The Hot Slice

Send us Fan Mail This week, we revisit a pizza-packed episode with a Pizza Today contributor and pizzeria owner, Audrey Kelly of Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage in Boulder, Colorado. She’s an inspiration, making the leap from pizza maker to pizzeria owner. She dives into her dough process, her versions of Sicilian and Grandma pies and more. This episode is hosted by Editor In Chief Jeremy White and Exe...

Send us Fan Mail Like many in the pizza business, Pete Tolman didn’t set out to do pizza. But, when he did, he dialed everything in, from the gorgeous Detroit-style pizza, business planning, marketing, and décor to create Iron Born, a hot spot pizza brand with two locations in the Steel City. On this episode, he dives into his business incubator beginning, developing the concept, the pizza and gro...

Send us Fan Mail Owner and pizzaiolo Vincent Rotolo shares some jewels about moving Good Pie into a bigger location, the unique business environment of Las Vegas, enlisting the help of pizza legends, building a strong employee culture and the pizza styles that connect Vincent to his heritage.--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-hot-slice/message

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of the Hot Slice podcast, the Pizza Today editorial crew reads and discusses some "Letters to the Editor." We get tons of awesome e-mails and decided to share and discuss a few. We had so much fun we're already planning to do it again!--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-hot-slice/message

Send us Fan Mail Tom Iannucci is a lifelong learner of pizza making and the pizza industry. He shares how Pizza Expo and Pizza Today took him from pizza enthusiast to owner. We talk various perspectives of what pizza is and how challenging tourism-rich Hawaii can be to meet global travelers’ expectations of pizza.--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-hot-slice/message

Send us Fan Mail We sit down with Manny Karvelas of Karvelas Pizza Co. in Georgia to talk about retaining employees, leadership, logistics and priming a family owned business for growth.--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-hot-slice/message

Send us Fan Mail King Umberto is a legendary Long Island, New York pizzeria. We sit down with one of its youngest partners, Giovanni (John) Cesarano. John is one of Pizza Today’s Rising Stars in the June edition of Pizza Today Magazine. We talk continuing the family business and infusing fresh perspective. John loves to bring new and innovative products to the menu. Don’t miss John reveal his bigg...

Send us Fan Mail This was such great episode that we brought it back for a replay. Listen to World Pizza Champion and Restaurateur Tony Gemignani and his right hand Laura Meyer, also a World Champion, together talk pizza business and the next big thing in the industry. This episode is hosted by Pizza Today Executive Editor Denise Greer and Editor In Chief Jeremy White.   Tony and Laura talk:  How...

Send us Fan Mail Listen to a rising star in the pizzeria industry Marcus Medina talk food truck beginnings and opening his carryout-only pizzeria, Hella Pie Pizza Co. in Tracy, California, in the midst of the pandemic. Marcus shares his story of finding pizza passion in this 30s, being self-taught and always striving to improve. He “sits down” with Editor In Chief Jeremy White and Executive Editor...

Send us Fan Mail The team at Pizza Today gather to discuss what’s happening right now in the pizzeria industry. We’re tackling the worker shortage, a big push to switch to the Delivery and Carryout Only model, online ordering and the state of industry as dine-in resumes. Get the inside scoop on Pizza Expo 2021. See how you can get four free tickets to the show by winning our Pizza Expo 365 Pizza B...

Send us Fan Mail Brenda’s Pizzeria sits in the mountains of rural Maryland. Owner Brenda McDonnell shares the inner workings of the business, as well as how it has fared during the pandemic. See how she rewards her team with trips to Pizza Expo. This episode is hosted by Editor In Chief Jeremy White and Executive Editor Denise Greer.--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-hot-slice/mess...

Send us Fan Mail In the face of a quickly shrinking labor pool, Pittsburgh-based pizzeria owner extraordinaire and Pizza Today contributor Nick Bogacz is springing into action with an aggressive hiring and employee retention plan. Editor-in-Chief Jeremy White and Executive Editor Denise Greer delve into the details with Nick in this can't-miss episode of the Hot Slice.--- Send in a voice mess...

Send us Fan Mail Bill Jacobs of Piece Pizzeria and Brewery in Chicago sits down with Jeremy White and Josh Keown on this episode of The Hot Slice podcast. As Piece nears its 20th anniversary, Jacobs discusses New Haven-style pizza, live music, beer and the hope of returning to normalcy soon as the effects of the pandemic begin to diminish.--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-hot-slic...

