pizza Today Editor-in-Chief Jeremy White and Art Director Josh Keown cycled from Portland, Oregon, to Seattle to raise money for the Karen Mullen Breast Cancer Foundation, a non-profit organization that helps fund the most promising breast cancer research and treatment studies nationwide. More than 200 pizzerias took part in the initiative. Together, over $100,000 was raised for this very worthy cause.

It was such a success that we’re doing it again! This year White, Keown, Pizza Today publisher Pete Lachapelle and a team of cyclists will bike from Lakeland, Florida to Naples, Florida October 9-12. Slice of Hope needs your involvement. Together, let’s work as an industry to battle a disease that impacts just about everyone in one way or another.

Click here to support Slice of Hope.


Body Talk

Each time a customer walks into your restaurant, they immediately begin taking an “experience inventory.” Is it clean? Is it bright? Is it welcoming? Does the food smell good? Do the employees look happy and motivated? Was I greeted warmly?

Before they ever taste the pizza, they form an impression. Your staff plays a big role in how your shop is received, and studies show that the body language of your employees is one of the biggest indicators that lets customers know whether Pizzeria ABC is a winner or a loser.

So, what does body language say about customer service? How can you better manage the customer experience by engaging your staff?

Click here to find out.


Forget About Food Cost

Food cost is no longer a relevant measurement, claims Big Dave Ostrander.

Say what? Really?

Really. It’s all about Contribution Margin (CM), which essentially is the amount of gross profit a dish generates. All non-food-cost expenses are deducted from that number, so the higher the CM the higher your end profit happens to be. The trick is to stop fretting over food cost and focus on stocking your menu with dishes that offer a high CM — and then to market those dishes aggressively.

Learn more about CM by clicking here.


Featured Recipe — Marinated Fresh Mozzarella

Fresh mozzarella fits in nicely on so many menu items, ranging from pizza to antipasto platters. While creamy, it isn’t exactly the most flavorful item in your arsenal. Change that by marinating it before use.

Marinated Fresh Mozzarella

1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

For the rest of this delicious recipe, click here.