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Menu Development
2012 July: Dough Glossary for Starters
From time to time I am asked a question about a term that I’ve used in one of my articles. As a result, I’ve come to discover that a lot of operators are not familiar with the terms that I just take for granted. To help bring everyone up ...
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Operations
2012 July: Using Secret Shoppers
If you plan to utilize secret shoppers, be sure they answer the following questions: • Were you greeted with a friendly smile when entering the pizzeria? • Was the restaurant clean? • How long did it take for the food to be served? &bu...
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Employee Management
Bar Staff Training Tips
Rather than flipping new staff a book for their self-study or allowing a new bartender to learn the poor habits of a shoddy veteran, integrate these key elements into bar staff training for maximum effectiveness: Engaging and Interactive: creating a ...
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People & Pizzerias
2011 February: Il Pizzaiolo: Lucifers Pizza
It’s February, and that means the folks in the International Pizza Expo offices are putting the finishing touches on the annual event that brings more than 6,000 pizzeria operators under one roof. Slated for Tuesday, March 1, through Thursday, ...
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Menu Development
2011 February: On A Roll
Stromboli is a second cousin to pizza and a first cousin to the calzone. Which brings us to this question: how, precisely, does a Stromboli differ from a calzone? Well, in a nutshell, there is not much difference. A stromboli starts with a rectangula...
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People & Pizzerias
All Systems A Grow
Many operators have asked me questions about opening a second unit. Going from one store to two was one of the hardest moves I ever made. Going from two to three was much easier. I caution operators that if your current store is running better when y...
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Menu Development
2012 July: Press Affect on Dough
The way these two forming methods affect the dough and finished crust characteristics is quite significant. The sheeter tends to both put a lot of work/energy into the dough, sometimes even causing the dough to become tough and elastic like during th...
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Employee Management
2012 July: Text Ordering
Just when you thought you’d caught up with the new wave in technology-style ordering, the big boys have gone one step further than Web sites to introduce text messaging. Yes, you can now order via cell phone — without actually using it to...
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Menu Development
2011 January: Sweet Tooth
“Desserts are a missed opportunity,” says Jeffrey Freehof, owner of The Garlic Clove in Evans, Georgia, and a resident expert at Pizza Today. In our September 2010 issue, he called out desserts as one of the five things every pizzeria sho...
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Employee Management
2012 August: Passion For Pizza
Watch this video of Paulie Gee’s in Brooklyn, New York and feel that fire for the pizzeria industry stir inside: It’s Never Too Late to Make Pizza: Paulie Gee’s from SkeeterNYC on Vimeo. This is an example of how video can tell a pi...
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Employee Management
2012 July: Lower Your Energy Costs
To ease the burden of rising energy costs, start by taking a look at your HVAC system. The unit not only maintains the current climate control in your restaurant, but it also controls exhaust from the kitchen. One way to maintain climate in the back ...
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Menu Development
2012 July: Presto Pesto
The repertoire of Italian sauces is loaded with classics like Alfredo, Bolognese, arrabbiata, marinara, and oil and garlic. The one sauce that stands just as tall and is just as versatile is pesto. I was always of a mind that pesto sauce never got th...