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Innovation CENTRAL! Your guide to the Canadian Pizza Show

tober 17, 2 01

Volume 22 Issue 5

INSPIRED SIDES A look at customer demand with a side order of creative ideas to bolster your menu

NEAPOLITAN MEETS FAST-CASUAL A Winnipeg pizzeria operator turns to an adults-only concept to sell a new slice of pizza.

21 PANZEROTTI VS. CALZONE 12

At Brigade Pizzeria Napolitaine in Montreal, customers choose from more than 36 toppings as their pizza is cooked in front of them in 60 to 90 seconds. See page 16.

DEPARTMENTS

Roberto Vergalito shares tips and techniques for making these related but different crowd-pleasing pies.

editor’s desk

pizza bites

CANADIAN PIZZA SHOW EVENT GUIDE Check out this year’s marketing panellists, competition schedule, exhibitors and more!

the pizza chef

making dough

guest column

new products

Giorgio’s corner

www.canadianpizzamag.com

Photo courtesy of Brigade Pizzeria Napolitaine

September/October 2016

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 pizza 3

from the editor’s desk September/October 2016, Vol. 22, No. 5

Consistent isn’t boring T

here is room for both independent and chain restaurants, says a recent report on the U.S. food service landscape by research firm Higdon & Sink. “Are We Chain Obsessed?” looks at the strengths and weaknesses of each and concludes that because consumers embrace both formats, the two have plenty to learn from each other. Many people (more than 60 per cent) don’t have a strong preference for one over the other, the report says. They like independent restaurants for the high quality of their food, their perceived authenticity and the overall dining experience they offer. They like chains for their availability, variety and consistency. In Canada, the scales seem to be tipped a bit more in favour of chains. According to the 2015 Canadian Chain Restaurant Industry Review, just over 63 per cent of restaurant sales in Canada happen at a branded chain. Across Canada, the ratio of chain sales to independent sales is roughly 65:35, except in Quebec, where there is more of a balance (55:45), the review says. The Higdon & Sink report has value for both chains and independents. It suggests it’s not an either-or proposition for customers and that each sector can look to the other’s strengths for ways to improve. I want to single out consistency as something chains are known for but on which everyone can stand to improve. I’m not talking about the way your sauce holds together – although that’s part of the mix – but about uniformity and dependability of your product and service. Despite what you may think,consistent doesn’t have to mean boring. It often means comfort for customers: they want to be comfortable with the food – and the value – they receive at a pizzeria. We may well read online reviews with

Managing Editor Laura Aiken laiken@annexweb.com 416-522-1595 Editor Colleen Cross ccross@annexweb.com 519-428-3471 ext. 261

some skepticism, knowing that every reviewer has their own idea of what’s good. But satisfaction all comes down to expectations being met and managed. You can manage expectations by accurately and thoroughly communicating your menu, your hours and your policies to your customers. If they know what to expect, they have less reason to complain. If you think about it, every area of your pizzeria can benefit from a consistent approach. Your pizza will be consistently good if you develop strong and, ideally, long-term relationships with suppliers who offer high-quality ingredients. It will taste consistently good – and hopefully turn you a profit – if you develop a portioning system your prep staff can follow. Your staff will be happier and perform consistently well if you let them know what you expect from them and what they may expect from you. Provide them with thorough and regular food safety training, clear guidance on how to handle customer complaints, clear rules on vacation policies, and clear instructions on food safety and cleaning procedures. Your customer service will be more consistently good if you give front-ofhouse staff clear guidance on how to handle customer complaints, a house policy on tipping and tip sharing, and a clear reward for service that exceeds your and your customers’ expectations. Finally, a consistent commitment to learning will help ensure that your business and your product are never boring! We encourage you to register and come out to the Canadian Pizza Show on Oct. 17. Kick-start your promotional strategy, discover new products to make your work day and night easier and pick up creative ideas from Canada’s top pizza chefs. See you there! • @CdnPizzaMag facebook.com/CanadianPizzaMagazine

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Publisher Christine Livingstone clivingstone@annexweb.com 519-429-5173 888-599-2228 ext. 239 Account Coordinator Shannon Drumm sdrumm@annexweb.com 888-599-2228, ext. 219 Media Designer Alison Keba Circulation Manager Anita Madden amadden@annexbizmedia.com 416-442-5600 ext 3596 Group Publisher Martin McAnulty mmcanulty@annexweb.com Director of Soul/COO Sue Fredericks Mailing Address P.O. Box 530, 105 Donly Dr. S., Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5 PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT #40065710 Printed in Canada ISSN 1203-6838 Published seven times per year (Jan/Feb, Apr/May, Jun, Jul/Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov, Dec) by Annex Business Media Circulation email: lmalicdem@annexbizmedia.com Tel: 416-442-5600 ext. 3547 Fax: 416-510-5170 Mail: 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 Subscription Rates Canada – 1 Year $ 19.00 (+ applicable tax) Best pricing (Can/USA/foreign) available online at www.canadianpizzamag.com Occasionally, Canadian Pizza Magazine will mail information on behalf of industry-related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above.

Annex Privacy Officer privacy@annexbizmedia.com Tel: 800-668-2374 No part of the editorial content of this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission. ©2015 Annex Publishing and Printing Inc. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher. No liability is assumed for errors or omissions. All advertising is subject to the publisher’s approval. Such approval does not imply any endorsement of the products or services advertised. Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising that does not meet the standards of the publication. www.canadianpizzamag.com

pizzabites Happy National Pizza Month! ctober is National Pizza Month! Make us happy by sharing your favourite photo of someone enjoying your pie! Send photos to editor Colleen Cross at ccross@annexweb.com.

