The Hot Slice

Send us a text This week, we catch up with Scott Wiener to chat all things pizza. Scott started Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City 17 years ago. And his pizza enthusiasm has only grown. As Josh says on the podcast, “no one knows probably more about the pizza business than Scott.”  Scott has been a frequent speaker at Pizza Expo and contributor to Pizza Today. He judges the International Pizza Challenge and other global pizza competitions. Featured on numerous TV shows and media outlets, he also authored Viva La Pizza! and holds a Guinness World Record for his pizza box collection.  We dive into what’s happening right now in the New York pizza scene. He shares how the New York slice is elevating its game. Find out memorable pizzas Scott had last year and what he’s up to this year. We talk in depth about judging at the International Pizza Challenge. He offers some advice as a longtime judge. Show Notes: Are you a Pizzeria to Watch? We are looking for standout pizzerias to feature in our 2026 Pizzerias to Watch in our May issue of Pizza Today. If you would like to be considered, complete our questionnaire for inclusion. https://pizzatoday.com/pizzerias-to-watch-questionnaire/ Countdown to Pizza Expo As Pizza Expo approaches, we are preparing for the biggest and best Pizza Expo yet. A couple things of note. Competition spots are filling or are on waitlists, signed up now for remaining competition spots. Register now for Pizza Expo 2026.

Send us a text When most people think of Chicago pizza, they picture a deep-dish behemoth, a cheesy beast you need a fork and knife to conquer. But locals know the real MVP of the region is Chicago Thin – and it’s finally getting the love it deserves. We sat down with Tony Troiano of J.B. Alberto’s Pizza, a 60-year-old Chicago institution and recent winner of the Great American Pizza Challenge for Best Traditional Thin Pizza. Troiano has been in the game a long time and had some incredible insights about why this crispy, tavern-style pie is taking over. While tourists line up for deep-dish, Troiano says locals are gathering for game days and family parties around a box of thin crust. “Ninety-five percent of the people in Chicago ... they’re eating a thin-crust pizza,” he says. In fact, our own 2026 Pizza Industry Trends Report reveals that Chicago Thin is now the third most popular pizza style in the country! “I probably wouldn’t have competed with this particular pizza five years ago,” Troiano says. Now, he’s seeing it embraced on a national and even international level. A key element to J.B. Alberto’s award-winning pies is the hand-pinched, house-made raw sausage. This might sound scary to some, but Tony insists it’s a game-changer. “The flavor difference is so much better,” he says. Pinching nickel-sized pieces ensures it cooks perfectly during a 12-minute bake, releasing just the right amount of flavor into the pie. And if you’re still worried? “Put it on top,” Tony advises. “That makes people feel better.” To get the full story, listen to the complete Hot Slice episode with Tony Troiano.  Show Notes:  Download an expanded version of the 2026 Pizza Industry Trends Report! Visit J.B. Alberto’s website, where a “secret menu” item is available only online!

Send us a text Join us for this special New Year’s Day edition of The Hot Slice Podcast. The new year is full of new opportunities. The Pizza Today team gathers to commemorate the New Year with 2026 thoughts and reflections. We highlight goals we have to help the pizza community. Denise highlights priorities in her first full year as Editor in Chief. We look at pizza trends and share our forecasts for the upcoming year. Don’t miss as we share pizza styles that we are personally excited to perfect and styles we hope gain traction around the country.  Happy New Year, pizza fam!

Send us a text Listen to George Gilliam, owner of Uncle G’s Pizza in Birmingham, Alabama on The Hot Slice Podcast with Pizza Today Merry Christmas from all of us at Pizza Today and Pizza Expo. This week on The Hot Slice Podcast with Pizza Today, we are replaying one of the most popular episodes of 2025 with George Gilliam, owner of Uncle G’s Pizza in Birmingham, Alabama. George reached out to us to do a story on how he has doubled and tripled slow days at the restaurant. The conversion was so captivating that we wanted to share it on the podcast.   Gilliam set a strategy into motion to turn his slowest days into high-volume sales days. He focused on increasing sales with daily specials one slow day at a time until he covered the entire week. “This kind of aggressive weekday programming has brought in the traffic and revenue we needed on nights that used to be dead,” he says. “I’ve built out a weekly schedule that gives people a clear reason to visit every single day.”  He approached each day with a new special and/or event and shares which days he started with. Uncle G’s promotes the days through its social accounts, e-mail and in store. It’s designed as weekly programming that Gilliam says people can build into their routines.  The conversation on social media led into a genuine talk on AI and advanced technology and their role in small independent pizzerias.  Read our article with George “Doubling to Tripling a Restaurant’s Slow Day Sales” at https://pizzatoday.com/topics/brand-marketing/doubling-to-tripling-a-restaurants-slow-day-sales/  Learn more about Uncle G’s Pizza at https://unclegspizza.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/unclegspizza/  