Send us Fan Mail Executive Editor Denise Greer sits down one-on-one with Maggie Mieles, daughter of Dom DeMarco who now operates the famed di Fara pizza in New York. Maggie shares stories of her father and growing up in the business. We talk about di Fara’s recent growth, continuing the legacy of the 56-year-old business and the new addition of a ghost kitchen.--- Send in a voice message: https://...

Send us Fan Mail Detroit-style pizza has exploded across the U.S. Creative Director Josh Keown and Executive Editor Denise Greer ‘sit down’ with the Chief Brand Office at Buddy’s Pizza Wes Pikula. Wes takes us through Buddy’s past, present and future. Wes talks: The origins of the “Detroit Style” Detroit Style’s popularity explosion Big moments in Buddy’s Pizza history Buddy’s Focus and Principles...

Send us Fan Mail Leah Scurto opened her Sonoma, California-area pizzeria, PizzaLeah, just four days before the COVID-19 shutdown. She talks candidly about the realities of operating a new business with Creative Director Josh Keown and Executive Editor Denise Greer. Leah shares how she’s lifting other women in the industry up and how her career at Pizza My Heart has helped pave the way to ownership...

Send us Fan Mail Jeremy White and Denise Greer sit down with Dave Dombrowski, owner of PizzaMia in New Lenox, Illinois, for this week's episode of the Hot Slice. An experienced operator, Dave will celebrate 30 years in the pizza business this July. He discusses the technological changes that have taken over since he opened his pizzeria, as well as how the pandemic has impacted PizzaMia.--- Se...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Creative Director Josh Keown and Executive Editor Denise Greer introduce a one-on-one marketing trends talk with Denise and Clayton Krueger, Director of Marketing and Communications at Tacoma, Washington-based Farrelli’s Pizza. We’re talking what’s hot, what’s not in marketing. Clayton talks: Marketing Trends Third-party Delivery Local Advertising SMS Marketing Pu...

Send us Fan Mail This episode, we tap one of the most brilliant minds in the pizza business John Arena. John owns Metro Pizza in Las Vegas. He is not only a successful pizzapreneur, but also a dough expert and mentor to many in the field. The “sit down” is hosted by Editor In Chief Jeremy White and Executive Editor Denise Greer. John talks: Common industry questions and his responses His pizza sta...

Send us Fan Mail To kick off Season, one of the pizzeria industry’s top pros Mike Bausch has taken over the podcast. He’s talking to Alfredo Herera, Mike’s right hand at Andolini’s before setting out on his own business in Colorado. Listen to this insightful conversation. Mike is an industry leader whose restaurant, Andolini’s Pizzeria, is a top ten pizzeria in the US, as named by TripAdvisor, Buz...

Send us Fan Mail Michael Androw made a huge decision with his pizzeria, E and D Pizza Company, Avon, Connecticut, to permanently switch to a DELCO model. Get insights on why and how Michael transitioned to DELCO. This episode is hosted by Editor In Chief Jeremy White and Executive Editor Denise Greer. Michael talks: Community focus Family market Converting to a DELCO model Transitioning Staff Mark...

Send us Fan Mail This week, we answer your questions. We’re talking pizza styles and ovens, hiring employees, text marketing, Pizza Expo 2021 and more. Editor-In-Chief Jeremy White, Creative Director Josh Keown, Executive Editor Denise Greer and Design Lead Katie Wilson share pizzeria industry insights. Show Notes: Hiring Tips: https://pizzatoday.com/departments/back-office/mikes-monthly-tip-the-f...

Send us Fan Mail Jeremy White and Josh Keown talk shop with Joe Fugere, founder of Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria in Seattle. Joe shares his vision on the pizzeria of the future, discusses his innovative employee programs and details how the grocery business and a mobile unit helped Tutta Bella thrive during a pandemic.--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-hot-slice/message

Send us Fan Mail On this week's Hot Slice podcast we sit down with Pizza Czar author, globetrotting consultant, Pizza Expo speaker and all-around pizza lover, Anthony Falco. From Texas to Seattle to Brooklyn, and beyond, Falco shares his tells from inside the pizza world with Jeremy White and Josh Keown. Don't miss it!--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-hot-slice/message

Send us Fan Mail The energetic and savvy entrepreneur Melissa Rickman of Wholly Stromboli in Lupton, Colorado, drops great advice on menus, employee retention and startup mistakes. She’s also a frequent speaker at Pizza Expo. Melissa talks: COVID-19 impact and shifts Outdoor Dining Menu Changes Strategic and expansion planning Staff Programs Common business startup mistakes Catch Melissa’s Checkin...