Pizza Fest marks Vaughan, Ont.’s anniversary ore than 9,000 people and an estimated 4,000 children attended the first Vaughan Pizza Fest, organizer Remo Palladini, said. More than 10,000 freshly made pizzas were served by nine participating pizzerias, added Palladin, who works part-time at Pie Wood Fired Pizza Joint. The three-day festival, held at the Woodbridge fairgrounds July 15 to 17, celebrated the city’s 25th anniversary of incorporation with a focus on artisan pizza and craft beer. Participating pizzerias not already set up for remote catering were provided with ovens by the show’s organizers. Palladini said they plan to run the food and drink festival again next year, perhaps adding a panzerotti-eating contest.

Widening your ‘Digital Door’ a win-win, NPD expert says P

roviding digital ways for customers to access your menu can be a win-win for Canadian restaurants and their customers, the NPD Group’s Robert Carter shared in a recent webinar. Technological ordering tools can help reduce labour costs, increase sales, encourage more restaurant-customer interaction and please customers, said Carter, who is NPD’s executive director of food service. In a session entitled “Inside Innovation: Digital Influence at Foodservice,” he encouraged Canadian restaurants to give customers multiple ways to order their food. “Convenience changes behaviour,” he said. “Knowledge changes behaviour. Customers are looking for a ‘Digital Door’ and those operators who have one are benefiting.” Traffic to restaurants in Canada is flat, whereas traffic for customers using digital means or devices is increasing, he explained, adding that these online customers spend more money and order more items. Catering to digital users is a way to grow in this flat market.

8 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

Using technological tools to create new “Visit situations” may reduce your labour costs, increase your sales, encourage more customer interaction and result in greater customer satisfaction, he said. Carter cited some compelling statistics to demonstrate that online and digital ordering is picking up speed in Canada. Digital traffic accounts for only two per cent of restaurant traffic but it is growing at a rate of 20 per cent yearly. It includes the highest proportion of millennial customers, higher average eater and party cheques, and more items per customer, according to NPD’s own CREST research. Carter cited Domino’s Pizza as an example of a brand providing many order options, among them texting, tweeting, cellphone, tablet, TV, smartwatch, emoji, the GPS order tracker and the chain’s proprietary app. Technology is here to stay and will affect restaurants and food service more and more, he reminded participants. The good news is it should create a bigger market and give independents a bigger share of that market.

pizzabites

Gabriel Pizza co-sponsors ‘welcome’ party for Syrian refugees O

ttawa-area chain Gabriel Pizza provided pizza for and co-sponsored an event in May to help welcome Syrian refugees to Ottawa. Ottawa mayor Jim Watson and city councillor Michael Qaqish, special liaison for refugee resettlement, were on hand May 30 at Aberdeen Pavilion at Lansdowne Park to welcome the residents. “Ottawa is proud to be a community that welcomes refugees, and this year approximately 1,500 Syrian refugees have found a new home in our city,” Mayor Watson said in a news release. “Today is an opportunity to officially welcome them into our community as our neighbours.” “The pizza was a huge hit with everyone,” said Ray Skaff, head of corporate communications and public relations for Gabriel Pizza. “It was a fun afternoon and a great celebration with our new Canadian residents.” Refugees will continue to receive the assistance to transition into their new city over the coming months.

Dairy price increase will drive down demand: association R

estaurant owners are bracing for higher prices for cheese, yogurt, ice cream and butter with the news that industrial milk prices are set to rise by another 2.76 per cent on Sept. 1. The increase, announced by the Canadian Dairy Commission, is the second price increase in seven months and follows a 2.2 per cent increase that took effect Feb. 1. “Continually jacking up prices for restaurant owners and consumers is not a long-term solution when Canadians are already paying among the highest prices in the world for dairy products,” Restaurants Canada’s Federal/Quebec vicepresident Pierre Cadieux said in a news release. “Cheese is being priced off the menu and another price increase is only going to further drive down demand.” The restaurant industry buys $2.7 billion worth of dairy products a year, Restaurants Canada said in the release. The association is pushing for long-term solutions to the problems it says are created by an outdated supply management system. “We understand concerns around producer margins, but we need solutions that will increase volumes rather than always increasing prices,” Cadieux said.

Age groups approach meals differently ifferent age groups have different motivations, needs, and wants when it comes to dinner, and these are as varied as their taste in music, suggests a recent generational study published by The NPD Group. Millennials, who are all about personalization and wanting to add their own touch, want more control and involvement in the foods and meals they eat. Because of this need, they have shifted some of their dinner occasions from away-from-home to in-home, according to the study, called A Generational Study: The Evolution of Eating. They see dinner as an experience and believe that playing a part in the cooking process equates to “cooking from scratch.” Gen-Xers plan dinner meals around the family and calendar, the study suggests. Baby boomers, many of whom are empty nesters or are facing health conditions, are shifting some of their dinner occasions from in-home to restaurants. As for what’s actually cooking for dinner, millennials have been incorporating more side dishes into their dinners over the last decade, a gain that has been offset by baby boomers decreasing their side dishes. Homemade cooking has stabilized after decades of decline due to the increased interest in cooking among young adults. Centre-of-plate proteins have rebounded among kids, teens, and young adults while older adults are consuming less.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 pizza 9