Send us a text From handing out menus before she could even reach the tables to taking the reins as owner of Pino’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria in Farmville, Virginia, Marilena Lentini’s journey is inspiring at every turn. In this episode, we talk about the terrifying yet rewarding transition from employee to boss. Lentini opens up about the importance of maintaining positivity, and how she earned the respect of her staff. We also share the secret sauce for staying relevant at a decades-old community restaurant. Spoiler alert: It involves a lot of love for the locals and a surprising amount of TikTok! You’ll hear how Lentini uses viral videos to bring in fresh faces without spending a dime on ads. Plus, we discuss the power of lifting up other local businesses instead of competing with them. This episode is packed with actionable advice and infectious energy. Tune in to hear how passion, hard work, and a little bit of social media savvy can take a business to a whole new level Show Notes: Pino’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria: https://www.pinosfarmville.com/  Pino’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@www.pinosfarmville.com 

Send us a text The Hot Slice Podcast is back with one last episode from the Pizza Today booth at Pizza Expo Columbus in October with in-person conversations with pizzeria operators. We’re continuing our Pizza Expo Columbus episodes. You’ll hear riveting stories of entrepreneurship, growth, competition, struggles and ever a lesser-known pizza style.  Let’s end the special sessions with pizza pros who share how they’ve found their niche by either introducing an international pizza style, laser focusing on the brand and getting into the details of a pizzeria’s feel. Hear their stories of finding and sharing their uniqueness. Nick McDonald and Braden Miller, Black Dog Pizzeria, Dublin, Ohio We geek out about garlic knots and talk competition. We explored what Columbus-style pizza is. Nick shares how the restaurant has rebounded from a fire and what’s next for the business. Find out what’s behind Black Dog’s outstanding branding and marketing. Fernando Grecco, OG Papa Fern, Queens, New York What’s Argentinian pizza? Fernando shares what the style is, its heritage and history. He details how he is putting it on the map in the U.S. Nick Robson, Ohio Pie Company, Brunswick, Rocky River, Parma, Ohio Nick walks us through creating the Ohio Pie Co. brand and vibe that has now grown to three locations. He explains how once the comfort sets in with a location; it’s time to explore another location. We talk systems and ops with multiple units. Thank you for being a part of this special series from the show floor at Pizza Expo Columbus.  Learn more about Pizza Expo Columbus. Find the latest news from this year’s show.  

Send us a text The Hot Slice Podcast is back at the Pizza Today booth at Pizza Expo Columbus in October with in-person conversations with pizzeria operators. We’re continuing our Pizza Expo Columbus episodes. You’ll hear riveting stories of entrepreneurship, growth, competition, struggles and ever a lesser-known pizza style.  Let’s continue the sessions with pizza pros who are growing in their own unique ways, from purchasing an existing pizzeria, expanding after a decade in the business or charting a new course and concept. Hear how each guest approaches the growth.  Leo Dicesaris, Cerrone’s Brick Oven, Columbus Georgia Leo has studied pizza extensively to create his international award-winning pizza at Cerrone. As the pizzeria celebrates its 10-year anniversary, Leo shares how the shop os looking for new store growth or expansion. A veteran in the business, he offers advice on mentorship. Mike Distefano & Michael Distefano, Jr., Salvatore’s Pizza, Johnstown, Pennsylvania The Distefanos took over Salvatore’s over the summer. The father/sons trio run the business. Mike shares what’s happened since buying the pizzeria. Michael, Jr. details how his competitive spirit helped him compete in the Great American Pizza Challenge.  Aaron Gehrman, Emilio Finatti Pizzeria, Vancouver, BC, Canada With a strong foothold with multiple units in the Vancouver area, Aaron has his sights on opening a new concept, A Slice Above, in Southern California. He shares the process of opening the U.S. and how the two concepts differ.  Stay tuned for one more episode returning to the show floor at Pizza Expo Columbus.  Learn more about Pizza Expo Columbus. Find the latest news from this year’s show.    

