One of the recent paradigm shifts in the pizzeria world is that customers are now familiar with and in search of many styles of pizza, be it classic Neapolitan, New York and New Haven, thin-crusted parlor and bar pizzas, Detroit and Sicilian thick crusted, and all of the variations in-between. In response, a number of popular pizza experts have expanded their repertoires to include pizza styles that were not part of their original menu. In Denver, Colorado, Mark Dym has long been known for his a...
Jul 02, 2023•32 min•Ep. 13
Welcome back to Pizza Quest! We recently did a show that we called Bourbon 101 (June 11), and have done other shows that celebrate artisanship in subjects adjacent to our usual focus on pizza (olive oil, mezcal, tomatoes, and various types of cheeses). But, when Joe Salonia , co-host of HRN's podcast series, Cutting the Curd, offered to take me on a journey of his personal specialty cheese category, Swiss, it was impossible to resist. Joe is a national sales and marketing rep for Gourmino Cheese...
Jun 25, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 12
Over twenty years ago, Jonathan Goldsmith fell in love with traditional Napoletana wood-fired pizza while living in Italy, and then became a mid-life apprentice to the local pizza masters. He then decided to bring the experience back to his hometown of Chicago, where this style was still a new thing. Spacca Napoli was thus born on the North Side, and has become a pizza pilgrimage destination ever since, even in pizza-crazed Chicago, loaded with every style of pizza known to man. There's somethin...
Jun 18, 2023•40 min•Ep. 11
In our never-ending celebration of artisanship wherever we find it, this week's episode turns our lens onto one of the truly great American crafts, distilled whiskey, most notably, bourbon. On the show to explain it all is Peter's long-time friend, culinary educator, and award-winning author Albert Schmid , whose newest book, Bourbon 101 , was just recently released by The University Press of Kentucky. In this episode, Albert takes us through a tasting of four distinct versions of corn mash whis...
Jun 11, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 10
Central Milling Flour has emerged as one of the most highly sought premium brands for artisan bakers of all types of products, but especially for breads and pizzas. We caught up with managing partner and baking phenomenon, Nicky Giusto , a long-time favorite here at Pizza Quest, the day before the doors opened at the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas in March, 2023. He was putting together his signature high-hydration, sprouted focaccia dough, which would then be baked throughout the event t...
Jun 04, 2023•28 min•Ep. 9
Welcome to this special Memorial Day edition of Pizza Quest, with our special guest, Steven Raichlen , author of The Barbecue Bible , now celebrating its 25th anniversary with a new, updated edition. Memorial Day signifies many things important to us all as we honor those who have made our freedom possible. It also instinctively compels us to break out the BBQ grills and charcoal. In this episode, Steven shares with us his long journey from Reed College, to writing for an underground newspaper i...
May 28, 2023•56 min•Ep. 8
On this week's episode, join Peter for an illuminating conversation with the team that brought L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele to California, and now, to New York City. How do they recreate, re-imagine, and live up to the over-hyped expectations of the legendary pizzas from the original "mother house" in Naples? With a lot of hard work, as you will learn when you listen to this latest episode of Pizza Quest, recorded at the 2023 International Pizza Expo. Click here for the video versions of Pizza Q...
May 21, 2023•45 min•Ep. 7
On this episode of Pizza Quest, we meet Meghan Murphy-Gill , aka The Reverend Meghan Murphy-Gill, an Episcopal priest who also happens to be a serious baker of bread and, most importantly, a fabulous writer who has authored a new book, The Sacred Life of Bread . The subtitle of her book is "Uncovering the Mystery of an Ordinary Loaf." As we continue our back and forth exploration between "pizza" and "the quest," you can see why this book and its author are of great interest to Pizza Quest. Join ...
May 14, 2023•54 min•Ep. 6
Daniele Uditi is a pizza rock star, establishing his uniquely personal Neapolitan pizza technique (along with his signature Cacio e' Pepe pizza) at Pizzana , his destination Los Angeles restaurant (with more locations popping up around the country, as you will hear). Daniele is also the head judge for the popular Hulu competition show, Best in Dough . He shares his journey and all the Pizzana news with Peter on this new episode of Pizza Quest, recorded at the recent International Pizza Expo in L...
May 07, 2023•25 min•Ep. 5
In this episode, we continue to expand the scope of Pizza Quest to include a focus more on the quest than on the pizza. Bread is the big umbrella in Peter's own quest, of which pizza is a delightful sub-set. Lately, more and more authors have added their own words and thoughts to the multi-dimensional levels of meaning embodied by bread. Kendall Vanderslice (oh what a perfect name) is one of them. A theologian based in Durham, NC, Kendall shares with us here her own complex journey, as well as h...