the pizza chef

Judging pizza in a world competition Diana Cline

’ve had the honour and privilege of judging for the International Pizza Challenge and finals at the annual Pizza Expo in Las Vegas, and I’ve also judged in Italy and France. I’m often asked about how a pizza is evaluated. While most competitions have their own distinct rules, after years of experience, I’ve incorporated my own methods into the guidelines for each event. The International Pizza Challenge has five categories of styles of pizzas, although the most popular ones are traditional and non-traditional. The traditional category is a red sauce pizza featuring no more than two of the most popular toppings in North America. This is where your dough, sauce and cheese are key factors to the unique taste of the pizza, since two competitors could easily each enter pizzas with the same pepperoni and sausage. What would make one stand out above the other? The non-traditional category is where anything goes and you are not restricted to the colour of sauce, or the kind or number of toppings on your pizza. That said, there must be a balance between the toppings and the crust, sauce and cheeses. Every judge I’ve spoken with agrees that more toppings piled on doesn’t make a better pizza; in fact, some pizzas that came across our tables could have been great, had they not been grossly overtopped and lost all taste. The judging is broken down into two main criteria: taste and visual presentation/appearance. Taste accounts for 65 per cent of the overall score and visual appearance accounts for 35 per cent. The criteria for taste are further

broken down into a) crust, b) sauce, cheese, toppings and c) overall taste. If the crust did not have any porosity or flavour, or conversely, if it was a flavoured crust but didn’t complement the flavours of the toppings or cheese, then the pizza would get a low score for this criteria. The criteria for visual presentation are broken down into a) bake and b) visual presentation. We are a visual species and we like to eat pretty food: most of us think that it tastes better. If the pizza is burnt, underdone or sloppily topped it would get a lower score for this criteria. The only difference in the scoring between traditional and non-traditional is that there is an additional category for creativity under the taste criteria for non-traditional. An acceptable or mediocre pizza would receive a middle-of-the-road score, such as a 5 out of a possible 10. An above-average pizza would get a 6 or 7 out of a possible 10. A fabulous pizza would get an 8 or 9. If the pizza totally misses the mark, then the score reflects the poor quality and is low, typically less than 5. Reasons for the low score could be that the pizza is overcooked, undercooked, soggy, greasy or just tastes bad. That is the mechanics of scoring, and I always begin by looking at the pizza as it’s presented to the judges. The pizza is always brought in for the judges to see before it’s sliced. I check the bake by lifting the pizza and looking at the bottom of the crust. The facilitators will then take the pizza away, slice it up and bring each judge a slice of the pizza. At this point I smell my slice of pizza. This might sound odd, but I love the smell of good food, and for me, one

10 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

“tell” for a great pizza is whether the pizza smells good before I even taste it. Next, I take a bite from the slice with the toppings, crust, cheeses and sauce. If the pizza slops over on itself or onto my lap, it gets a lower score than if it held the weight of the toppings and cheese. Next I take a bite of the edge of the crust, just on its own. This will tell me whether the crust has any flavour – whether the pizza maker knows about proper fermentation and how that allows a great crust to develop flavours – or whether it’s actually a cardboard crust hidden under tasty toppings. Lastly, I take another bite of the pizza with sauce, cheese and toppings, just to confirm whether my first impressions were accurate. Sometimes I’m not sure if I like a pizza or not, but after that last bite I know without a doubt. Finally, before giving it my final score, I ask myself if this is a pizza I would be happy to pay for – if the answer is yes, I give it a higher score for “overall taste.” The important thing to note is that judging a pizza contest is a lot like judging a beauty contest: everyone does not have to like the same pizza, but as a judge, you just need to be convinced that the pizza you score the highest is the one you like the best. • Diana Cline is a two-time Canadian Pizza magazine Chef of the Year champion, internationally recognized gourmet pizzaiolo, partner with Diana’s Cucina & Lounge in Winnipeg and a director for the CRFA [now Restaurants Canada] from 2009-2013. In addition to creating award-winning recipes, Diana is also a consultant to other pizzeria owner/operators in menu development, creating systems to run a pizzeria on autopilot, along with marketing and positioning to help operators grow their businesses effectively and strategically. She is available for consulting on a limited basis. For more information, contact her at dianaslcline@gmail.com.

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Inspired sides

A look at customer demand with a side order of creative ideas to bolster your menu BY COLLEEN CROSS

all them salads, soups, sides, starters, appetizers, finger foods, antipasto or charcuterie – there is little doubt they add value to your menu and a little something to your bottom line. These days customers seem to be expanding their tastes beyond standard favourites like garlic bread and wings. Customers of all ages are demanding healthy choices as a way to balance their restaurant indulgences. Soup and salad consumption has held steady over the past couple of years, as consumers look to these for traditional better-for-you meals and add-ons, suggests Technomic’s Consumer Trend Report, Canadian Left Side of the Menu: Soup and Salad, but these favourites may have competition from other types of side dishes. People crave a diet containing simpler, cleaner, quality ingredients because they believe is better for them, suggests Kelly Weikel, director of consumer insights for Technomic. “It’s not necessarily that it has fewer calories but that eating it makes them feel better physically and

emotionally. Soups and salads are already perceived as healthy, and as balancing indulgence,” she says. “People feel better especially if it’s a family occasion, as pizza occasions often are, if they can say, ‘We’re going to have pizza but you’re also going to get your vegetables from a salad.’ ” “Quick-service restaurants often rely on salads as a healthy alternative and are particularly winning more salad visits now than in 2013; they offer innovative yet affordable and convenient salad in the face of high retail produce prices,” the report says. Technomic suggests limited-time offers on salads with fresh, seasonal ingredients and distinctive – even housemade – dressings can help set restaurants apart and draw in diners. “Craveable ingredients like bacon and blue cheese, for example, can be balanced with the health-forward freshness of less-common fruits.” The idea of “local” is important,” Weikel says. People attach the idea of fresh and healthy to the notion of local and supporting your community. “Consumers look at health as very holistic – as overall health.”