Send us a text Happy Thanksgiving! Today we’re replaying one of our favorite 2025 episodes of The Hot Slice Podcast with Pizza Today. It features an inspiring conversation with Matthew and Hengam Stanfield, the engineering-minded power couple behind Mattenga’s Pizzeria. Fresh off their monumental achievement of being named Pizza Today’s 2025 Pizzeria of the Year, the Stanfields shared the strategic insights and systematic approaches that transformed their struggling single pizzeria into San Antonio’s fastest-growing pizza business.  A Remarkable Month of Recognition  The timing couldn’t have been more perfect for the Stanfields. In the same week they received the prestigious Pizzeria of the Year honor, Mattenga’s also secured their third consecutive “Best of San Antonio” award – a testament to their consistent excellence and community impact.  “It was in the exact same week,” Hengam noted during the podcast. “Pretty awesome.”  This dual recognition represents more than just accolades; it demonstrates how the couple has successfully balanced operational excellence with deep community engagement throughout San Antonio.  The Power of Customer-Centric Marketing  One of the most striking aspects of Mattenga’s success lies in how they leverage recognition and media coverage. Rather than making achievements about themselves, the Stanfields consistently redirect the spotlight to their customers and community.  “We never want to make it about us,” Hengam explained. “It takes a village with the team, but also we are here because we have a lot of great customers that continue to support us. So it’s always making it about gratitude to our customers.”  This approach has contributed to their impressive 15-20% steady sales growth this year, with multiple high-profile moments including a Dave Portnoy visit creating sustained momentum rather than temporary spikes.  Engineering Excellence in Restaurant Operations  The Stanfields’ engineering backgrounds shine through in their systematic approach to restaurant management. Their comprehensive meeting structure includes three distinct sessions:  Texas Hospitality meetings focusing on reviews and above-and-beyond service stories  Engineered meetings diving deep into 20+ key performance metrics  Invest meetings centered on leadership development and team growth  “As restaurant owners, you have many problems, then you can think about the source of your problem,” Hengam shared. “Whatever problem we have is a system problem… instead of pointing to people, a lot of times, I think in our industry, we look at people are the problem.”  Innovative Commissary Operations  The podcast revealed fascinating insights into Mattenga’s commissary implementation across all seven locations. By centralizing prep work and investing in specialized equipment like the “cheese hog” that shreds 48 pounds of cheese in seconds, they’ve achieved remarkable efficiency gains.  Matthew noted they successfully reduced their labor target from 23% to 19% while improving consistency and freeing up front-line staff to focus on hospitality rather than prep work.  Vision for Explosive Growth  Looking toward the future, the Stanfields aren’t thinking small. With plans to potentially reach 21 locations within three years – maintaining their current growth trajectory – they’re actively preparing systems and leadership development for a 400-employee operation.  “What has gotten us here will not get us there,” Hengam reflected, emphasizing their commitment to continuous evolution and improvement.  The couple also teased exciting developments they couldn’t yet share on the podcast, hinting at franchise opportunities and other strategic initiatives

Send us a text The fun continues this week, as we conduct quick interviews from the Pizza Today booth during the inaugural Pizza Expo Columbus. This episode of The Hot Slice features discussions with three mobile pizzeria operators at various stages of business development – starting with lessons from the first year in business through how to innovate during the 15th season of running a mobile pizza operation.  During this episode, we speak with: Kaitlyn & Chris Corson, Timbertop Pizza, Waverly, Iowa Pizza was a hobby for this Iowa teacher and her husband, but with help from the pizza industry, they took the “summer fun” activity to the next level this year. Along the way, they’ve learned about teamwork, dreamed about a “pizza farm” and used AI to help prepare for their second season.  Erica Sprenkel, Ramblin’ Dough Wood-fired Pizza, Evergreen, Colorado This new mobile pizzeria owner jumped at the opportunity  when her favorite operator was selling the business. Since then, she’s worked local festivals, developed a loyal following of customers and dialed in consistency one wood fire at a time. Maaren Spears, A Wandering Fire, Saint Croix Falls, Wisconsin This catering-only mobile pizzeria does more than 100 events between early May and mid-October each year – and has to turn down twice as many! Spears works with local farmers to create menus that highlight regional agriculture and reduce food waste. You won’t want to miss hearing about her plans for the future! Stay tuned next week, as we return to the show floor at Pizza Expo Columbus!  Learn more about Pizza Expo Columbus. Find the latest news from this year’s show.