Apr 30, 2023•47 min•Ep. 4
Michael Goldfarb is an accomplished journalist and political author, and one of Peter's oldest and best friends. Michael has produced several award winning documentaries on NPR and the BBC, and published books on the Iraq War ( Ahmad's War, Ahmad's Peace ) as well as the 1,000 year old modern Jewish Diaspora ( Emancipation ). More recently, he started a podcast called FRDH , where he examines current events through his unique journalistic lens from his ex-pat home base in London, England. After ...
Apr 23, 2023•54 min•Ep. 3
Steve Dolinsky is a legendary, multi-James Beard Award winning broadcast journalist who is also Mr. Chicago when it comes to food (especially pizza). Steve joins us from the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas, along with Pizza Quest’s longtime “ Pizza Yodi, ” Brian Spangler of Apizza Scholls , and Justin DeLeon, owner of Apollonia's Pizzeria in Los Angeles (whose Detroit-style “Crown Pizza” provides the cover shot for Peter’s recent book, “ Pizza Quest, “My Never-Ending Search for the Perfect...
Apr 16, 2023•32 min•Ep. 2
As you know, we've been putting a lot more emphasis on the "Quest" aspect of Pizza Quest these days and this episode is a great example. In 1971, I was a founding member of a restaurant collective in Boston called Root One Cafe, one of the early organic food restaurants in the country. One of our members was a young student from Antioch College, Steven Shore, who had decided to do his work-study internship at our cafe, and so he lived with us for a number of months back in 1972. He and I became ...
Apr 09, 2023•54 min•Ep. 1
At the 2022 Northeast Pizza Expo held in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Peter sat down with Pizza Quest favorite, Scott Wiener , the founder of Scott's Pizza Tours in New York City and the driving force behind the philanthropic movement, Slice Out Hunger . Scott's knowledge of pizza is encyclopedic and insightful, as you will hear during this far-ranging conversation about all things pizza. Click here for the video versions of Pizza Quest . If you count on HRN content, become a monthly sustaining do...
Feb 19, 2023•37 min•Ep. 10
In addition to hosting Pizza Quest, Peter Reinhart is also the Executive Director of the Johnson & Wales University International Symposium on Bread where, for a number of years, he has hosted many of the world's foremost thought leaders on the subject, who gather to explore the future of bread. In this presentation, delivered at the 2022 Artisan Bread Expo in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Peter provides an overview, to a live audience, on the key takeaways from the most recent International Sy...
Feb 12, 2023•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 9
Join Peter at the Northeast Pizza, Pasta, and Baking Expo as he spends time with Traci Rennaker , President and CEO of Lloyd Pans . Lloyd Pans is the leading manufacturer of every kind of pizza pan known to mankind, whether square, deep, long and thin, round, perforated, Sicilian or Detroit-style -- you name it, they make it. You'll learn more than everything you need to know about pans in this fun and engaging episode. Click here for the video versions of Pizza Quest . If you count on HRN conte...
Feb 05, 2023•24 min•Ep. 8
Listen in as Rachel Wyman , Bryan Ford , and Serhan Ayhan , three rising stars in the baking and pizza community, swap stories of their unique journeys finding their distinctive voices in this big, yet small world. Click here for the video versions of Pizza Quest . If you count on HRN content, become a monthly sustaining donor at heritageradionetwork.org/donate . Pizza Quest is Powered by Simplecast. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.c...
Jan 22, 2023•39 min•Ep. 7
Peter is joined by Michael Fox , the coordinator of Clubhouse's audio community sector known as Pizza Club . Throughout the week pizza freaks of all types gather in the virtual clubhouse to share all manner of pizza obsession. Michael explains how it all works and how you can be a member. Click here for the video versions of Pizza Quest . If you count on HRN content, become a monthly sustaining donor at heritageradionetwork.org/donate . Pizza Quest is Powered by Simplecast. See Privacy Policy at...
Dec 18, 2022•18 min•Ep. 6
Peter presented, and HRN recorded, his seminal exploration of bread baking as a multi-dimensional journey of self-discovery and transformation at this year's Northeast Pizza, Pasta, and Baking Expo. Hear it all in this week's episode of Pizza Quest. Click here for the video versions of Pizza Quest . If you count on HRN content, become a monthly sustaining donor at heritageradionetwork.org/donate . Pizza Quest is Powered by Simplecast. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Californi...
Dec 11, 2022•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 5
Brooklyn pizza legend Paulie Gee delivered the keynote address at this year's Northeast Pizza, Pasta, and Baking Expo in Atlantic City. He recaps for Peter (and for us) what he told his audience, and shares his journey and mid-life transformation from working in an unfulfilling mainstream job to becoming a pizza legend and mentor to dozens of others. Click here for the video versions of Pizza Quest . If you count on HRN content, become a monthly sustaining donor at heritageradionetwork.org/donat...
