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FEBRUARY 2023

CANADIANPIZZAMAG.COM

CHEF OF

THE YEAR

PM40065710

Giovanni Campisi, Red Door Cucina, wins top honours at Pizza Summit East!

P. 16 Focaccia trends to grow sales P. 18 B.C.’s Holy Napoli: fresh to frozen

Why the Vemag is a better pizza dough divider. Unmatched versatility. Easily adjustable to scale a wide range of pizza dough portions. Unmatched scaling accuracy. Consistently produces precise weight portions at 1% standard deviation. Easily handles stiff dough. The Vemag’s positive displacement double-screw pump gently handles even the stiffest doughs. No divider oil needed. Save thousands of dollars annually.

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Jan/Feb 2023 Vol. 29, No.1

DEPARTMENTS 6

From the Editor Staffing struggles and strategies

Industry News Movers, shakers, legislation and news you can use

10 The Pizza Chef Setting the course for 2023

11 Tools of the Trade New products

13 Recipe Octopus Pinza

20 Making Dough Five easy ways to boost your pizzeria’s visibility and sales

CONTENTS COVER STORY

IMAGES: CANADIAN PIZZA (COVER); BRIAN FRAY (8); SULIMAN CHADIRJI(RI (16); HOLY NAPOLI PIZZA INC. (18)

ONLINE

12 Chef of the Year Giovanni Campisi, Red Door Cucina, wins top honours at Pizza Summit East! By Colleen Cross

Canadian Pizza Summit and Bakery Showcase updates This year Pizza Summit West is proud to be part of Bakery Showcase, the annual industry event presented by the Baking Association of Canada. It’s two shows in one! We’re making new announcements all the time. Keep up to date at canadianpizzamag.com.

Meet Giovanni Campisi, our new Chef of the Year East. This innovative chef has had a unique journey from Sicily to Canada. See page 12. CANADIAN PIZZA · January/February 2023

Exciting news! The Canadian Pizza Summit West and Chef of the Year Competition will be part of the annual Bakery Showcase May 14-15, 2023, at the Vancouver Convention Centre. We have details! By Canadian Pizza staff

16 Trends in focaccia How to expand variety and increase sales By Karen Barr

18 ON THE COVER

14 Pizza Summit West joins Bakery Showcase in 2023!

18 Fresh to frozen B.C.’s Holy Napoli takes its signature pizza into the frozen pizza aisle By Canadian Pizza staff

22 New Operator Babylon Pizza of Sarnia, Ont., is making a name for itself with an edgy Detroit style By Canadian Pizza staff

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FROM THE EDITOR BY COLLEEN CROSS

January/February 2023, Vol. 29, No. 1

Staffing struggles and strategies

any pizzerias, restaurants and bakeries took a break in January. A well-deserved and much-needed break, I hardly need to add. Good

for you! Nowhere is this more evident than on social media. Some of you let your customers and followers know you were catching up on time with family. No doubt some took a trip long postponed. Others pointed out their hardworking staff needed a break. This is worth highlighting. Understandably, there’s been so much emphasis on ﬁnding good people – deﬁnitely the number 1 issue right now among owners, operators and managers. With the stress of running a busy pizzeria, it can be easy to forget that staff need time off too. It’s a balancing act, trying to support, appreciate and be fair to longtime team members, while trying to welcome and train new faces. And it’s good for the public, including potential future employees, to see that you value and look after your team. Most operators we’ve talked with lately are struggling to keep reliable staff in place. If they are not struggling, they feel lucky to have enough staff and are counting their blessings. For those holding on to their good staff, we’d love to know your secret and if it’s sustainable for your business. Are you hiring temporary foreign workers, hiring mature workers, near a school with a ready supply of student part-timers? Are you learning to delegate or doing more of the work yourself at the risk of burning out? Are you cutting down on your operating hours? This seems like a double-edged sword. One one hand, fewer (possibly more desirable/ bearable) hours makes those shifts easier to cover off – manageable. On the other hand, it has potential to curtail hours for a team member who wants all the hours they can get. And there is always the risk of losing customers inconvenienced by the change. When going that route, good communication seems more important than ever to keep your loyal customers and show new customers where

and when to find you. Are you bringing in the robots as servers for your dining room? Digital kiosks for your quick service? Chatbots to upsell to your online orderers? Are you raising hourly rates or salaries for managers, considering moving to a living wage structure? Offering health benefits, more paid time off, meals or other perks? Are you offering mental health awareness or otherwise supporting employees’ mental health by encouraging them to take time off when needed? Are you actively taking steps, including starting a conversation to make your pizzeria more diverse, equitable and inclusive? Can your staff find time to take culinary training through part-time or continuing studies? Do you encourage them to build their kitchen, business and leadership skills? Do you serve as a mentor or identify a mentor for employees who have ambitions beyond their current position? Do you highlight the ways in which the skills they demonstrate in their work for you will be transferable to other workplaces and areas of their lives? Training is an often overlooked way to make your workplace more appealing and sustainable. Everyone needs to train staff but how much thought have you given to how you bring on new employees, promote existing people and handle training issues? Do you have a physical binder or online manual in place? Do you have a mentoring buddy system? Are there levels of advancement? Do you use videos to demonstrate techniques? Have you considered investing in an app such as Opus One that could house and distribute training to your team. This list of questions is not meant to be an interrogation but a list of ideas that might spark conversations, new ideas and help you feel less helpless in the face of a tough labour market. You are just one person – you can’t do it all. Just as your pizza is authentic, so too can you take authentic steps toward being a leader and role model to others. Here’s to a prosperous and balanced 2023! | CP

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canadian_pizza_magazine January/February 2023 · CANADIAN PIZZA

DID YOU KNOW LESAFFRE IS MORE THAN YEAST? Do you know about our ability to extend the shelf life of pita from 10 to 21 days? Or that, every day, our expert technical team solves bakery formulation challenges at our Baking Centers around the country? Did you know that Lesaffre has eliminated the need for susceptor boards from microwaveable pizzas and flatbreads? That Lesaffre’s ingredients make tortillas more rollable and enjoyable, all with a clean label?

You may know Lesaffre for our world-class baking yeast and 167-year heritage, but you may not be familiar with our elite technical team and the other innovative ingredients we’ve developed. Get to know Lesaffre. You may know us for yeast. Now know us for so much more.

You may not know Lesaffre for the baking challenges we’ve helped customers overcome — but you’ve likely enjoyed the result in the form of a bread, soft pretzel, snack cake, pizza, donut, or other baked delight.

Discover the latest from Lesaffre on our NE W website, LesaffreBaking.com!