Send us a text We had a blast at Pizza Expo Columbus connecting with listeners and bringing them on the podcast. The Pizza Today crew hosted The Hot Slice Podcast from the Pizza Today booth at Pizza Expo Columbus in October with in-person conversations with pizzeria operators. For the next several episodes of the podcast, you’ll hear riveting stories of entrepreneurship, growth, competition, struggles and ever a lesser-known pizza style.  Let’s kick off the sessions with pizza pros who jumped into the competition arena at the Great American Pizza Challenge to put up their pizzas against America’s best. The share their first-hand account of competing on a national stage.   Kelly Potter, Prohibition Pizza, High Springs, Florida  Hear her misadventures of traveling with competition dough and supplies. Find out what she did to still compete.   Sean Dempsey, Dempsey’s Brewery & Pub, Watertown, South Dakota  Sean competed in multiple categories in the Great American Pizza Challenge. Listen as he shares his competition submissions, including s wild dessert pizza.  Lillian and Sarah Covert, Viola’s Pizza Company, Viola, Tennessee  Lillian competed in the Young Pizza Maker of the Year Competition. The mother/daughter team shares the experience and what’s happening at their small-town pizzeria.   Stay tuned for upcoming episodes as we return to the show floor at Pizza Expo Columbus.  Learn more about Pizza Expo Columbus. Find the latest news from this year’s show.  

Send us a text Join hosts Denise Greer and Kate Lavin as they sit down with Jen Strickland and Jeff Mettler from Home Slice Pizza to celebrate an incredible milestone—20 years of serving authentic New York-style pizza in Austin, Texas. In this episode, Jen shares the origin story of Home Slice, born from her love of New York pizza and frustration with Austin's lack of quality slices. She takes us back to November 2005, when she and her partners opened their doors on South Congress Avenue with recipes perfected in her home kitchen. Jeff discusses how the business has grown from those scrappy early days—when wait times stretched to 2.5 hours—to a beloved Austin institution with multiple locations. Hear about the restaurant's legendary Carnival of Pizza event, which returns this November 15th after an eight-year hiatus, complete with dough-throwing competitions, the Great Calzoni fortune teller, and even a proclamation declaring it official Home Slice Pizza Day in Travis County. Jen and Jeff also reflect on what makes Home Slice special: an unwavering commitment to hospitality, staff development, and authentic human connection. They share stories from the trenches, including how they adapted during COVID-19, why they take full-time employees on pizza pilgrimages to New York City, and their philosophy of organic, people-centered growth that led them to Houston in 2022. Whether you're a pizza operator looking for inspiration or simply a fan of great food and community-focused business, this conversation offers valuable insights into building something that lasts—and tastes delicious. Featured in this episode: The birth of Home Slice and Jen's journey from food editor to pizza entrepreneur How the team learned to make New York-style pizza at scale The evolution from a struggling single-oven shop to a multi-location operation Home Slice's approach to hospitality in both dine-in and takeout experiences Navigating the pandemic while keeping staff and community at the center The annual New York pizza trips that have become part of company culture What's next for Home Slice as they look beyond year 20 Tune in to hear how three friends with a passion for authentic pizza built an Austin landmark, one slice at a time.

