Seasonal Pizzeria Menus Redesigned

• In an educational session at Pizza Expo, famed pizzaiolo Chris Decker encourages attendees to create menu items that match the feeling of the season. For him, spring feels hopeful.
• Forging relationships with suppliers and farmers markets can help pizzeria owners stay knowledgeable about what is in season and tailor their menus accordingly.
• Produce and flowers co-exist in most gardens, so Decker likes to include edible flowers on his pizzas, whenever possible.

Chris Decker of Truly Pizza shares pizzas for all seasons – and a custom one for Pizza Expo attendees!

Having learned how creativity can improve your pizzeria business, it is time to get down to the nitty gritty – which, in this case, is the fun stuff. It’s time to make pizza with Chris Decker, co-founder of Truly Pizza in Southern California.

During Decker’s educational session, “Building Seasonal Pizza Menus,” held during International Pizza Expo 2026, the author of Pizza Today’s monthly On Deck column explains why changing the menu is important.

“If your menu hasn’t changed, and you haven’t changed, chances are your customers haven’t changed,” he says. “And that might be something you want to think about moving forward.”

‘Eat the Way the Seasons Make you Feel’

Customers old and new visit Truly Pizza because – in addition to menu staples such as the Crispi Pepperoni and Champion Tomato & Cheese – the menu evokes a story.

“You want to eat the way the seasons make you feel,” Decker says. “Spring, you’re going to feel hopeful. Summer, there’s an abundance. Fall, you feel nostalgic. And winter, you feel comfort.”

During the spring, Decker seeks to offer customers something lighter, like what he calls “the skinny Margherita.” Sitting on the patio, he says, “You can eat that all day long because it feels like you’re somewhere else.”

Farmers Market and Local Artisans

Heading into summer, Decker is in close touch with his suppliers at the farmers market. He tells the Pizza Expo audience that these contacts keep him informed about what will be in season two and three weeks out, making it possible to plan ahead – a luxury in any restaurant environment.

“It’s super important to get those outreach people because people will help you,” Decker says, adding: “You just need to ask them. Build those relationships.”

Beyond fresh produce, Decker says he’s befriended individuals behind the harissa Truly Pizza uses on chicken wings, the pizza crunch it includes on certain menu items and the hot honey he uses as a drizzle. In addition to making authentic connections, the suppliers then promote the pizzeria to their customers through social media and other venues.

“The partnerships bring a new energy, a new audience, and hopefully new ideas. They’re going to keep things super fresh,” he says.

Build a Pizza

Rather than simply share the creations he’s made for Truly Pizza, Decker sought to collaborate with the pizzaioli who attended his Pizza Expo session. Encouraging attendees to shout out the ingredients that remind them of spring, an ingredient list formed:

• Apricot
• Ramps (a type of wild onion)
• Pork
• Mozzarella
• Fontina
• Walnuts

After returning home, Decker set to work creating a pizza with the agreed-upon ingredients. The result is so stunning, we ended up putting it on the cover of the May issue of Pizza Today.

To fulfill the call for apricots and pork, Decker applied Italian apricot jam and speck post-bake. Short of walnuts, he reached for hazelnut-stuffed dates. To add a touch of freshness, he sprinkled petit arugula and Fresno chiles to add heat.

Since most gardens contain a mix of flowers and produce, he adds colorful blooms to the “edible canvas,” and we can’t imagine it being any more beautiful.

Did you go home and replicate a pizza using the same ingredients? If so, tag us at @PizzaToday! We would love to see what you created.

KATE LAVIN is Senior Editor at Pizza Today.