INDUSTRY NEWS

ON THE WEB

PHOTO FOTOGRAFIABASICA / E+ / GETTY IMAGES

Article explores shortcomings of the pizza box; Gusto 54 Restaurant Group’s Janet Zuccarini to open Stella West Hollywood in partnership with Rob Gentile | FOR MORE PIZZA NEWS, check out our website, canadianpizzamag.com

The manufacture and import for sale of harmful single-use plastics in checkout bags, cutlery, food-service ware made from, or containing, problematic plastics that are hard to recycle, stir sticks, and straws (with some exceptions) in Canada is now prohibited. The Environment and Climate Change Canada announced the ban on Dec. 17 in a news release. The ban on the manufacture and import of ring carriers will enter into force in June 2023. Pizzerias and restaurants that use single-use plastics in their packaging will no longer be able to purchase certain single-use plastic products. The federal government is working with provinces, territories, and industry to set a collection target of 90 per cent for recycling plastic beverage bottles. It is also developing regulations to require that certain plastic packaging contain at least 50 per cent recycled content and to establish clear rules for labelling recyclable and compostable plastics. Draft 8

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VEGAS EXPO

Pizza Expo 2023 offers discount to Canadians

STAFFING

Minimum wage hikes in P.E.I. and N.S. in 2023

As announced last fall, Prince Edward Island’s minimum wage will increase twice in 2023. The first increase will be by 80 cents on Jan. 1, 2023, to $14.50 per hour. The second increase will be 50 cents on Oct. 1, 2023, to $15 per hour. The Employment Standards Board reviews minimum wage annually and provides its recommendation to government after the review is complete. Nova Scotia’s Minimum Wage Review Committee is recommending the minimum wage rate reach $15 per hour by Oct. 1. The report includes

ILLUSTRATION BY BRIAN FRAY

Canada’s ban on certain harmful single-use plastics now in effect

regulations are targeted for publication in fall 2023 and the government is developing a plastic registry to hold plastic producers accountable for their plastic waste.

Registration for the International Pizza Expo is open and organizers are offering a special rate for Canadian operators looking to attend the annual convention that celebrates the dynamic business of pizza. Go to PizzaExpo.com, click on the “Register to Attend” button and enter the promo code CPM150 in the box provided to receive a discount registration. Pizza Expo takes place at the Las Vegas Convention Center from March 28-30, 2023.

PHOTO © LOEWE34 / ADOBE STOCK

SUSTAINABILITY

recommendations on raising the minimum wage an increase of 90 cents an hour to $14.50 on April 1 and an increase of 50 cents an hour to $15 on Oct. 1. Starting April 1, 2024, the minimum wage would be adjusted on April 1 of each year by the percentage change in the projected annual national consumer price index (CPI) for the previous calendar year, plus an additional one per cent. The government will seek input from community partners before making a decision on the committee’s recommendations.

January/February 2023 · CANADIAN PIZZA

Speakers and highlights in 2023 include: • Keynote by Tony Gemignani, owner of Tony’s Pizza Napoletana • Open a Ghost Kitchen in 30 Days or Less by Nick Bogacz, owner-operator, Caliente Pizza & Draft House • Winning with People, Not Payroll by Mike Bausch, owner-operator, Andolini’s Pizzeria • The International Italian Sandwich Championship • The International Pizza Challenge, in which Canadian Pizza magazine’s Chefs of the Year, Luca Colasanti of Mordimi Bite of Italy in Vancouver, and Giovanni Campisi of Red Door Cucina in Dundas, Ont., will compete with their signature pizzas! For more information, visit pizzaexpo.pizzatoday.com and see page 15 of this magazine. COMMUNITY

Gabriel Pizza creates Ottawa Senators Pizza raise money community Gabriel Pizza on Jan. 18 launched a pizza to cheer on its local Ottawa Senators hockey team and help the community. The Ottawa Senators Pizza, a double pepperoni and cheese pizza loaded with pepperoni under the cheese and a second loaded layer of its new drycured “Cup & Crisp” pepperoni toasted on top. The chain, which has franchises in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec, is donating a dollar from the sale of every Ottawa Senators Pizza to the

Senators Community Foundation. The pizza is available at all Gabriel Pizza locations, as well as Canadian Tire Centre concessions during home games.

as special payment processing rates and mobile plans. Find more details at baking.ca or ask editor Colleen Cross (a member!) at ccross@annexbusinessmedia.com.

ASSOCIATION

Baking Association of Canada invites pizzerias to join

The Baking Association of Canada invites pizzerias of all sizes – from large chains executives to franchisees to independent and artisan pizza makers. If you are involved in baking, you belong in the BAC. Since pizzerias don’t have a dedicated association of their own, becoming a member is a great way to help this longtime association advocate on behalf of bakeries and pizzerias to all levels of government, including a push for easier access to temporary foreign workers. Membership is open to all Canadian bakers, large and small, who are currently conducting (or planning) business in the Canadian marketplace, as well as affiliate suppliers of goods and services and individual tradespeople. Benefits include discounted access to the Bakery Showcase and Chapter events, expert assistance and latest resources support your business, access to training through American Baking Association and Bread Bakers Guild of America, savings with insurance and group RRSPs and other perks such

CANADIAN PIZZA · January/February 2023

AWARDS AND HONOURS

Chef Pino Posteraro of Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill & Enoteca in Vancouver earns Gambero Rosso award Chef Giuseppe “Pino” Posteraro, founder and proprietor of Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill & Enoteca, has been honoured with the Guardian of

Tradition Award by Gambero Rosso.The Vancouver chef is the only Canadian culinary artist to be recognized by the esteemed Italian food and wine magazine and publisher. Gambero Rosso wrote of Posteraro: “Though Vancouver has now become his home, Pino Posteraro has not forgotten his Italian roots and the flavors of the South of Italy. His restaurant has a classic structure, with dishes rich in products of exceptional quality, with a marked environmental focus, starting with sustainable fishing, seasonal products, and self-cured meats. The kitchen produces substantial dishes, often combining flavors of the sea and land.” | CP

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THE PIZZA CHEF BY DIANA CLINE

Diana Cline is an award-winning pizza chef, a partner with Diana’s Cucina & Lounge in Winnipeg. In addition to creating award-winning recipes, Diana is a consultant to other pizzeria owner/operators in menu development, creating operational systems and marketing to help operators grow their business strategically. Contact her at diana@dianascucinaandlounge.com.