Send us a text October isn’t just National Pizza Month, it’s also National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Brewability is a pizzeria founded by Tiffany Fixter, a former special education teacher. We speak with Fixter and pizzeria marketer and manager Jess Runge about how they are serving up pizza and opportunities in their community of Englewood, Colorado. Brewability proudly employs 26 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including individuals who are blind, deaf and have other impediments to finding employment. Fixter was motivated to start the business after seeing the shocking lack of job opportunities for adults with disabilities. Nine years later, they have a waitlist of over 900 people who want to work there. They’ve built a supportive and empowering environment where employees and students can shine. They’ve also developed fantastic training programs with visual aids and clear procedures to ensure consistency and build skills. For example, they use color-coded scoops for portion control and have detailed visual guides for tasks like weighing dough. Brewability has a YouTube channel to share these resources with a wider audience. Commitment to inclusivity doesn’t stop with their staff. The entire restaurant is designed to be as accessible as possible. They have Braille on the doors and soda machine, a sensory room for those who need a quiet space, a vibrating dance floor to feel the music and a full range of adaptive dining tools like weighted utensils and plate guards.  As they celebrate their ninth anniversary, Fixter is exploring franchising to expand the impact and continuing to advocate for the disabled community.

Send us a text Before we jump into last-minute prep for Pizza Expo Columbus, happening this Sunday and Monday, we have HUGE news share! Jeremy has been appointed as Brand Director of International Pizza Expo, while Denise steps up as the new Editor-in-Chief of Pizza Today magazine. We talk promotions and what they mean for Pizza Today and Pizza Expo. Onto the show, we are days away from the inaugural Pizza Expo Columbus. Jeremy, Denise, Josh and Kate share all the excitement that you won’t want to miss.  Learn more about Pizza Expo Columbus.  Don’t forget to download the app. See you in Ohio! Can’t make it to the show? Follow us on our socials for live updates.  Find out more details on Jeremy and Denise’s new roles.

Send us a text Tempe-based Spinato’s Pizzeria has embarked on an ownership structure that only 7,000 businesses around country and only one percent of Arizona companies offers, an Employee Ownership Stock Plan (ESOP). Since opening 51 years ago, Spinato’s has grown to six Phoenix-area locations with more than 420 employees. The pizza company is the Official Pizza of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury (NBA and WNBA basketball teams) and the Official Pizza of the Arizona Cardinals (NFL football team). With the ESOP announcement, 150 Spinato’s employees join the six family members as owners. This week on The Hot Slice, we sit down with Anthony Spinato, President & CEO, to learn all about the new ESOP. We dive into what led the family to create the ESOP and the process to make it a reality. Listen to the goosebump moment when Anthony shared the news with longtime team members.  Read Spinato’s ESOP Announcement. Learn more about Spinato’s and on Instagram @ spinatospizza.

Send us a text When you are looking for an added revenue source, have you ever considered a state fair? This week’s guest, Nick Sanford went all in at the New York State Fair. Nick owns Toss & Fire with three locations and a fleet of food trucks around Syracuse, New York.  This is the third year Toss & Fire has had a presence at the New York State Fair, but this year, Sanford took over a prime location. From fair-exclusive pizza specials, a pre-fair marketing blitz to the logistics of temporarily closing and store and adjusting staffing, you won’t believe how big it paid off. Stick around on the podcast to listen to how many pizzas Toss & Fire sold at the state fair. Nick is no stranger to high traffic output. With food trucks running at concurrent events and high-volume stores, Nick shares how he and his team are able to execute at a high level.  Toss & Fire was the 2024 Pizza Company of the Year Northeast Region in Pizza Today’s P.IE. Awards. This year, the pizzeria celebrates its 10th anniversary. Learn more about Toss & Fire at https://www.tossnfirepizza.com/ and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tossnfirepizza/. Show Notes:  Nominations are open for the 3rd annual Pizza Industry Excellence (PIE Awards). We are looking to give awards in seven categories, plus Pizza Company of the Year by Region. Apply today at:https://pizzatoday.com/pie-awards/  National Pizza Month in October is approaching fast. Go to the National Pizza Month Pizzeria Tool Kit: https://pizzatoday.com/nationalpizzamonth/   There is no better way to celebrate National Pizza Month than by attending Pizza Expo Columbus! Register now! https://registration.pizzaexpocolumbus.com/event/2025  