Dec 04, 2022•43 min•Ep. 4
Fred Mortati and his family grew a third generation New Jersey food importing business into one of the most important companies in the American pizza and restaurant industry. Hear how they did it, and how they introduced Caputo Flour and other Italian products to America, in this week's episode of Pizza Quest with Peter Reinhart. Click here for the video versions of Pizza Quest . If you count on HRN content, become a monthly sustaining donor at heritageradionetwork.org/donate . Pizza Quest is Po...
Nov 20, 2022•53 min•Ep. 3
In this episode Peter takes us "behind the curtain," of the Young Pizza Makers competition at the Northeast Pizza, Pasta, and Baking Expo in Atlantic City. He speaks with three of the judges, who describe what they look for in a championship pizza and how the future looks bright as the next generation of pizza makers prepares to step to the plate. Click here for the video versions of Pizza Quest . If you count on HRN content, become a monthly sustaining donor at heritageradionetwork.org/donate ....
Nov 13, 2022•20 min•Ep. 2
Pizza Quest returns with a new season of episodes, kicking off with the first in a series of presentations and interviews by Peter Reinhart recorded at the Northeast Pizza, Pasta, and Bakery Expo held in October, 2022, in Atlantic City, NJ. This week's episode is entitled "Tinkering With Your Dough," with Peter and guest panelist, pizza master John Gutekanst of Avalanche Pizza in Athens, OH, fielding questions from an audience of over 100 professional and amateur pizza makers from across the nat...
Nov 06, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 1
This week on Pizza Quest we return to Ann Arbor, Michigan for a second visit with another member of the Zingerman's Community of Businesses , this time with Amy Emberling . Amy is the managing partner at the world-famous Zingerman's Bakehouse , where NY-Style rye bread meets San Francisco-style sourdough, and "Old School Apple Pie" gets reinvented using Michigan-grown apples with a crust made with the highest quality leaf lard. Amy shares with us the unique vision and philosophy that has made Zi...
Aug 07, 2022•51 min•Ep. 11
We welcome back Mark Todd, The Cheese Dude, to Pizza Quest. This is Mark's third visit in what will continue as an ongoing series of master sessions (which makes him our "Cheese Yoda") on the fathomless world of cheese. In previous episodes we explored Pasta Filata, which is the category of mozzarella and other pulled cheeses, followed by an episode on the very diverse world of cheddar. This time around, Mark guides us through the realm of hard, aged cheeses, such as Parmesan, Romano, Asiago, an...
Jul 24, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 10
Leah Scurto was born to be a food star, not just a pizza star, as you will learn in this entertaining conversation with host Peter Reinhart. Half Mexican, half Italian, born into a family of food lovers who shared wonderful family meals during her early years, Leah's current success was simply meant to be. You'll hear all about her award-winning pizzas and culinary vision for the future of Pizza Leah , located in the heart of Sonoma County's wine country, in this latest episode of Pizza Quest. C...
Jul 17, 2022•45 min•Ep. 9
Michael Kalanty was my faculty colleague when I taught at the California Culinary Academy back in the 1990's. Since then, he and I have been on parallel tracks, both as educators, bread book authors, and as product developers. In this episode, Michael shares his long and winding road including pastry chef, bread expert and educator, product developer for major food companies, and even how he became a "Certified Master Taster." All of which brings us to his most recent project, developing a new k...
Jul 10, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 8
Three years ago, Eidref Laxa started a podcast in San Jose, California as a way to learn everything he could about pizza so that, maybe, one day he could open his own pizzeria. Over 150 episodes later, " What's Good Dough " has become a goldmine of pizza knowledge, culled from the giants in the industry who have generously shared their knowledge with Eidref, who then shares it with his listeners. In this episode of Pizza Quest, Eidref describes his journey of self-discovery with host Peter Reinh...
Jul 03, 2022•51 min•Ep. 7
In light of the new announcements of James Beard awards, we would like to congratulate Chris Bianco (Outstanding Restauranteur) and post again our conversation with Chris Bianco. Congratulations Chris: Chris is rightfully acclaimed as the poster boy of the artisan pizza movement. Not only is he an important and unfiltered thought leader in the realm of sustainability and right action, but his pizzas represent the benchmark to which all others aspire. Today we take a deep dive into the mind and h...
Jun 26, 2022•56 min•Ep. 6
Once upon a time, in New York City 1999, there was a restaurant created by Chef Frank DeCarlo, built around a wood-fired oven, called Peasant. Who knew then that this now iconic place would foreshadow a movement toward cooking with wood that has embedded itself throughout our food culture? Chef Marc Forgione , a friend of DeCarlo's and a regular at Peasant, was on his own culinary journey back then that included working for his father, the legendary Larry Forgione, at An American Place, and then...
Jun 13, 2022•48 min•Ep. 5