Setting the direction for 2023

ith a new year often comes goals, aspirations and setting the direction for yourself and your business for the year ahead. Some owners hire a coach to help outline their aims and then set the agenda and keep accountability. It’s incredible how the right coach or group can increase your focus and momentum. I can attest to the power of having a good coach and/or belonging to a group of likeminded folks with similar aims to achieve and problems to overcome. Sometimes we just need to get out of our own way. Rather, the habitual way of the excuses and the doubts and the fears. I’ve found that many people already know what they need to do but get tripped up in the execution of getting it done. Procrastination is a comfortable blanket, that we all cling to from time to time. Sometimes we suffer from a perfectionist’s affliction, which is the notion that everything must be perfect before beginning. This affliction is often paralyzing; trying to be perfect at something new to us is absurd. Because of the evolving idea of perfection, we never get enough momentum to get started. Sometimes there is a bigger issue that needs another set of focused eyes to make clear the next right action. One of the simplest things you can do to create positive change in your life and your business is to set yourself up with a healthy habit. An example for your personal health could be recognizing that you need to drink more water, and so you buy yourself a nice water bottle and make a habit to drink at least that amount each day. A common goal for almost all owners and operators is to increase sales. However, unless you’ve gone through the process of recipe mapping and regular inventory counts, with updated food invoices, you may 10

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One of the simplest things you can do to create positive change in your life and your business is to set yourself up with a healthy habit.

just be increasing the workload for yourself and team members without increasing the bottom line. First things first: assess your actual food cost for four to five weeks. That means regular inventory counts and some basic math. Your overall weekly food cost should sit in the 28 to 32 per cent range. Anything higher and it’s time for a price adjustment and also a look at your actual portion amounts. It’s one thing to have a portion chart near your makeline that says your medium cheese pizza ought to have five ounces of sauce, six ounces of mozzarella and 12 ounces of dough. But if in practice you and your team members put six ounces of sauce, 6.5 ounces of mozzarella, and 13 ounces of dough, then it doesn’t matter what your portion chart says, you might as well put up a cute cat poster with a nice motivational quote. At least the latter will brighten someone’s day. Next thing, and don’t skip the first thing. If you did, go back to the first thing, then come back here. Look at ways to increase sales. We’re really lucky to live in a world where we can use social media platforms with low dollar investment. The days of having to spend thousands of dollars on mailing out menus to neighbourhoods as the only option to reach your local market are gone. The caveat for that is the time it takes to create and post regularly. Facebook, Google and Instagram are still the top-tier social media platforms for most Canadians over 25. If you’ve never done any social media for your pizzeria, and you’re not sure where to start, claim your Google business page and start adding your information there. Many affiliate sites get their information from your Google business page, so make sure you keep your address, phone number, website and hours of operation up to date here. Next, create regular content for

your social media pages. One suggestion that has worked for me is to engage your team members to take pictures and short videos of their artwork and send them to you. You’ll quickly amass a large portfolio of content to choose from for your posts. It’s helpful if you think of your social media pages as a storytelling venue. Tell a story close to your heart: why do you do what you do? Tell that story, and then tell it again, and again. Facebook best practices recommends keeping the writing for each post simple, clear and to the point. Also, using standout visuals and a call to action such as “download this,” “sign up for our ezine,” or “give us a call.” Even if you’ve only created one post, you can opt to “boost your post” and, with a small budget, you can reach a larger, target market based on criteria you set. This is where looking at your Facebook Page Insights can help you understand who your target market is. But even if you don’t look at that at all, Facebook will use that data for you to create a campaign, and you can still get started. There are some decent apps, such as Meta Business Suite, that can help cross-post on all your social media sites, and reduce the time you spend posting. Some of them helpfully allow you to schedule posts in advance. If you block off a couple of hours a week to create your content for the next week, you can create the content ahead of time, schedule it in this type of app, and it’ll get posted when you’ve set it. Like everything, it’s all in the habits, so once you get in the habit of creating your content, and posting, it’ll be easier to keep going. The toughest challenge is to factor your return on investment. Did the ad campaign bring in new customers? Did the post bring your regulars back an extra visit this month? Those matrices are more difficult to track on social media pages. But the one thing that social media pages can do well is keep your brand top of mind. | CP January/February 2023 · CANADIAN PIZZA

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

When it comes to new ingredients, equipment and services, Canadian Pizza keeps you in the know. For more on new products for the pizza industry, check out our website, canadianpizzamag.com

yond Oil product can eliminate FFA almost completely without damaging oil quality. This solution compares to other filter powders that have existed for years that can only marginally reduce FFA levels. Use of the product could potentially dramatically lower costs for quick service restaurants by significantly extending the useful life of the oil while retaining the original taste profile. beyondoil.co

OVENS

Pizza ovens made entirely of stone and concrete to maintain heat Zio Ciro manufactures several models of wood and gas fired pizza ovens in Sardegna, Italy. The ovens are constructed entirely of refractory stone and concrete, unlike others that are stainless steel in the inside, said Jim Santoro, the manufacturer’s eastern Canada representative. “The refractory concrete maintains better heat. Our ovens are wood, propane and natural gas fired, and the Subito Cotto has the dual option of wood and natural gas.” The Subito Cotto comes in sizes 60, 80 and 100, and also Nano and Mini models. The company maintains a showroom in Concord, Ont., and is seeking a distributor in Canada. For information, contact Santoro directly (kinglangdon63@ gmail.com) or visit the website. ziocirocanada.ca

SUSTAINABILITY

Beyond Oil extends life of frying oil Globally inspired food chain

strEATS will begin introducing Beyond Oil into its 22 restaurants across Canada starting December 2022. Beyond Oil Ltd. is a foodtech innovation company extending the life of frying oil, reducing costs and waste. The product integrates with existing processes as a processing aid or as a filter aid, the company said in a press release. The process includes passive microfiltration designed to remove all components through a combination of active filtration by the powder and passive filtration by a microfiltration paper. This process ensures no residue is left in the oil while maximizing the efficiency of removing other degradation particles. Characteristics and benefits of Beyond Oil include frying oils recovery. Extensive testing indicates that Beyond Oil’s product extends the usable life of frying oil, improves product quality, and reduces frying oil costs. The product reduces soluble impurities formed during the frying process that cause damaging free fatty acids and polar compound formation, undesirable odors, off-flavours, and off-colours. The product is simple to integrate into existing daily filtration processes. The company says the Be-

CANADIAN PIZZA · January/February 2023

Ontario sisters develop Alter Eat-o keto products

In 2018, sisters Leslie Lang and Molly Hutchinson found themselves simultaneously starting a keto lifestyle. Amazed at the coincidence, they wondered, was this the time to dust off their gourmet-to-go dreams? Launched in 2018 by founder and lead culinarian Lang, Alter Eat-o: Foods for Keto began in a ghost kitchen in Milton, Ont., with Lang working on recipes and friend Joanne Jamieson and Hutchinson coming in one day a week. What started with a signature gluten free keto hamburger bun, a knock out keto lasagna and spot on keto Nanaimo bars has since grown to a dedicated commercial kitchen of their own in Guelph, Ont., with over to 150 sweets, savouries, breads, chocolates, soups, calzone/hot pockets and a keto

pizza available in Ontario on offer by order online for pick up or delivery in their dedicated van nicknamed Olaf, the sisters said in a news release. They sell well in Guelph, ship across Ontario and are available at gourmet food retail locations and health food stores. altereato.ca

