Pizza Quest

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...

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...

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 L...

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 becam...

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 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 pizz...

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 the...

Ann Arbor is one of the great college towns in the country, but it is equally revered in the food world as the home of Zingerman's, the destination deli and bakehouse that has become a benchmark brand, the Zabar's of the mid-west, if I might be so bold. But it is also a wonderful restaurant incubator via their "Community of Businesses," as witnessed by Miss Kim , a landmark restaurant operated by...

Tommy Garnick is known and loved throughout the pizza world as the Grand Champion of the 2019 California Milk Board Pizza Competition and as the former owner of Brava Pizza in Denver and as an instructor at The Fire Within Wood-Fired University. More recently, however, Tommy has relocated to Tucson, Arizona, where he and his partners are building a multi-purpose artisan culinary and crafts center,...

Alan Cahn is one of my oldest and dearest friends -- a brother from another mother, as the saying goes. He is also a transformation-meister, who has dedicated his life to helping others achieve their highest aspirations and self-discovery. We started out in food together, as part of a restaurant collective in Boston 51 years ago, and each followed our personal quests as the road unfolded for us, y...

We often say that Pizza Quest is more about the quest than it is about the pizza, so in this episode we do just that, as we expand the map of our journey and our celebration of artisanship wherever we find it. Today we welcome fellow Heritage Radio Network host, Lou Bank , of the Agave Road Trip podcast . You'll learn all about how Lou's non-profit organization, s.a.c.r.e.d. , supports and celebra...

For over 30 years, Expo has been the largest gathering of pizza professionals, enthusiasts, and all-around pizza freaks in the world and has been featured on many television shows and is an indispensable event for independent operators to secure contracts, ingredients, equipment, and (importantly) new ideas. I think of it as a “gathering of the tribe.” Every day during the Expo, over 10,000 people...

Every day, new pizzerias open everywhere to varying degrees of success. But what is it that causes some of them to immediately burst from the gate and generate excitement and buzz? Geno DiPaolo and his daughter Gena, somehow found that "secret sauce" to make it happen in Charlotte, North Carolina at their Geno D's Pizza . Geno is known by his fans as "Geno from Jersey," and that is definitely part...

We've invited one of our regular contributors and Pizza Yodi, Brian Spangler (owner of Apizza Scholls in Portland, Oregon), to flip the script and interview this week's guest -- me! I'm here to announce the release of our long-awaited book, " Pizza Quest, My Never-Ending Search for the Perfect Pizza ," and to answer Brian's questions about the book. Brian, by the way, is one of 30 contributors to...

One of our producers saw a photo on Instagram of this Meatball Parmesan Sandwich from Razza , Dan Richer ’s amazing pizzeria in Jersey City, NJ. Brad was so inspired by the photo that he immediately contacted Dan and asked him if he’d show us how to make it here on Pizza Talk. And, now, here it is (thank you Dan and Brad)! One of the things that really differentiates this sandwich from your averag...

The Baking Steel has been a game changer in the pizza world and beyond ever since it arrived. It was “invented” by Andris Lagsdin and, in just a few short years, has gone from little known obscurity — a private in-the-know kind of club — to now arriving at a status, just before fully tipping over, known as, “I just heard about this thing and I think I really want one.” In this episode, hear from t...

Scott Wiener is, arguably, the most beloved "influencer" in the pizza world. He is a true pizza maven, and knows more about pizza than anyone that any of us know. He turned a college hobby into the hugely successful Scott's Pizza Tours in New York City, and has introduced thousands of visitors to the best pizzerias in the city, while also co-hosting, with pizzaiolo extraordinaire Mark Iacono , his...

Stromboli master and world champion pizzaiolo, Lee Hunzinger , joins Peter and regular contributor and Pizza Yodi, Brian Spangler, for an illuminating session on the crafting of the perfect stromboli. Brian believes that Lee makes the absolute best stromboli he ever had, and requested to be part of this conversation to, like all of us, drink at the well of greatness. You'll hear all about it on th...

Today’s guest is the embodiment of the old adage: Think globally, but act locally. By that, I mean that Siler Chapman is a world pizza champion, a protege of Tony Gemignani, and is known well beyond the borders of this city, my city, our city, Charlotte, NC, where we both live. As you will learn in this fun conversation, I have been a fan of Siler’s since I moved here 19 years ago, when he was was...

Here at Pizza Talk, we love that Anthony Falco , like Babe Ruth, called his own shot and hit it out of the park. A few years ago, after an illustrious career at Roberta’s and other pizza palaces, he declared himself an “International Pizza Consultant,” and guess what? The consulting opportunities began rolling in. Of course, he could actually walk the talk, so this was no empty boast, and Anthony...

There are a lot of reasons for this, and it goes way beyond flavor. One of the international driving forces of this tidal wave of interest is Vanessa Kimbell , who is the founder, author, and host of TheSourdoughClub.com and Sourdough.co.uk (and three Sourdough School cookbooks ). Based in the UK, north of London, Vanessa has a huge following and is an important global influencer and teacher, espe...

John Gutekanst , owner of Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio, whose blog, The Pizza Goon , is only one of his alter egos, is, to my mind, one of the true Rennaissance men of the pizza and culinary community. In this lively conversation and demo, John takes us into his creative process, shares some recipes and culinary history, and gives us a glimpse of his generous spirit and determination to make th...

Laura Meyer has worked with Tony Genignani for many years and is both a protégé and a prodigy. In this fascinating conversation, Laura talks about her personal journey and the process of finding her own award-winning “voice,” while also helping Tony build one of the most important pizza brands and training programs in the world. Laura is also one of a growing number of women stars in the pizza com...

Audrey Sherman Kelly is one of the fastest rising stars in the pizza firmament. She not only makes competition-winning pizzas, but also is a regular contributor to Pizza Today Magazine , and the creator of a grandma pizza, The Patty, that pays tribute to her son’s grandma (yes, Audrey’s mom) with a distinctive sesame seed crust. How does she do it? Audrey tells all in this episode of Pizza Quest w...

When Hurricane Sandy devastated the coastal areas of Queens and Brooklyn, there were many economic victims. But Nicole Russell, who had already lost her job, decided not to be a victim and, instead, started making original pizzas baked in her home oven, and sold them out the back door, like her signature Kiss Mi' Converse Jerk-Chicken Pizza. Thus, Last Dragon Pizza was born. Before long, Nicole ha...