Send us a text This week on The Hot Slice Podcast, we chat with a visionary young operator who bought her first Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake Pizza franchise as while she was still in high school. Lily worked at a local Papa Murphy’s before jumping at the opportunity to become a franchisee. Though savings and a loan from a family friend, Lily and her family made the purchase. Lily is the majority owner and runs the day-to-day operations. During her first year, she has remodeled her store, embraced her leadership role with a fresh approach and integrated herself and the restaurant into the community. Her store has achieved double-digit year-over-year growth, including a February week where sales more than doubled compared to the year prior. The brand has recognized that they have a shining star in their ranks. Lily was recently named “Rookie of the Year” by the brand during its Minneapolis conference. We chat all about how she was able to get into the business so young, as well as managing a team. Don’t miss how martial arts helped her take the lead at her shop in Sioux City. Find out what she’s focused on now and what comes next.    Show Notes: Nominations are open for the 3rd annual Pizza Industry Excellence (PIE Awards). We are looking to give awards in seven categories, plus Pizza Company of the Year by Region. Apply today at:https://pizzatoday.com/pie-awards/   National Pizza Month in October is approaching fast. Go to the National Pizza Month Pizzeria Tool Kit: https://pizzatoday.com/nationalpizzamonth/  There is no better way to celebrate National Pizza Month than by attending Pizza Expo Columbus! Register now! https://registration.pizzaexpocolumbus.com/event/2025 

Send us a text Listen to Liane Varipapa Page, owner of Big Green Truck Pizza in Connecticut, on The Hot Slice Podcast with Pizza Today. Big Green Truck Pizza made history this month by serving more than 4,500 people at the 10th annual Apizza Feast in New Haven. The company’s lead dough maker prepared 750 dough balls ahead of the event, which served 10,000 slices and was recognized by Guinness World Records for the largest pizza party.  Achieving the feat required lots of planning. Big Green Pizza brought six of its trucks, two trailers and 30 staff members and friends to cook pies onsite. If anyone is up to such a challenge, it’s a mobile pizza operator that regularly staffs multiple events simultaneously, has contingency plans in case of a car trouble and rounds out its eye-catching fleet with International Harvesters from the 1940s.   Find out how Liane Varipapa Page went from operations manager to owner of Big Green Pizza Truck and how she is adding to the fleet so she can “say yes” to booking requests for years to come. Show Notes:  Nominations are open for the 3rd annual Pizza Industry Excellence (PIE Awards). We are looking to give awards in seven categories, plus Pizza Company of the Year by Region. Apply today at: https://pizzatoday.com/pie-awards/  National Pizza Month in October is approaching fast. Go to the National Pizza Month Pizzeria Tool Kit: https://pizzatoday.com/nationalpizzamonth/ There is no better way to celebrate National Pizza Month than by attending Pizza Expo Columbus! Register now! https://registration.pizzaexpocolumbus.com/event/2025

Send us a text This week on The Hot Slice Podcast, hosts Joelene and Joel Best shared an extraordinary discovery that has captivated their Hamburg, New York community and pizza lovers everywhere. What started as a routine renovation project at The Now Pizzeria transformed into an archaeological adventure when contractors uncovered a newspaper from 1881 hidden within the building's walls. The discovery happened during exterior renovations at the historic pizzeria, located right on Main Street in the village of Hamburg. When contractors began removing three layers of siding to prepare for new exterior work, they reached the original vertical plank boards—and that's when history revealed itself. "He found a newspaper article from 1881 behind the boards, and he showed it to me," Joelene Best explained during the podcast interview. "I was like, that's so cool, you need to get that out for me. And he's like, What are you going to do with that? I'm like, I don't know. I'm like, I want to frame it. I just want to see it." The newspaper, identified as "Our Fair" with a New York address, was remarkably preserved despite being tucked away for nearly 150 years. According to Hamburg Town Historian Jim Baker, this type of discovery isn't uncommon—newspapers were often used as insulation in mid-1800s construction, helping keep weather out of buildings. But for the Best family, this find represented something much more significant than just old insulation material. It connected them directly to their building's rich history and sparked an obsession with uncovering more details about the structure they've called home for decades. Her research revealed fascinating details about the building's past. Before becoming The Now Pizzeria in 1969, the structure housed various businesses throughout its history, with records showing it served as women's clothing stores dating back to at least 1903. The building itself appears to have been constructed around 1881, based on the newspaper discovery. The Now Pizzeria's story is deeply intertwined with the Best family legacy. Joel Best began working at the restaurant in 1973 while still in high school, eventually purchasing it in 1982 after nine years of dedication. For 41 years, he built the business into a community cornerstone, maintaining original recipes while expanding the menu from just pizza and subs to include wings, tacos, and various fried foods. The transition to the next generation happened seamlessly when Joelene and her sister took over ownership in May 2023. Both had worked at the pizzeria for 30 years, with Joelene handling bookkeeping, payroll, and ordering long before officially becoming an owner. "It still doesn't feel real, to be honest," she admitted during the podcast. The restaurant's iconic Orange Crush sign, installed in summer 1970, has become a beloved landmark. Grandfather-claused as the only pole sign on Main Street, it serves as a beacon for locals and a nostalgic touchstone for visitors. "A lot of times when people's kids go away to college, and then they come home, they always say that they don't feel like they're home until they see the Orange Crush sign," Joelene shared. The recent renovations that led to the newspaper discovery represent more than just cosmetic improvements. The project included new siding, windows, and a permanent awning for their patio, plus energy efficiency upgrades that will help during Hamburg's notoriously harsh winters. The front room is receiving a complete facelift while maintaining the restaurant's vintage charm. As football season approaches—with the Bills' stadium just five minutes away—The Now Pizzeria prepares for its busiest time of year. Sunday game days bring crowds of hungry fans, and the restaurant's strategic location makes it a natural gathering spot for the community