TECH TOOLS

Tech tools from Snappy help restaurants attract and retain customers Snappy is a customizable technology platform that serves as a one-stop-shop empowering pizzerias and restaurants to adapt and thrive in any market. The company’s technology tools are designed to help food-service businesses across Canada achieve their business goals and grow their consumer base. Snappy shared ways that pizzerias can connect directly with customers to encourage repeat business: • create loyalty programs that capture customer attention while incentivizing purchasing • create custom consumer-facing apps that offer an easy and intuitive user interface for ordering, payment, delivery and loyalty programs • provide on-demand and reliable delivery direct to consumers, including a commission-free delivery option • create targeted marketing campaigns, helping build long-term relationships with customers gosnappy.io CanadianPizzaMag.com

COVER STORY

CHEF OF THE YEAR EAST! Giovanni Campisi, Red Door Cucina, wins top honours at Pizza Summit East! BY COLLEEN CROSS

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momentum going. “It’s very good for business,” Campisi says of his new title. The business fronts onto a pleasant residential back street. With the business’s active online marketing and ordering system, the slightly tucked-away physical location has not been a hindrance, he says. “People find us. And when people find out their chef has made the winning pizza, they make a point of visiting.” Red Door Cucina is on Uber and DoorDash delivery platforms. Customers make a reservation to pick up their pizza. Besides the new favourite Octopus Pinza, Morti Funghi and Pollo are best sellers on the menu. Mela Formosi goes well with apple wine, Campisi suggests. His winning plaque sits prominently at the front counter along

From Sicily to Ontario

Campisi hails from Syracuse, Sicily, and has worked in pizzerias in Venice and Bulgaria.

Campisi is from Syracuse, a city on the Ionian coast of Sicily known for its ancient ruins and history. He moved to Bologna at age 20. He worked at a factory making tiles in the morning then at night as a server at a pizzeria from whom he received room and board. It was at that time he met and married Katia and they welcomed son Sebastiano into the world. Campisi also worked for a roofing company, but knowing it was dangerous and, now with a family to consider, he didn’t want to slip and injure himself. So, when his cousin asked him to buy a pizzeria with him in Castlefranco, a small town in the Emilia-Romagna region, he agreed. January/February 2023 · CANADIAN PIZZA

ILLUSTRATION CREAZILLA

iovanni Campisi’s victory as Canadian Pizza magazine’s Chef of the Year was hard won and extra sweet. Campisi, who is head chef at Red Door Cucina, in Dundas, Ont., won over the judges with his billowy Octopus Pinza that was a showstopper that had phone cameras flashing. The Sicily-born pizzaiolo has entered the competition several times, placing third in 2019. It’s clear he always brings his A game. Campisi is making the most of his win at Red Door Cucina, where he works as head chef. David Maciulis, his supervisor, has owned and operated the pizzeria for seven years in Dundas, a popular town on the outskirts of Hamilton, Ont. He wants to keep the Summit

with other medals for competing in Bucharest, Romania, where he earned two gold medals and one bronze representing the Canadian Culinary Federation Toronto Branch at the International Pizza Championship.

PHOTO: CANADIAN PIZZA

They called it Flash Export and it was a to-go-only pizzeria. He started out doing the prep and delivery, but he improved his skills by paying attention to the pizza-making process. “I learn with my eyes,” he says. “I notice everything.” After a time, Campisi bought out his cousin’s share in the business. In all, Flash Export was in business for nearly a decade from 2001 to 2010, surviving a fire that saw it close for two weeks. That was a setback, he says, but the insurance covered it and he decided to renovate beyond the original shop. He put in about 10,000 euros of his own and did a lot of the work himself. “I have lots of skills,” he says with a smile. As for his pizza-making skills, the self-taught chef says, “For the first three or four months it was very hard. The pizzas were less than perfect and some customers took a pass.” Not to be discouraged, he worked, he improved his craft and he invited customers back to try the pizza again. “I told them, ‘I’m better now,’ ” he says. Many customers took him up on the invitation and agreed, becoming regulars. He describes Red Door’s signature pizza style as thin-crust, crispy pizza. After Campisi and Katia divorced in 2009, he met Sofia Butera who was visiting Italy. Together they returned to Niagara Falls, Ont., where they opened Il Sorriso (The Smile) Café and Pizzeria. “It was a great location near the falls, Skylon Tower and hotels,” Campisi says. To fund the new venture, he sold his business, his car and invested in the new Niagara pizzeria. He believes he was the first to import a Malagutti rotating oven from Italy, bringing his oven from Italy. It cost close to 12,000

euros to bring it over. They were together for seven years and Campisi left Il Sorriso in June 2011. He is proud of what they built. “People came from all over, including the U.S., to try our pizza.” Fast-forward to March 2020. Campisi happened to be visiting Sicily when the pandemic hit. He ended up staying for two years with his parents. When the situation improved and travel restrictions loosened, he worked in top pizzerias in Bulgaria and Venice. The pizza he took to the Pizza Summit in Toronto in October is in the Roman pinsa style. “I went to Rome to learn to make pinsa with my friend David. It was an intensive course mixing different flours. Rice flour is the best for pinsa because it doesn’t burn.” When not developing recipes and stretching doughs, he likes to play tennis. He enjoys hitting the court with his landlord and the landlord’s 90-year-old father. “He’s very good,” says the competitive Campisi. “He can beat me.”

Current plans Last summer Campisi worked with a local winery making pizzas for their customers using a portable oven. He is looking forward to obtaining his Permanent Resident status with about a year to go in the process. “I like to be in the same place. I used to have to work for two years some places,” he says explaining what’s better about the new open work permit system. “It gives me more choices.” His son Sebastiano, now 23, has followed in his father’s footsteps to become a pizza maker in Bologna. Sebastiano completed the pastry program at college in Italy. He came to Canada, worked at a restaurant in

PHOTO: CANADIAN PIZZA

COVER STORY

Octopus Pinza

Crust

By Giovanni Campisi, Red Door Cucina, Dundas, Ont. We’re willing to bet you haven’t tasted anything quite like Giovanni Campisi’s winning Octopus Pinza, also known as “Il profumo del mare.” One of the secrets to a fresh-tasting pizza is Campisi’s method of boiling the carpaccio for 40 minutes and putting it in the freezer before the bake. This year’s Chef of the Year East recommends this delicious pizza be accompanied by a Sicilian white wine called Grillo. Enjoy!