12 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

Healthier sides are in demand but don’t always win out. The company’s Canadian Pizza Consumer Trend Report identifies the top items customers order at a pizza restaurant when they don’t want pizza. Salad is the top choice and equally popular among those under and over 35 years old. Rounding out the top five are pasta, burgers, fries and chicken and buffalo wings. Poutine comes in just below these perennial favourites, with a noticeable split between customers under and over 35. More younger customers wanted poutine than wanted any other item except salad and fries. More and more restaurants are turning to house-made sauces, dressings and dips to put their stamp on side dishes. Fresh, housemade and additive-free claims will continue to grow, the report says. “Consumers demand clean ingredients and hard-to-replicate dishes, preferring housemade over brand-name salad dressing and soup at restaurants.” House-made sauces and dressings are a good way to stand out on a couple of different levels because the term suggests innovation to younger customers and

Six inspired sides GOLDEN BEET SALAD Novo Pizzeria & Wine Bar, Kitsilano, B.C. has a salad that hits a few healthy notes featuring golden beets made with toasted hazelnuts, crumbled lavender goat cheese, artisan lettuce, white balsamic and honey vinaigrette. TRUFFLE ONION RINGS Calgary‘s Brooklyn Pizzeria and Taps adds value to an old favourite. The shop’s beer-battered onion rings are tossed with garlic butter and truffle oil, and dusted with Parmesan cheese. POWER SOUP Vegan-friendly Toronto chain Magic Oven’s gluten-free Power Soup of chickpeas in a vegetable broth is a staple on its innovative menu.

quality to older customers, Weikel says. “Such signature dishes appeal to both groups.” Jason Costantini, who opened Za Pizzeria with wife and partner Lisa Costantini in spring 2015, says that as primarily a takeout pizzeria, they have kept their salad menu simple two salads: an arugula and a Caesar. “When we do add more to the menu, I would look at adding things that are lighter and more acidic to complement our pizzas,” he says. Garlic fingers are standard fare in eastern Canada and garlic bread a staple on pizzeria menus. Costantini this spring put a new twist on the classic side. Costantini came up with his Garlic Roll as a way to offer something more – and something unquestionably different – from dough already on hand. It is made fresh every day by cutting half a pizza into strips then rolling them in toward the pizza’s centre to be pulled apart later and possibly shared.

They thought it would be a good way to encourage people to try Za’s pizza and upgrade to a full pie. “It promotes sharing, which is what pizza is all about,” Costantini says. He approaches menu development by keeping an eye out for trends, bringing ideas to life in the kitchen then testing it out on family, friends and customers. He says it’s important that the name be simple enough to “tell the story” of a dish. “In the case of our ‘Funghi’ pizza, we wanted to be sure people knew it would have lots of mushrooms. So it either makes them want to try the pizza or lets them know to avoid it if they don’t care for that ingredient.” “I like to be playful, but it’s easy to mislead and to be corny,” he says. It’s also easy to get carried away adding sides and increase your level of food waste. “The more you do, the more waste you have,” he says. “Adding a new side will probably always increase your sales but at what cost?” •

For more on trends, visit www.canadianpizzamag.com

PIAZZETTA ROLLS Bite-size pizza rolls with pomodoro sauce, guacamole, salsa verde or sour cream may be found at Restaurant La Piazzetta Vieux-Port in Quebec City. Options include vegetarian and Alpine, which features Swiss cheese, grilled prosciutto, red onions, chives, apples, white wine and Alfredo sauce. SHRIMPCARGOT Luna Pizza of Fredericton has a playful seafood starter. The pizzeria’s Shrimpcargot consists of tender shrimp sautéed in garlic butter, topped with a layer of melted mozzarella cheese and served with garlic bread. YUMMY BREAD Old Town Pizza, which has locations in St. John’s and Mount Pearl, N.L., turns its pizza dough into a concoction called Yummy Bread. The dough is twisted and topped with garlic butter and corn meal, and stuffed with mozzarella and, if desired, bacon.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 pizza 13

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Neapolitan meets fast-casual Montreal’s Brigade Pizzeria Napolitaine gives pizza lovers a made-to-order experience BY COLLEEN CROSS

race Yeh and Jean-Daniel Nadeau are seriously passionate about Neapolitan pizza. The Montreal couple have been passionate about Naples-style pizza since discovering it while travelling. But they got serious when they decided Montreal needed more of it. The determined pizzaiolos went to California to Peppe Miele’s Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana in California to learn the art and science of making Neapolitan pizza. After an intensive week of training, Yeh and Nadeau came back VPN-certified and fired up about making the thin-crust, easily digestible pizza. They installed a custom-built woodburning oven in their back yard to help them practise their newfound skills and make pizza for their friends and family, including their three children. It was a marriage of another kind – Neapolitan pizza and fast-casual dining – that produced Brigade Pizzeria Napolitaine in August 2014. “We saw this customized style of pizzeria in New York but thought there

wasn’t anything like it here in Montreal,” Nadeau says. “We look around all the time, in LA, in New York. Sometimes we try 25 or 30 pizzas a week. And I have to say, what we’ve built is really unique. It has a look and feel you don’t see anywhere else.” The fast-casual pizzeria serves personal 12-inch pizzas built to order by customers and baked in wood-burning ovens while they watch. “Brigadiers” hand-stretch dough, then let customers choose from more than 36 toppings as their pizza is cooked in front of them. “People love to customize. They are excited to see pizzaiolos slapping the dough and amazed at how fast the pizza bakes,” Nadeau says, adding that it takes only 60 to 90 seconds for the pizzas to bake. Their target customers are 18 to 45 years old, many of them university students and young families. The name Brigade was inspired by the now-legendary story of how the Naples style took hold internationally. While Jean-Daniel Nadeau and Grace Yeh are the power stationed in the Italian city during the couple behind Brigade Pizzeria Napolitaine. Second World War, U.S. soldiers devel- Photo courtesy of Brigade Pizzeria Napolitaine oped a taste for Neapolitan pizza and

