Flour should be fresh. Period. If you've ever heard, "The best flour for pizza is caputo pizzeria (caputo blue) flour," you're not alone. It is a great flour, don't get it twisted, but the flour and brand do have its shortcomings. In this week's podcast, I interview Rafi, the owner and operator of Hilltown Hot Pies. This short segment is taken from a 1 hour long podcast [WGD72] where we discuss food sustainability, mobile trucks, and pizza mentorship. While Caputo undoubtedly makes great product...
Jun 28, 2021•5 min
From political organizing to sustainable farming, pizza is the thread that ties it all together. Rafi is the owner and operator of Hilltown Hot Pies- a soon to be mobile wood fired operation focused on naturally leavened pies and local ingredients. We talk commercial leases, mentorship and so much more! Follow Rafi on IG@hilltownhotpies https://www.instagram.com/hilltownhotpies Follow me on IG@whatsgooddough https://www.instagram.com/whatsgooddough/ Buy an Ooni! https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=12...
Jun 25, 2021•1 hr 12 min
This is a short segment taken from my convo with Matt from Del Terra Pizza. We dive in about incorporating whole wheat into your dough. We break down how he "mills" flour without a mill, how much he uses, and why. If you want to listen to the entire episode check out the link below. https://anchor.fm/whatsgooddough/episodes/WGD-71-Matt-Opyck-from-Del-Terra-Pizza-e12iehf Follow Matt on IG@ delterra_pizza https://www.instagram.com/delterra_pizza Follow me on IG@whatsgooddough https://www.instagram...
Jun 21, 2021•9 min
Lessons from a firefighting, mobile pizza operator. We talk fire code, incorporating whole wheat to your pizza dough and more. Follow on IG@delterra_pizza https://www.instagram.com/delterra_pizza/ Follow me on IG@whatsgooddough https://www.instagram.com/whatsgooddough/ Buy an Ooni! https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=1232202&u=2800064&m=82053&urllink=&afftrack= Podcast Survey https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1_DOdfM-Wpa7wyZUMgd7QG90spWHPNANz2q6V3Yf7o6g/edit Get your propane delivered (...
Jun 18, 2021•59 min
Re-opening America's First Pizzeria. White Collar Crime. Michelin Star Pizza Andrew Bellucci is the comeback kid of pizza. There are so many highs and lows in this story its ridiculous. You have to wonder how someone like Andrew just continues to persist and persist. This dude wants it. Whatever he has his mind set to he's going for it. We talk dough, business, fancy pizza, pizza exile and more. Follow on Andrew on IG@the_bellucci https://www.instagram.com/the_bellucci Follow me on IG@whatsgoodd...
Jun 11, 2021•1 hr 4 min
60 pies a night. Be more in tune with your customers and your craft. Leave a legacy. Today we speak with Craig Melillo from Gracies Apizza. In this conversation, we talk about his switch from having employees to running the shop by himself. In his eyes, there is no better way to run it. Since going solo, Craig's dough has been more consistent- because if anything goes wrong there's no one else to blame. All mistakes must pass through him and only him providing an instant learning opportunity. Cr...
Jun 04, 2021•1 hr 4 min
I'm so lucky to be able to geek out on dough with Chris Decker. In this conversation we talk about making beautiful pizzas, his mentors (some obvious, some not) and Chris' soon to be wood fired pizza spot plus the adaptations he made to his dough for better wood fired pizzas to-go!. Follow Chris on IG@everythingbutanchovies https://www.instagram.com/everythingbutanchovies Follow me on IG@whatsgooddough https://www.instagram.com/whatsgooddough/ Buy an Ooni! https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=1232202&...
May 28, 2021•55 min
Sorry for the swearing! I will try to chill out on the F Bombs! We speak with Jay from Arty Stan Pizza. Jay talks about delayed gratification, building a team, and being cheeky with his customers. One thing I really love about Jay is his personality and he uses that to not only get rid of the stigma of selling food out of his house, but to build lasting relationships. Follow Jay @arty_stan_pizza https://www.artystanpizza.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/arty_stan_pizza/ Follow me on IG@whatsgood...
May 21, 2021•1 hr 11 min
Anthony falco has been in the pizza industry for 15 years and in this conversation, we focus on his new book coming and we dive in on his journey as a pizza consultant. We talk about the moments leading up to it, how he got his first gig, and the biggest benefits and downsides to being one. We also talk about the importance of using great ingredients. Buy Pizza Czar (Affiliate Link- no extra cost to you, but many thanks for using the link) Follow Anthony @millennium_falco https://www.instagram.c...