Rice flour recommended Prepare biga with hydration of 80% High hydration dough with 36 hours of leavening

Toppings Octopus carpaccio, boiled for 40 minutes and put in freezer Micro rocket Buffalo burrata Cherry tomatoes Grated lemon peel with oil Lemon salt and garlic Marinade flavoured with octopus

Niagara Falls as a pastry chef and is now back working in Bologna. The plan is for father and son to go to Vegas Pizza Expo together in March. If son is like father, he will work hard, be a quick study, learn by doing and find his own path to success. | CP

‘People find us. And when people find out their chef has made the winning pizza, they make a point of visiting.’ –Giovanni Campisi, head chef, Red Door Cucina CANADIAN PIZZA · January/February 2023

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INDUSTRY NEWS

and pizza industry celebrities! To stay up to date on show announcements, sign up for our enewsletters and eblasts at canadianpizzamag.com, follow us on social media.

Canadian Pizza Summit West joins B.C. Bakery Showcase in 2023! The Baking Association of Canada’s Bakery Showcase will play host to the Canadian Pizza Summit West and Chef of the Year Competition May 14-15, 2023, at the Vancouver Convention Centre. The BAC welcomes bakeries, pizzerias and allied businesses to Canada’s premier baking industry event – the largest and only baking industry business-to-business trade show and conference produced in Canada. Join thousands of industry professionals from bakeries (retail, wholesale, commercial, in store), grocery and food-service outlets. Enjoy the company of your peers, recharge and benefit from an exciting lineup of inspirational speakers, education sessions, competitions and demonstrations: • Diana Cline, owner and partner in Diana’s Cucina and Lounge, Winnipeg, 14

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consultant to pizzeria owner/operators, will present an exciting pizza-making demonstration and emcee the Chef of the Year West Competitions. Top pizza chefs, bakers and pastry chefs demonstrate baking and pizza-making techniques on the Bakery Showcase Main Stage and the Canadian Pizza Summit Stage.

• The Canadian Pizza Summit and Chef of the Year Competition featuring top chefs vying for a trip to Las Vegas Pizza Expo! Discover what the most creative pizza chefs in Canada are doing with dough and toppings. And, if fresh pizza is a significant part of your business, plan to register to compete (registration opens Feb. 1, 2023). • Steven Che, Wild Flour

Pizza Co., Burnaby, B.C., 2nd Place, Chef of the Year West, 2022, and Andy Finlayson, 70 Pizzeria/ Rebellious Tomato, North Vancouver, B.C., 3rd Place, Chef of the Year West, 2022, will demonstrate their very different crust styles while presenting a twist on international flavours! • A panel celebrating Women in Baking brought to you by Ardent Mills. • Baker and “Rise Up Bakers” podcaster Mark Dyck offers guidance on how to tell the story of your bakery or restaurant . . . and how it can help your bottom line. • The Baking Association of Canada’s annual general meeting and meet-andgreet: Come see what the BAC is up to and what it can do for your business. Pizzerias, learn more about becoming a BAC member. • A panel of up-and-coming bakeries share their origin stories, struggles and triumphs. There will be announcements between now and show time, including surprise baking

January/February 2023 · CANADIAN PIZZA

PHOTO: BAKERS JOURNAL

MAJOR INDUSTRY EVENT

The Baking Association of Canada invites pizzerias of all sizes – from large chains executives to franchisees to independent and artisan pizza makers. If you are involved in baking, you belong in the BAC. Since pizzerias don’t have a dedicated association of their own, becoming a member is a great way to help this longtime association advocate on behalf of bakeries and pizzerias to all levels of government, including a push for easier access to temporary foreign workers. Membership is open to all Canadian bakers who are currently conducting (or planning) business in the Canadian marketplace, as well as affiliate suppliers of goods and services and individual tradespeople. Benefits include discounted access to the Bakery Showcase and Chapter events, expert assistance and latest resources support your business, access to training through American Baking Association and Bread Bakers Guild of America, savings with insurance and group RRSPs and other perks such as special payment processing rates and mobile plans. Find more details at baking.ca or ask editor Colleen Cross at ccross@ annexbusinessmedia.com. See you there! | CP

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Karen Barr writes about arts, culture and cuisine. She is a graduate of George Brown College and is a Red Seal pastry chef.

FEATURE

TRENDS IN FOCACCIA How to expand variety and increase sales BY KAREN BARR

ocaccia is a multi-purpose grab-and-go bread associated with both Italian cuisine and pure comfort. If you are not offering your customers focaccia, it may be time to reconsider. Expanding on varieties while being aware of trends can increase sales.

Tomato focaccia is one of three top sellers at La Focacceria Artisan Bakery in Fort Langley, B.C.

In 1979, Italian-born Pietro Calderone founded San Pietro, a full-service bakery located in Montreal. When he initially arrived from Sicily, he worked in construction during the spring and summer and in bakeries in the fall and winter. Once Pietro felt he had mastered the baking trade, and armed with his grandmother’s bread recipes, he set up a little shop with his wife Carmela. “The key to perfect focaccia is all in the dough!” Pietro says. Today, San Pietro is a family business, where their son Leo is the master baker and daughter Pina is the cake decorator. The grandkids serve at the front counter. Pietro’s son Leo learned the art of baking at an early age. “I remember at the age of 12 my dad woke me up at 1 in the morning for the first time. I was really excited to bake because I saw him doing it for so many years. I love the fact that you start with nothing 16

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and end up with something amazing.” When asked about the three top sellers, Pina says, “We make a stuffed focaccia or springioni with potatoes, onion and Italian sausage. The springioni are all made to order. The second is a tomato, olive and artichoke focaccia. The third is a rosemary, pepper and pecorino Romano focaccia. The focaccia is also used as the base for both pizza and sandwiches. “We make a thick, fresh herb and rosemary focaccia pizza that is staged with mortadella and provolone. Our olive and tomato focaccia, as well as our onion focaccia, is turned into sandwiches using either prosciutto cotto, prosciutto, or any deli meat the customer might prefer.”