16 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

continued to seek it out in different Italian cities and in the United States when they returned. “We liked the idea of people coming together, of food bridging worlds,” Yeh says. Brigade’s menu features a dizzying array of toppings, including 20-plus vegetables, eight cheeses, 10 proteins, 11 sauces and five premium items. It also offers several signature pizzas. “Right now, it’s split about 50:50, with half wanting customized pizza and half wanting our signature pizza,” Nadeau says. He mentions a third option: “Some people will take a signature pizza and add their own toppings to it.” MANAGING MILLENNIALS Yeh, 39, and Nadeau, 38, split their duties. Nadeau, who is CEO, handles marketing, design, branding, supervises the pizzaiolos and dough slappers, including teaching them to train others on Neapolitan principles and technique. Yeh prepares recipes, maintains dayto-day operations and handles financial duties. Yeh is a fashion designer by training and Nadeau a designer and multimedia artist. No strangers to entrepreneurship, the two also created Montreal based Yeh! frozen yogurt chain in 2008 that they successfully sold in December 2012. They both work on developing their dough all the time and describe it as very different from other doughs. “We raise it rather than put it in the fridge for 48 hours,” Nadeau says. “We are always trying to improve. We change the dough, we change the temperature of the water. It’s a real passion. We really, really love it.” They have about 20 employees, about half of whom work full time. Most are 18 to 25 years old and many are students from nearby McGill University. Brigade’s highly organized business model allows the restaurant to operate efficiently with as few as two staff on the floor, Nadeau says. During busy times, however, as many as nine may be working. “It’s easy to get staff and hard to keep them,” he adds. How do they do it? With so many students on staff, they try to

accommodate their schedules and be flexible with shifts. They also make sure to give workers positive and constructive feedback. “Young people crave feedback. They want to be told they’re doing a good job,” Yeh says. “They also need structure. They like rules,” she says, adding that she and Nadeau have set up a deep-cleaning schedule and other checklists to guide staff in their work. “They go home and they’re excited,” Nadeau says. “They know they’ve done a good job.” INDUSTRIAL WARMTH The 2,500-square-foot pizzeria features a 30-foot marble counter, 90 seats and two 3,000-pound, custom-built woodburning Marra Forni ovens. Their first oven’s entry into the kitchen is a chapter unto itself. “We had to hire an engineer to figure out how to get it in,” Nadeau says. They had to shore up the floor beneath to provide enough support for the heavy oven, Yeh explains. The couple describe their pizzeria as an industrial open space that’s comfortable, casual and family friendly. “It’s like being in Naples. It’s a party atmosphere,” Yeh says. “We wanted it to be more accessible, more democratic,” she adds. They see their mid-range price point as an extension of this democracy. Many pizzas of this calibre sell for about $15, Nadeau says. Our custom-made pizzas are $8.95 and our signature pizzas are $13.95. SOURCING INGREDIENTS When it comes to ingredients, however, not all are created equal. They are big believers in searching out the freshest and most transparent. For example, when they couldn’t find the quantity of fresh basil they wanted from a local supplier, they went with an organic supplier, thus allowing them to satisfy customers seeking organic ingredients. “For the tomatoes, we went with a company in Italy that grow their own tomatoes,” Nadeau says. “They can them, they label them, they package them . . .

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so they know exactly what is in there. We choose our provider specifically because they provide us with good quality tomatoes and we have a good relationship with them.” Among their ingredients are meatballs made from scratch using pork, beef, and Parmesan cheese, free-range eggs, ricotta from Quebec and merguez, 100 per cent beef made locally. They make all sauces in house. “We really believe it’s tastier,” Yeh says. One of their ingredients is merguez sausage, a food often made with pork. They sourced an all-beef merguez because a lot of people in the city don’t eat pork, Yeh says. The interest in local, fresh, carefully sourced food isn’t part of an overall business transparency strategy but more an expression of their instinct for good food. “We want to know where the food comes from so we can tell our customers where the food comes from,” Yeh says. NEAPOLITAN TRENDS They have seen a definite rise in the popularity of Neapolitan pizza in recent years. “More people are claiming to have had it and more people are aware of it,” Yeh says. “People’s tastes are more sophisticated. And they want more artisanal toppings.” Their most popular toppings are their hand-sliced prosciutto, wild cremini mushrooms, Italian sausage and arugula.

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18 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

Brigade’s popular panuozzos are similar to paninis or sandwiches but made using pizza dough.

Of course, Neapolitan pizza is all about balance, Yeh says. Two to three toppings is the ideal. This creates balance in price as well, she adds. “We don’t put as much on each pizza, so they are not as expensive.” Diners can also customize salads and their specialty, the panuozzo. Panuozzo is a sort of panini or sandwich they cook twice a day. The fillings are melted and the outside crispy. They used to make them using ciabatta but then began making them the more traditional way using their own pizza dough, Nadeau says. “We can make a panuozzo with any toppings. We slice it open and fill it up with olive oil, basil, mozza fior di latte and warm it in the oven,” he says. “It’s melted on the inside and crunchy on the outside,” Yeh chimes in enthusiastically. DELIVERING OPTIONS They started out with strictly counter service but recently have been bringing food to the tables. Customers enjoy having their food served at the table combined with the convenience of counter service, which includes quick settling of the bill, Yeh says. Those who can’t get to the restaurant can have it delivered by a third-party delivery service. In the early days, they provided limited delivery by bicycle courier, but to reach more customers they use Foodora and Just Eat. In keeping with their focus on customization, they plan to develop their own app. But for now it’s a good balance between convenience and reasonable cost. If it gets more expensive, they say they may have to rethink the model. EXPANSION PLANS They considered opening a second corporate store in Montreal. About a year and a half after opening, they decided to franchise. They worked on a manual, found an ideal franchisee in their current manager and hired a representative they felt understood their values. The goal is to get the right franchisee, Nadeau says. Yeh and Nadeau will be in charge of supporting the franchise as well as doing research and development for the brand. “We’re lucky,” Nadeau says. “We do what we love.” •