May 14, 2021•58 min
While we do talk about the Santa Barbara Baker style pizza, fresh toppings and leoparding included, a great chunk of this conversation really is about following your dreams. We talk about how Santa Barbara Baker quit his job to pursue happiness which ultimately led him to staging at a pizzeria to ultimately creating YouTube videos. We find out the why behind it all and where he wants to take the Santa Barbara Baker. SantaBarbaraBaker.com instagram.com/santabarbarabaker Santa Barbara Baker YouTub...
May 07, 2021•1 hr 1 min
Today we speak with Mike Vaona. He's the author of the book, Rose Hill Sourdough. And he's also the head of engineering over at Ooni. We talk about his life prior to Ooni as a pop up operator and break down his lessons and successes and of course we go deep on Sourdough. He also shares his love and passion for lifting up his community through positivity knowledge sharing and through the work that he does at Ooni. Follow Mike on IG@rosehillsourdough https://www.instagram.com/rosehillsourdough/ ht...
Apr 30, 2021•1 hr 44 min
Chachi has traveled up and down the west coast cooking in fine dining, slinging pizza for a large tech company, and doing wood fired pies. When the pandemic hit, he had the opportunity to host his own pop up at a restaurant he was working for and ultimately branched off and ran it on his own doing square pies and popping up in various cities in Seattle. While Chachi is what I would classify as another home pizza/and pop up pizza maker, he has an interesting and motivating story that we can learn...
Apr 23, 2021•35 min
Today we speak with Brett from Izzys pizza bus. And yes he operates his Detroit Style Pizza business out of a renovated school bus that he fixed up all by himself! We talk about his story pre pizza as an audio engineer and how covid pushed his business from side gig to a full time operator. What’s really cool about this is all that Brett loves to learn, experiment, and tweak. We share lessons gems and more. Follow Izzys Pizza Bus on IG @izzyspizzabus Have feedback for the show? Let me know what'...
Apr 16, 2021•45 min
Today we talk with Sam From Ammazza Pizza. Sam is a 20 year pizza vet who currently manages the behemoth of a restaurant known as amamaaza pizza. Their focus is simple, fresh, and local wood fired pizza and they also have an extremely popular vegan offering. www.bit.ly/cynch Podcast Survey Follow Ammazza Pizza on Instagram @ammazza.pizza Follow me on IG @whatsgooddough
Apr 09, 2021•43 min
In todays episode we talk with James who runs the pop up under the alias Kilroys Pizza. Of course we go over the clever reason as to why he uses that name. We also take a deep dive on his pizza experiences leading up to him branching off on his own which includes a pretty well rounded resume. In this convo, I found 2 things extremely valuable. The first being having the opportunity to learn from James' failures. As Eleanor Roosevelt once said- learn from others mistakes because we wont live long...
Apr 02, 2021•55 min
Today we talk with Evan Weinstein In 2019 BC (Before Covid) Evan owned a company that promoted 300 club shows a year, 3 music festivals, and he had a staff of 9-10 employees when covid hit, live entertainment was one of the first industries to get shut down. While his business closed, he didn’t take any of the skills he accumulated over 10 years granted and applied them to to what appears to be a fast grow ing pizza business. From ghost kitchens, to something called pizza drops, to having a bric...
Mar 26, 2021•37 min
John Arena says that home pizzamakers now know more about baking than professionals did 20 years ago. The cumulative knowledge in this group is on point. We talk about whole wheat, buying local, hydration and so much more. Want to join in on the convo? Follow us on clubhouse and instagram to be notified @WhatsGoodDough @PDXdoughboy @pizzaiollie @kilroyspizza @projectpeteza @eddiespizza412 @mehlundmehr @till_martin_ @undergroundpizzmd @foldpizzaco
Mar 22, 2021•1 hr 4 min
We speak with Jerry, a Chicago native doing tavern-style pizza in Portland. Like many people, Jerry started experimenting with pizzas in the pandemic- first with home made dough. Like many who enter this world, making pies became an obsession to Jerry. He admits even pushing the limits of fermentation up to two weeks in his discovery of his representation of a tavern style pie. Eventually, he came to a pie that he and his fiancee really and enjoyed. But clearly others have fallen in love with it...
Mar 19, 2021•1 hr 18 min
This episode was recorded on Clubhouse to discuss Charity Pop Ups. Let me know if you like the idea of engaging with the guests, asking questions relating to certain topics. As you will discover later in the episode, we had audience members speak up and ask questions of their own. Want to help me plan my next clubhouse event? DM me on IG or email eidref@whatsgooddough.com Have thoughts about the show? Fill out my survey I want to thank my guests for recording this with me. I hope they as much fu...
Mar 16, 2021•1 hr 28 min
Today we talk with Nicole Bean, one of the owners and operators of Pizaros Pizza Napoletana. As you may have seen in recent news, Houston experienced some crazy weather and oftentimes, that will mess you up if you're in the business of serving food. In this convo, we discuss some things that you should consider preparing for in advance so that you can ultimately be free to do what you do best in your community's time of need. See Nicole's Oh Sh!t Plan Below https://docs.google.com/document/d/1it...