Pasticceria Gelateria Italiana, Ottawa Also in 1979, Joe Calabro was busy opening Pasticceria Gelateria Italiana

in Ottawa. About focaccia Calabro says, “It’s not like making bread. The dough needs to be softer, with the right amount of water. I use regular all-purpose flour or sometimes 00 flour. The key to good focaccia is all in the hands. It needs to be the right texture. It needs time to rest.” Calabro says his customers prefer classic flavours including rosemary and sea salt focaccia, potato slices with onion focaccia or a pesto topping with anchovies. “Another variety that is popular with my customers is the tomato focaccia. We use peeled and sliced San Marzano tomatoes.” As for social media trends, photo-worthy focaccia “artworks” lean toward garden scenes. Ideas for focaccia bread art include red onions and colourful bell peppers in red and yellow to create petals. Asparagus sprigs make for strong stems, while green peppers or even herbs produce January/February 2023 · CANADIAN PIZZA

PHOTOS: LA FOCACCERIA ARTISAN BAKERY (16); SULIMAN CHADIRJI(RI (17)

San Pietro, Montreal

perfect leaves. Think olives and small tomatoes for flower stamens or buds. Savvy bakers can also combine edible flowers and herbs for more realism. “It’s a fun way to be even more creative with focaccia. Photos add interest to a bakery’s social media such as Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. And customers love it.”

Forno Cultura, Toronto For Andrea Mastandrea, owner of Forno Cultura, with six bakeries in Toronto, focaccia is a product in constant demand. Mastandrea started the business over a decade ago but apprenticed under the watchful eye of his father and grandfather at the family-owned Aida’s Bakery, founded in 1971. Today, Forno Cultura has 168 workers and two 3,000-square-foot production kitchens. “We make traditional Barese focaccia with 100 per cent semolina from Altamura, Puglia, with real cooked potatoes and olive oil,” Mastandrea says. Each focaccia is presented traditionally in a 10-inch round. When asked to name his three top sellers, Mastandrea says, “Classic Barese Focaccia with tomato, oregano, sea salt and olive oil. Next is the olive variety with Cerignola and Peranzana olives that we import from Puglia. It has fresh thyme, oregano, sea salt and olive oil. The third is the potato with fresh rosemary, thyme, oregano, sea salt and olive oil.” Many customers buy focaccia to take home for snacking or as a basket bread with meals. Forno Cultura also turns its focaccia into sumptuous sandwiches. “We make a wide variety. The Mortadella sandwich is made with in-house pickled giardiniera, provolone, arugula and kale. Another is the prosciutto cotta ham with speck Emmenthal, arugula, and kale. Our Funghi sandwich is made with marinated portobello, cremini and button mushrooms presented with goat cheese, Emmental, arugula and kale. The Melenzana is comprised of grilled eggplant, with fresh zucchini, Emmental, arugula and kale.”

La Focacceria Artisan Bakery, Fort Langley, B.C. Robert Giardino, owner of La Focacceria Artisan Bakery, in Fort Langley, B.C., opened the shop in late 2019. “We initially offered two regional styles of focaccia, Genovese and Pugliese. After about a year and a half, we now only offer Pugliese style in two dough variations – Barese style and Altamura style – with a variety of savoury toppings in each.” When it comes to flour, Giardino says, “I exclusively use Italian flour for everything, including cookies and sweets. I select 00 or 0 depending on what is available locally in the strength I need, and finely milled durum semolina.” Since his shop is in British Columbia, one must wonder if Giardino uses alternative grains. “No. Since I only use CANADIAN PIZZA · January/February 2023

Ideas for focaccia bread art include garden scenes as in this photo-worthy floral by Joe Calabro of Pasticceria Gelateria Italiana in Ottawa. Asparagus sprigs make for strong stems, while green peppers or even herbs produce perfect leaves.

Italian flour It’s hard to convince an importer to bring over anything other than what they call pizza flour. So, until I can get local access to Italian alternative grains to experiment with, I am sticking with traditional regional formulations. However, I also utilize a cold, overnight retarding of the dough, to allow the enzymes to break down the complex carbohydrates into a simpler form that our bodies can better metabolize.” La Focacceria’s three top sellers include two Barese-style dough focaccias: the first a roasted garlic and the second a rosemary. The third is an Altamura-style dough made with Altamura semolina. The favourite here is the tomato. All are produced in large rectangles measuring 7.5 by 10.5 inches. The freshly baked variety is sold whole or in half. Frozen parbaked focaccia is sold whole. “As my retail customer base, I do have some Italian ex-pats and Italian Canadians as customers, but British Columbia’s ethnic Italian population is nowhere near that of Montreal or Ontario. Most of my customer base is non-Italian. They eat focaccia by dipping it in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.” Giardino estimates he sells approximately 150 freshly baked pieces and another 40-50 frozen parbaked in his retail shop, which is open four days per week. Additionally, he sells 40-50 frozen parbaked focaccia weekly to wholesale clients. “We remain a small artisanal retail bakery, just starting to scale up to expand both the wholesale market, as well as additional retail outlets,” Giardino says. The product offering will soon expand the savoury options, as well as introduce sweet focaccia to the lineup.” Customers love focaccia, from classic to contemporary. And adding to or expanding focaccia menus can lead to increased sales. Why not make focaccia a focus in 2023? | CP

4 TOP SELLERS Stuffed focaccia (springioni) Rosemary and sea salt Funghi Barese-style roasted garlic

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FEATURE

FRESH TO FROZEN BY CANADIAN PIZZA STAFF

oly Napoli Inc. has grown its business from fresh Neapolitan pizza to ready-to-bake frozen pizzas, currently in three traditional flavours, and readyto-proof pizzas dough balls. We sat down for a Q-and-A with founder Francesca Galasso to learn how the successful business made the transition to compete with “the big guys.” How did you get started in pizza? I ran a North Vancouver restaurant, Il Castello, which I started on my own at age 26. We started very much in the retail bricks-and-mortar restaurant scene in 2014. I had gone to the Accademia della Pizza Napoletana in Los Angeles in the summer of 2014. Prior to that I had worked in restaurants in high school and university and did not ever imagine I would open a restaurant. I worked at the University of British Columbia school of nursing and loved what I did, but I had the feeling – some kind of itch – that made me wonder, if not now, when? One day I strolled by the space and thought, this is it! It was an old building with so much character that used to be a retail chocolate shop. I could see it being perfect, if we put a bit of love into the space. My partner in life and in business, Dave Vukets,

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Holy Napoli founder Francesca Galasso earned her chops at the Accademia della Pizza Napoletana in Los Angeles and opened Il Castello in North Vancouver at age 26.