Photo courtesy of Brigade Pizzeria Napolitaine

feature

pizzabites

Customers blame restaurants for third-party delivery error, study suggests ven if restaurants have a formal agreement with thirdparty ordering portals and delivery services, the majority of consumers (76 per cent) hold the restaurant at least partially responsible for any errors, says a study by Technomic Inc. “This puts operators’ brand reputation at risk each time a customer orders delivery through these services”, says Melissa Wilson, a principal at Technomic, in a news release. “Even if delivery is not a current strategic initiative, operators should educate themselves about and understand the dynamics of the third-party delivery market so they can put guardrails in place to maintain quality and brand reputation.” The study helps operators and third-party delivery services interpret the evolving dynamics with this distribution channel to strengthen their ability to create effective strategies for capitalizing on this emerging trend, devising plans related to the potential impact on operations, product mix and store design or developing their own delivery offering. Other findings from this study include: • Third-party services are generating additional business for casual dining restaurants and other concepts that do not

offer delivery: More than a third of third-party users reported ordering from casual dining restaurants and 14 per cent had ordered from family-style restaurants that do not offer delivery on their own. • Chain restaurants are almost twice as likely as independents to receive delivery orders: Two-thirds of delivery orders either placed directly with a restaurant or via a third-party service were from a chain restaurant. • One in five third-party service users ordered a burger: Although pizza still dominates the restaurant delivery space, thirdparty service users are taking advantage of the wider variety of options available and ordering items that restaurants have hesitated to offer for delivery themselves. The data, rankings and insights provided in the On Demand Delivery: Disrupting the Future of Foodservice study were developed using primary research including qualitative research with third-party delivery customers and an online survey with 2,800 consumers who use either third-party delivery or restaurantoperated delivery services. The report is available at www.technomic.com.

making dough with Diane

Lighting tips for pizzerias Diane Chiasson

ighting can be an important way to attract customers to your pizzeria and highlight your pizzas and other fare. It is also important to use lighting sensibly and to understand some of the basic principles of retail lighting so as a pizzeria owner you can achieve the benefits of good lighting and avoid pitfalls. Here are seven tips on using lighting to enhance your pizzeria and its sales.

1. UNDERSTAND BASIC PRINCIPLES It is important to have a familiarity with the three basic kinds of retail lighting when considering how to improve your restaurant’s appearance and sales with lighting. General, or ambient, lighting is the main source of illumination in a space. Choosing lower levels of this where appropriate can do much to reduce overall energy bills and be more environmentally friendly as all other forms of lighting can be lessened when set against a lower level of ambient lighting. 2. REFLECT PERSONALITY AND BRAND Your lighting should complement and conform to the theme and mood of your restaurant and reflect your brand’s identity. Diffused general lighting ensures a sense of well-being, which makes diners feel comfortable and more likely to stay longer in your restaurant and order more. If you have a sit-down pizzeria then this approach to lighting your pizzeria would be the way to go. A simple way to achieve this is by arranging recessed fixtures using reflectors, baffles and lensed trims in overlapping positions. Another of the three basic kinds of lighting, decorative lighting, can also be used to enhance the look of the space. Decorative lighting includes pendants, sconces, chandeliers,

table and floor lamps and cylinders. These should complement and add visual interest to the interior, as well as provide or contribute to the overall lighting plan. 3. USE LIGHTING CAREFULLY Inappropriate lighting can destroy the experience offered by your restaurant. It is important you understand the atmosphere you are trying to create and the type of pizzeria you have in order to reinforce the existing theme positively. From the glow of intimacy to a feel of spaciousness and relaxation, the layout and selection of fixtures for lighting should address the image you want conveyed. 4. ATTRACT CUSTOMERS Decorative lighting such as pendants, sconces, chandeliers, table and floor lamps and cylinders can enhance the look of your space. They may be used to accent the entrance to your pizzeria or add flourish to your booths and tables. Decorative lighting should complement and add visual interest to the interior, as well as provide or contribute to the overall lighting plan. Your entrance area will determine your customers’ first impression of your pizzeria. It is likely to become the waiting area when the dining room is full. Plan lighting so that it will not have any negative psychological effect on your clients. While young people tend to be fascinated with low levels of lighting, older people generally want brighter light to appease their moods. 5. CONSIDER LEDS One trend gaining influence in restaurants is to adorn them in LEDs (light-emitting diodes that glow when voltage is applied to them). Energy-efficient, flexible, and absolutely beautiful, these lamps are