Mar 12, 2021•52 min
In this episode we talk with Scott from Scotts Pizza Project. His IG has blown up in the last year serving up beautiful looking pizzas on his Ooni but not because he hacked the algorithm, but because he has a process of truly immersing himself in everything he does. From researching pizza styles to engaging his followers, this guy is super dedicated. He has a great, humbling story so check it out. If you enjoy the show, please remember to share it with a fellow pizza lover! Follow Scott on IG @s...
Mar 05, 2021•1 hr 7 min
I finally had the pleasure of having John Arena, co-owner of Metro Pizza on the show. He has been making pizza longer than anyone I've ever spoken with. When someone with that much knowledge and experience talks, its guaranteed you'll find a nugget or two. Thanks to John, I learned a new way of viewing not only pizza, but life in general. Give this episode a listen to improve your chances of longevity in the world of pizza making. http://metropizza.com/ Instagram @johnnypizzaguy https://www.inst...
Feb 26, 2021•1 hr 8 min
In this episode we talk with Laine. She goes by the IG alias @Pittsburgh Pizza. She is a fellow pizza lover managing a highly followed Instagram. We talk about key topics for anyone trying to level up their pizza game including using a business Instagram account over a personal one, finding your voice on social media and she goes over mistakes that business owners make while marketing their pizza business. As a professional pizza eater, she eats at pizzerias a lot and we figure out how she posts...
Feb 19, 2021•59 min
I am excited to do my first ever part 2 interview with Chris! He is killing it in his local area as the OWNER of A Slice of NJ. In this episode, we catch up on where he is at and where he has taken his business. We talk marketing to his local audience, frozen pizzas and Chris shares some awesome advice that we should never forget. Follow Chris on IG @a_slice_of_nj http://instagram.com/a_slice_of_nj https://www.asliceofnewjersey.com/
Feb 14, 2021•1 hr
Ben Berman is the bridge the connects great causes, generous people, and free pizza. In this interview, I draw out the experiences and skills that precedes his philanthropic enterprise. Topics: Dropping pizza out of his window Consulting Starting a food truck Mainely Burgers Winning a grant in 8th grade Pizza Lottery People taking photos of his apartment Tips to be more consistent as a home baker Get In Contact: Follow Ben on IG https://www.instagram.com/goodpizaphl Give to the cause https://www...
Feb 13, 2021•56 min
In today's episode, we speak with Alessio Lacco. He is an AVPN (Associazione Verace Pizza napoletana) certified Pizzaiolo who owns Atlanta Pizza Truck. In this episode, we talk about the experience that lead him to educating other pizza makers, styles of pizza that a pizza purist likes, and much much more. Topics: Margherita Pizza, Pineapple Pizza, Detroit style pizza, Associazione Verace Pizza napoletana, Pizza Consulting, Wood Fired Pizza, Pizza Truck and much more. Listen to the audio only ve...
Feb 12, 2021•56 min
Marc Schechter and Daniel Stoller are the Square Pie Guys. They took the jump to starting the square pizza business a little over 2 years ago, a huge up-taking to begin with. To make the venture even more challenging, they opened in the heart of San Francisco. It's safe to say they have succeeded in starting up a well known brand based on their decision to expand to a second location across the bridge in Oakland. Of course success does not happen overnight and in this episode we talk about takin...
Feb 05, 2021•56 min
Today is a 🔥 episode with Giovanni Cesarano from King Umberto. We discuss how Giovanni puts his flair and style into King Umberto, a New York Pizzeria deeply rooted in tradition. We discuss how he became a partner in the business, how he continues to learn and incorporate the latest trends all while paying respect to the classics. He draws inspiration from fashion specifically Louis Vuitton, sneakers and @virgilabloh. This is a great episode. Link in bio Visit their website Follow Giovanni on I...
Jan 29, 2021•47 min
What a fun convo with Blaine! This guy lives pizza and we talk about his mission to eat all of the best Pizza Portland has to offer. Blaine also makes pizza and we talk about his business, his lessons learned, and an awesome charity event he is leading!
Jan 22, 2021•1 hr 8 min
One of my favorite episodes ever, Mike and I have a genuine conversation about what it takes to make a good pie and how to sell it. It starts with asking yourself one question, "Do I suck?" And if that’s too negative for you, ask a similar question. "Where can I improve?" Whether you are a home pizza maker or run a business empire, I believe this show can present you with a bunch of knowledge that can help you out in anything you choose to do in life. Also please check out his book! Unsliced: Ho...
Jan 15, 2021•56 min