and I revamped it a little bit to make it a restaurant. Dave has a background in food science and had an energy bar business. He merged his knowledge of wholesale and manufacturing with my knowledge of pizza. For five years we operated this pizza joint. It was super fun when you’re in your twenties. We started Holy Napoli in 2017 when we still had the pizzeria. The idea came from our customers, who were asking if they could buy a dough ball. We took this interesting idea and ran with it. We had connections at this point with local retailers through Dave’s energy bar business. They were the first to take on our proofed pizza dough. It was great, it was catching on. The pizza dough attracts your more foodie-type crowd – families, people who want to make their own

pizza but don’t really want to invest the time, effort and process into making a great dough. We took the mess out of the process. We used our pizzeria as the test clientele. For example, the Calabrese sold really well at the pizzeria. That experience really helped show us what people were really after. There were all these trends emerging: gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free. People were really in the market for something high quality and not full of preservatives. Frozen pizza has a bad wrap. But we thought, what if we just made a good pizza and froze it? We wondered, is there an opportunity to innovate in the frozen pizza space. We thought where do our customers shop? The idea was that we won’t compromise on quality and we are willing to spend more to achieve that quality. How did you go about scaling up your operation? We wanted to and did start out at a grassroots level with the small, independent retailers. We built up from there, targeting specialty stores. We manufacture all our own products. In 2019 we sold Il Castello and went heavily into frozen pizza. Good timing as it turns out. People wanted restaurant-quality pizza. With inflation and prices escalating, the question was, can you treat yourself? Is great pizza worth paying more for? We have a facility in Port Coquitlam where we manufacture our products. We have scaled what we were doing at the restaurant to our pizza dough. It’s a large-scale operation but we’re steadfast on quality. That means using high-quality ingredients and a solid artisanal process. We currently employ 18 people in production and we run much like any January/February 2023 · CANADIAN PIZZA

PHOTO: HOLY NAPOLI PIZZA

B.C.’s Holy Napoli takes its signature pizza into the frozen pizza aisle

into grocery stores in other provinces. We eventually made our way to Ontario and Quebec. We then partnered with Business Development Bank Canada, who provided a loan. Eventually we linked up with Bond Bakery Brands in 2021. Now we have pizza in about 300 Loblaw stores. We’re right across the country, even to the Maritimes, which is amazing. We’re excited we can say we’re coast to coast! As of October we’re available at over 800 stores in Canada, including premium grocers as well as larger chains.

other production facility except we use a stone oven. That is super key for that initial oven spring in the crust. We think of time as an ingredient. Time is a very limited resource. Everyone wants to cut it out of the equation, but in baking it’s an integral part of the process. There are some things you can do to speed up process but there are no shortcuts.

How difficult was it getting started? The Women’s Enterprise Centre helped us with a start-up How would you describe your signature pizza? loan in connection with Futurpreneur Canada, a national No two pizzas are the same. We hand-stretch our dough to non-profit organization that helps entrepreneurs – by promake the cornicione, that raised outer edge of the crust. viding mentorship, loans and business practice assistance. It’s baked in a stone oven at 800 F so it’s light, chewy and We also had help from Women’s Enterprise Canada, which charred just right for the perfect crunch. We do a minsupports women entrepreneurs. They provided a loan that imum fermentation. comes with mentorship and guidance. Brand Culture24-hour Marketing & Promotions 3365 Hargrove Road | Mississauga Ontario | L5L 4E6 What aCell: lot416of930 people appreciate is that you can tell the I feel so fortunate. We had so much help from these 0740 pizzas are quite visibly handmade. They don’t all look organizations. Manufacturing is very capital-intensive – identical and we kind of like it that way. | CP you need equipment and overhead REVISION: costsFA are high. It’s a DATE: JULY 28, 2022 DOCKET: RI22-003 CLIENT: Reuven International COLOUR: CMYK very different type of business from retail with a different PROJECT: Reuven Beef Pizza Ad TRIM SIZE: 7” x 5” BLEED SIZE:an/a DESCRIPTION: Canadian Pizza 1/2 page horizontal ad - ENGLISH cash flow. Read longer version of Holy Napoli’s journey at CONTACT: Alicia Bruyea LIVE AREA: .25 margins canadianpizzamag.com As we moved along and progressed, the business grew DATE REqUIRED: July 2022

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MAKING DOUGH WITH DIANE BY DIANE CHIASSON

Diane Chiasson, FCSI, president of Chiasson Consultants Inc., has been helping foodservice, hospitality and retail operators increase sales for over 35 years by providing innovative and revenue-increasing food service and retail merchandising programs, interior design, branding, menu engineering, marketing and promotional campaigns. Contact her at 416-926-1338, email chiasson@ chiassonconsultlants.com, or visit www.chiassonconsultants.com

Five easy ways to boost your pizzeria’s visibility and sales

or most people, winter is all about staying indoors, watching movies at night, and only stepping out of the house when necessary or for an emergency. The cold winter months, especially just after the holidays, can be the most depressing time of the year. Weather can significantly affect consumers’ buying habits, with many restaurant operators reporting that cold weather brings a decline in sales. As a restaurant owner, you must think outside the box to attract customers during this time. Here are five easy ways to boost your pizzeria visibility and sales this winter.

1. Offer soup of the day When soup’s on, sales can go up in cold weather. Did you know that you can boost your cheque averages by up to 15 per cent by offering a soup of the day? When creating your menu in the winter months, think about all the delicious warming foods people love to eat when the temperatures get really cold. Homemade soups, stews and classic comfort foods will be surefire winners with your hungry customers. More people eat comfort foods, with pizza being Canada’s favourite and most popular comfort food. For many pizza franchises, bad weather and winter bring higher sales since many people crave comfort foods. When it’s cold, it’s natural for people to want food that will give them warmth. Consider working with good high-quality premade soups and adding your special touch with yummy ingredients that you already have in your kitchen, such as diced tomatoes, minced fresh garlic, crisp bacon, pasta, diced fresh bell peppers, fresh veggies, grated Parmesan cheese and garlic croutons.

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2. Pair your pizzas with winter beers

Did you know that you can boost your cheque averages by up to 15 per cent by offering a soup of the day?

BOOST YOUR VISIBILITY AND SALES 1. Offer a signature soup of the day. 2. Pair your pizzas with winter beers. 3. Sell your branded products. 4. Ramp up delivery and takeout promotion on social media. 5. Make sure your pizzeria restaurant is warm, cozy and inviting.

Your pizzeria will never go wrong with seasonal beers and winter brews that can be easily paired with existing pizzas on your menu. Your pizza’s gooey texture, and cheesy and savoury flavours will find a great partner in a malty, hoppy beer. There are many flavours and types for each, so make sure to test and understand each one. Think of winter beers, such as stouts, for mushroom spinach pizza, porters for seafood pizza, and barrel-aged varieties for sausage, meatball, pepperoni and bacon pizza. Porters and stouts pair deliciously with intense flavours, such as roasted, smoked or barbecued meats, and they also are delicious with desserts and chocolate.