20 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

available in a wide array of patterns and colours. You don’t have to worry whether your place uses prewired tapes and materials or standard fixtures. If you can afford them, you are saving on your cooling budget later. Be sure, however, that the ones you purchase do not have a problem with dimmers and won’t limit your ability to vary the mood of your restaurant. 6. HANDLE REFLECTION AND GLARE By using lighting in a sensible way you can establish displays and enhance what you have to offer. In this regard, reflection and glare are both useful and potentially harmful to lighting in your pizzeria; they can attract the eye to your offerings when used properly but irritate and annoy when used incorrectly. A very bright store is not the most effective lighting solution. Using contrast to highlight certain offerings and different areas of the space helps customers feel more comfortable and draws attention to featured items. 7. BOOST SALES If lights are too harsh (as with large fluorescents and incandescent lights), customers might feel anxious. Rather, LEDs installed under cabinets and used as down (or recessed) lights can create a more subtle lighting effect. If your pizzeria highlights only a select number of offerings, make sure the lighting is directed to focus on those items exclusively, using accentuated and contour spotlighting. • Diane Chiasson, FCSI, president of Chiasson Consultants Inc., has been helping food service, hospitality and retail operators increase sales for over 25 years by providing innovative and revenue-increasing foodservice and retail merchandising programs, interior design, branding, menu engineering, marketing and promotional campaigns. Contact her at 416-926-1338, toll-free at 1-888-926-6655 or chiasson@chiassonconsultants.com, or visit www.chiassonconsultants.com.

tips & techniques

Panzerotti vs. calzone Roberto Vergalito explores the intricacies of the calzone and the panzerotti.

ou could say calzones are a big deal to Roberto Vergalito. In October 2014, Vergalito, who owns and operates Roberto’s Pizza Passion in St. Catharines, Ont., made a bid in August for the world record for longest calzone. His pie was 51 feet, two inches long by 2 feet, 5 inches wide weighing 138 kilograms! He then cut up the mammoth calzone and sold the pieces, with proceeds going to the United Way. Vergalito, who competed with and coached the Canadian Pizza Team for several years, has written columns for Canadian Pizza on many topics as “The Pizza Dude.” We asked him to explain the differences between the calzone and its cousin, the panzerotti, and to share tips for making these mouth-watering pizzeria mainstays.

Take-away tips Panzerotti originated as a pizza tart that was deep-fried or pan-fried, Vergalito says, while a calzone is a baked pizza turnover. Both are thought to have originated in southern Italy. CALZONE: • Pizza turnover • Use your hand for support when folding • Make sure edges are sealed: try using a roller

He was kind enough – and patient enough – to undertake a video shoot to kick off our new website feature, Tips & Techniques. Tune in to Roberto’s “Panzerotti vs. Calzone” for a little history of the favoured pies, along with some great tips on making and serving them. •

• Important! Poke holes or slits in the top • Bake at 500-550 F PANZEROTTI: • Originally a deep-fried or pan-fried pizza tart • Don’t stretch dough out completely • Make sure edges are sealed: try using a roller • Important! Don’t poke holes in the top • Deep-fry at 325 F.

To watch “Panzerotti vs. Calzone,” visit www.canadianpizzamag.com > Videos

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 pizza 21

pizzabites

Junior Chef Antonio Rupolo to compete again ntonio Rupolo, our first Canadian Pizza magazine Junior Chef of the Year, is head pizza maker at Gusto Pizzeria in Brampton, Ont. His father opened the Gusto 30 years ago and his mother, Maria Rupolo, now runs it. The 19-year-old has been working in the business since he was 10 and intends to continue but with a bigger management role. “I’m going to take over the business soon,” he said. Rupolo said he and his mom both handle all aspects of the pizzeria, which has a staff of about 10. “She’s the owner so she’s got to be everywhere,” he said. The young champion is proud of his title. “We’ve sold a few of my winning pizzas,” he said. “I put the plaque up in the store. People ask me who is the junior chef, I say it’s me and I talk to them about it. I tell them how much I loved competing and how I learned so much. It was a little bit different: I had to create my own setup

Junior Chef of the Year Antonio Rupolo of Gusto Pizzeria in Brampton, Ont., seen here with Joe DiDonato of competition co-sponsor Moretti-Forni, says he often gets flavour ideas from customers.

and everything.” The pizzaiolo’s dough-handling technique put the competition’s prep table to the test. “I fling my dough a lot,” he said with a laugh. His winning Gourmet Pizza featured bocconcini cheese, zucchini and a sweet Genoa salami on a thin crust with light cheese and light sauce. “There were a lot of factors in that pizza and how I got to it. I combined one of my mom’s pizzas that she likes a lot and that she makes,” he said. “It has hot salami, roasted red peppers and bocconcini cheese with some oregano. I combined that with one that my brother likes, which has zucchini, roasted red peppers and bocconcini. A family friend of ours helped me put the design together: the plating, the design, the presentation.” He often gets flavour ideas from customers. “They ask for topping combinations I wouldn’t have imagined and they turn out good,” he said. Rupolo will take what he learned last year to compete for the title of Chef of the Year on Oct. 17.

22 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 PZ_CCSCreative_SeptOct16_CSA.indd 1

2016-09-07 11:56 AM

www.wowoven.com

Contact your local repesentative to arrange a demonstration MARITIME PROVINCES Flanagan Agencies, Inc. Moncton, New Brunswick 506.387.8757 Fax: 506.387.8750 sales@fai.ca

QUEBEC Distex M&M, Inc. St. Laurent (Quebec) 514.382.3620 Fax: 514.382.7837 info@distex.ca

ONTARIO Distex M&M, Inc. 905.565.5992 or 1-800.645-7324 Fax: 905.565.5992 info@distex.ca

MANITOBA and SASKATCHEWAN Simpson Wilson Ltd. Winnipeg, Manitoba 204.632.6941 or 1-800.342.3626 Fax: 204.633.9254 cam@simpsonwilson.com

ALBERTA Bert Johnson Ent., Ltd. (BJE) Calgary, Alberta 403.870.4763 Fax: 403.287.7788 Calgary: dave@bje.cc Alberta: erin@bje.cc