Send us a text What does it take to transform a small pizzeria in Las Vegas' Chinatown into a nationally recognized restaurant? For Erica Bell, General Manager and Pizzaiola at ØØ Pie & Pub (Double Zero), the answer lies in obsessive attention to detail, authentic leadership, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. This week, we chat with Erica on the business.   In just two years of operation, Double Zero has achieved what many restaurants spend decades pursuing: recognition as one of the top 50 pizzerias in the United States. But this success story goes far beyond awards—it's a masterclass in building a restaurant culture that prioritizes quality, creativity, and genuine hospitality.  The pizzeria celebrated the 43rd place ranking on the 50 Top Pizza list by offering $4.30 pizzas—a community giveback that resulted in 400 pizzas sold in four hours. Erica breaks down how they made the promotional event work flawlessly.   Bell's philosophy is deceptively simple: "You really have to have the right people in the right places because that's your foundation. My team is my foundation for the success of the business."  This wasn't achieved overnight. Bell describes a crucial six-month period where significant shifts occurred, followed by three months of watching her team "rise up and feel the love and support from each other." The transformation required Bell to examine her own leadership approach and adapt her teaching methods to match how different team members learn.  Listen to the full episode to learn more about Erica’s approach to leadership and what’s next for Double Zero.  Learn more about Double Zero at https://www.doublezeropie.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/doublezeropiepub/. 

Send us a text This week, we’re bringing you a fun episode with the Pizza Today Team giving our “Hot Takes” on pizza. And we didn’t even talk about pineapple on pizza. We dive into pizza styles. Whether toppings go over or under the cheese, chicken’s place, charring on pizza, olives, best cheese on pizza, childhood pizzas and more.   We’re also inviting you to send us your “Hot Takes”. We’re giving a fresh direction on the old-fashioned letters to the editor. We call it “Hot Take”. Do you have a “Hot Take” on a subject relevant to pizzeria operators and the pizza business? This is a space for you, the pizza professional, to share your passionate and succinct opinion with fellow pizzeria operators.    Hot Take is designed to allow you to share personal narratives and commentary, challenge industry norms, introduce big ideas or offer a new perspective. It’s an opportunity to focus on hot-button pizzeria topics, from operational concerns, trends, safety and community to workplace culture, technology and everything in between.    Our “Hot Take” section is a dynamic and interactive way for Pizza Today and our readers to capture the pulse of what’s on the minds of pizzeria operators with urgency and personality. Hot Takes are short writings in an informal style, usually written in first person.     If you have a Hot Take, we want to hear from you.    To submit a Hot Take:   Email Denise at dgreer@pizzatoday.com or Kate at kate.lavin@pizzatoday.com    Format:  Subject: HOT TAKE with Pizza Today – (Topic Discussed)    Headline (Limit 65 characters)   Your Hot Take should be between 300-800 words in paragraph format. Be sure your Hot Take is concise, informative and remains on the subject matter.    Your Name:   Pizzeria:   City and State:   <<FOR OFFICE USE ONLY>>   Email and Phone to verify identity and information.