3. Sell your branded items You are already using a lot of ingredients in your pizzeria. Could you not package and sell some of them? How about these Italian tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, San Marzano tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil from Sorrento, artichokes or truffle salt? How about these at-home pizza kits with all the ingredients needed to make a margherita pizza at home? Selling something you are known for as a branded product is one surefire way to generate a secondary revenue stream. But, of course, you also want to make sure to give your customers the best quality at a reasonable price. You could always put a price tag on t-shirts, caps, aprons, mugs or sauce bottles. However, if you decide to go ahead with selling branded products, make sure that these items reflect your image and brand. You could sell these items directly near your cash register or on your website and promote them on your social media platforms. You could also

assess what other local places offer, making it easier to differentiate your products and find a market niche.

4. Ramp up delivery and takeout promotion on social media People are less likely to dine in during cold weather, but they can still enjoy your food at their convenience. During winter, consumers will opt even more often for the comfort and convenience of takeout and delivery. The food delivery market has more than tripled since 2017. Therefore, you should invest more heavily in digital technology, if not in money, than you invest in time. Your primary goal is to make sure your customers think about your pizzeria this winter. Chances are, most of your customers are active on social media platforms, which means you should be too. Hence, the best way to increase your sales is by exploiting this force and making your pizzeria presence felt on these platforms. Think about running social media promotions on delivery and takeout deals. Limited-time offers are great strategies to promote new or unique menu items such as a new appetizer or a beverage to go alongside pizza.

5. Be warm and inviting Irrespective of the weather outside, you need to make sure the inside of your pizzeria restaurant is warm, cozy and inviting. Your pizzeria’s atmosphere plays a vital role in providing a great dining experience. A good pizzeria layout doesn’t just try to fit in as many customers as possible. Make sure your seats are not crammed together and that there is enough space between tables. Avoid placing any tables next to the kitchen door or under harsh lights. Small tables are generally meant for couples or individuals, while large tables are meant for groups or families. Always think of couples or individuals who are looking for privacy. | CP January/February 2023 · CANADIAN PIZZA

PIZZA POWER PAGES EQUIPMENT

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NEW OPERATOR Q-AND-A BY CANADIAN PIZZA STAFF

Here you’ll read about new pizzeria operators across Canada and have a chance to share your own views on a wide range of topics.Have you opened a pizzeria lately? Let us know! Get in touch with editor Colleen Cross at ccross@annexbusinessmedia. com or 519-429-5227.

Meet Babylon Detroit Style Pizza

joy in making food for other people and making them happy, we also realize it is a business and there is a bottom line that has to be adhered to.

Tell us about one of your favourite pizzas on the menu. Babylon Pepperoni is our popular seller here. We’ve loaded it up with our cup-and-char pepperoni, our signature red sauce that we make in house, a whipped mascarpone cheese, and then to finish it off we drizzle it with hot honey. It’s hot in temperature: we keep it warm because it improves the viscosity of it when we’re pouring it on. It allows us to put just the right amount on it. The other part of the hot honey is, it’s hot because we steep it in Scotch bonnet peppers. So you’ve got the sweet, the savoury, a little bit of heat. With Detroit style pizza, one of the signature things is the cheese gets spread from edge to edge. We have our own special recipe. We are going from edge to edge and it creates this glorious, cheesy little crown that is a little delight to look forward to after you’ve eaten the pizza. What differentiates you from other pizzerias? We’re a food-centric brand. That’s what our main focus is, so everything that we do in house here facilitates that down to our décor, our lighting, our music, our service and all of that stuff. What makes us different is the thoughtfulness, the care that is put into every single recipe that comes out of the kitchen. We’re consistent. If you came here to Babylon on a Wednesday, you’d get the same pizza 22

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Red Seal chef and restaurateur Raine Laing, founded Babylon Detroit Style Pizza in Sarnia on May 25, 2022, after much research and refining of the recipes.

I think it’s also a different experience because we’ve created an urban vibe – so we’ve got urban music, R&B, ‘90s throwback.

on a Sunday, whether it’s when we first opened or near closing time or anytime in between, any day of the week, it is always the same product. I think it’s also a different experience because we’ve created an urban vibe – so we’ve got urban music, R&B, ‘90s throwback. I’ve been to Detroit many, many times and I love the juxtaposition you get between the grittiness and the refinement of it all. How has your business background informed your work as an entrepreneur? In another life, before I became a certified Red Seal chef, I obtained a master of business administration, but the corporate world really wasn’t for me. I didn’t feel fulfilled in my job and I think it was a good thing that I did it that way because what I took into the world of cooking and the restaurant industry, was a firm grasp on business. Marketing, strategic planning and the financial aspects of it too. I had that background and I understood how to standardize recipes, how to create food that I needed to create for whatever concept it was I was working on. Having those two skill sets, I think has put me at an advantage, because I understand that while cooking is an art and a pleasure and there’s so much

What was most challenging when opening your pizzeria? Opening a restaurant near the end of the heightened crisis of COVID was difficult. I just didn’t let that stop me. There were supply-chain issues. For example, I ordered a brand-new oven months and months in advance because I knew there would be a supply-chain issue, and even still, when it came time for the oven to be delivered, I had to wait another five months. I had to do a buildout in the space we have, supply-chain issues hit me again in terms of material costs, in terms of finding material and in terms of finding qualified contractors to do the work. That was another hurdle to overcome. I’ve become very handy over the last year now. What marketing strategies do you find most helpful to get people in the door? The number 1 strategy is word of mouth. It’s been tremendous and overwhelming the love and support the community has shown us. They come in here and they are our biggest fans. They go out and tell people about Babylon. We’re a fairly new pizzeria and we’re located downtown. It’s regentrifying but people are slowly returning to the downtown core. We have customers who are our ambassadors. They’re out there in the field, snapping photos, sharing stories on Instagram, talking to staff, talking to customers coming through the door. Any future plans to share? We have long-term plans to expand across North America, and hope to have a second location by the end of 2023. | CP January/February 2023 · CANADIAN PIZZA

PHOTO: ALIE KARPIS

abylon Detroit Style Pizza started with the simple idea of bringing the best Detroit Style Pizza to the people. The popular spot in downtown Sarnia, Ont., is within walking distance of the waterfront, was designed with an “urban vibe” says founder Red Seal chef and MBA graduate Raine Laing, under his Laing Restaurant Group.

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Make your creative pizza to compete for a trip to Vegas Expo and cash prizes for 2nd and 3rd place!

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Attend baking-related technical and inspirational operator panels and seminars!

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Enjoy all the features and networking of Bakery Showcase by attending Canadian Pizza Summit!

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Join Canada’s baking industry professionals from pizzerias and bakeries to grocery and food-service outlets at Canada’s ONLY business-to-business baking event!

Bring your team to compete in the Great Pizza Box Fold-Off!

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Enjoy access to the Bakery Showcase trade show floor with a wide array of manufacturers and suppliers to the baking industry!

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