Get the hottest news about Pizza Expo 2026, the world’s largest pizza show for pizzeria owners, operators and the pizza industry Stay up to date about Pizza Expo 2026 by following Pizza Today's news hub for the event of the year. This is the place to learn about...
Kate Lavin
Kate Lavin's Latest Posts
Pizzeria Menu Engineering for Profit
Most pizzeria owners haven’t put as much thought into menu engineering as they have put into the food that comes out of the kitchen, according to Mike Bausch, owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The challenge to the many chef-driven operators is that a...
Italian Pasta Could Double in Price Under Proposed Tariffs
Pasta – one of the most inexpensive foods enjoyed by American consumers – could become prohibitively expensive under a new initiative by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The move comes after Italian companies La Molisana and Garofalo (Pastificio Lucio Garofalo S.p.A)...
U.S. Pizzerias Assist Families during SNAP Benefits Delay
Restaurants Pledge Free Food as Nearly 42 Million Americans Await Return of Assistance Program From Kansas to Colorado and beyond, independently owned pizzerias are stepping in to fill the gap left when the federal government shutdown paused payments through the...
How to Reheat Pizza | Knead to Know
Don’t LetYour Customers Wing It; Provide Reheating Instructions Are you offering takeout and delivery? If not, you might be leaving untold amounts of money on the table. Pizza is one of the most takeout-friendly foods, but we all know what happens as soon as the lid...
Pizzeria Picasso | Commissioning Artwork
Commission an artist to create a one-of-a-kind masterpiece for your restaurant Over the past year, Michael Pollack has become the most celebrated artist in the pizza world. The founder of New Haven Pizza Club created a 9,000-pound sculpture valued by an independent...
Alternative Cheeses | Beyond Mozzarella
What to know about using beer cheddar, gorgonzola, plant-based and other cheeses Randy Lewis was making grilled cheese for his kids when a bit of cheddar seeped out and started getting crispy in the pan. Inspired by how the cheese bubbled when exposed to heat, the...
How to Build Your Next Pizzeria Manager | Mike’s Monthly Tip
Most pizzeria owners wait too long to develop leaders. They’re hoping for someone to step up instead of creating a path that identifies, mentors and promotes the right people. This is a super risky way to run your business. If your manager quit tomorrow, would you...
Grana, Atlanta, Georgia | Destinations
This southern Italian restaurant opened its Roswell location in December 2024, marking the company’s third in the Atlanta area. Roswell is the largest of the three shops, situated in a mixed-use Southern Post development with over 6,000 square feet and a 2,600...
Robert Maleski | A Conversation
Milly’s Pizza in the Pan Chicago, Illinois Concept: We are a small pizzeria with two locations: one in Chicago, Illinois, and one located in a nearby suburb, Berwyn. We only make pizza, and we make a limited number of pizzas per day. People preorder in the morning by...
Create a Limited-time Offer That Sells Pizza | Building Blocks
Everyone is always searching for the next thing – the next viral sensation or the next big seller. As I mentioned in last month’s column, we like to create limited-time offers (LTOs) that run a minimum of six weeks and a max time of one whole quarter. We try to plan...
Passing the Torch | Commentary
I’m in my 25th year at Pizza Today. It’s crazy to think about, but it’s true. I joined the staff in September 2000. It’s been an amazing ride that I have thoroughly enjoyed. I would not change a thing about the experiences I have had along the way. Speaking of change...