BRITISH COLUMBIA Distex M&M, Inc. Port Moody, BC 778.989.3620 cvandenhoven@distex.ca

guest column

Site-selection secrets for pizzeria tenants Jeff Grandfield and Dale Willerton s we speak throughout North America, we routinely advise our audiences of the importance of proper site selection. The commercial space chosen by a tenant can, in fact, be a deciding factor in the success or failure of the business. Here are just a few of the factors you should be evaluating when viewing available commercial space for lease and considering before signing on the dotted line: Location within the location: Where is the commercial unit situated within the shopping plaza? Would you be leasing inside the plaza or mall or on the pad outside? Would you be located at the end of an abandoned corridor or adjacent to the busy food court? Accessibility: How easily can your customers access your new business? Are there stairs leading to your front door? If so, elderly customers may have difficulty getting to your door. Can drivers easily turn into your business’ parking lot or do they have to cross in front of oncoming traffic? Visibility: Can your business be seen from the street? Or, are there trees or other buildings blocking the view? Visibility by both drive-by and walk-by traffic is ideal. Parking: This is another one of the key issues to evaluate prior to signing your first lease. We have seen parking to be a highly contentious issue and one of the hardest things to correct after the lease has been signed. Typically, there are only so many parking spaces assigned, and once they are taken, they are gone. Negotiate for plenty of parking spots so that you, your staff and your customers all have a place to leave vehicles. Consider where those parking spaces are located as well: Those closer to your business door can

be preferable. Can you reserve a parking frequently continue to pay rent on a space directly in front of your business for vacant commercial space to avoid having your delivery driver? a competitor moving in. Signage: How much and what type Broker – friend or foe?: It is not of signage is available to you? Where is it uncommon for a pizzeria tenant to believe located? Where would your business name that the real estate agent or broker is be placed on a common pylon sign shared working for them. However, it should be by other tenants? Would noted that the listing agent’s you, as a commercial commission is being paid tenant, be charged for by the landlord, and even Can you reserve an outside agent may be any additional signage requested? Negotiate a parking space sharing in that commission. now for “grand opening” Remember, the higher directly in front the rent, often the higher signage (for example, banners and/or pull-away of your business the agent’s commission. signs). Whether a landlord-paid Neighbouring tenants: for your delivery agent can represent two Ascertain who is doing masters you will have to driver? business directly next door decide for yourself. Brokers to you. Will this tenant be and agents do a great job, conducive or detrimental but who are they doing the to your business? While asking the land- job for and who is paying them to do it? lord/landlord’s agent about these neigh- Even the most altruistic agent can’t serve bouring tenants, it can be a good idea to two masters equally. meet and quiz these tenants for yourself. We have helped many new and existing Be friendly and polite and introduce your- commercial tenants negotiate first-time self as a prospective new tenant. When leases and lease renewals as well as choose representing new tenants, we frequently the most appropriate business location. A ask pointed questions. What you learn good business in a poor location ultimately may very well surprise you! becomes a poor business. As you can see, Anchor tenants: These are the major the best location is critical for your new businesses and retailers that pull customer business, but don’t just stop there as there traffic to a property. Typically, they are is much, much more to site selection than major grocery or department stores; meets the eye! • however, this is not always the case. Consider the stability of those anchors. Dale Willerton and Jeff Grandfield – The Lease Coach are Commercial Lease Consultants who work How long have they remained in the exclusively for tenants. Dale and Jeff are professional property? Are they planning to remain speakers and co-authors of “Negotiating Commercial or move? We well remember how many Leases & Renewals For Dummies” (Wiley, 2013). Got a leasing question? Need help with your new tenants leasing in a small shopping plaza lease or renewal? Call 1-800-738-9202, e-mail near one of our homes were caught off- DaleWillerton@TheLeaseCoach.com or visit www. guard when the major grocery store TheLeaseCoach.com. For a copy of the free CD, “Leasing Do’s & Don’ts for Pizzeria Tenants,” e-mail anchor moved out. Major grocery chains your request to DaleWillerton@TheLeaseCoach.com.

24 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

new products

Charcoal additive offers health benefits, grey crust

Ardent Mills launches clean-label, food-safe flours

Italiana FoodTech has a food-grade activated charcoal available that gives pizza crusts a grey colour and provides several health benefits. Food-grade activated charcoal, also known as plant-based charcoal, is often used in hospitals to flush a patient’s system of a drug or alcohol overdose, said Alice Rovere of Italiana Foodtech. “Our body can take advantage of its properties through food,” she adds. Among other benefits, the charcoal is said to absorb intestinal gas to eliminate bloating, relieve the fullness and bloating many people feel after eating leavened products, help with digestion and help reduce cholesterol levels in blood. Charcoal is a concentrate of vegetable fibres obtained from willow or birch wood, which are then decomposed by heat in the absence of oxygen. Once in the intestine, the fibres are not digested nor absorbed but instead travel through the intestine until they are removed along with the gas that was captured. When added to pizza dough, the charcoal gives dough a black appearance and, once baked, results in a grey crust. The charcoal flour is different from the black flour currently on the market, which is simply coloured flour without the same health benefits, Rovere says. www.pizzatools.ca

Simply Milled, Ardent Mills’ new line of bread flour, allpurpose flour, pastry flour and whole-wheat flour, features products made without bleach, bromate or other additives, the company said in a press release. The flours, showcased at the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) show in Chicago in July, are made using flour that is “grown and ground as it’s been done since the 1800s on roller mills.” In addition to demand for clean-label products, the company is addressing food safety concerns with its SafeGuard flour and SafeGuard treatment and delivery system. The product and process help maintain flour’s natural flavour, colour, absorption, appearance and gluten functionality while helping to mitigate raw, flour-related pathogen risk. www.ardentmills.com

Coaster lets diners stack phones

Heckler Design’s WindFall Coaster was conceived as a solution to the decline in table turn many restaurants have experienced as a result of smartphone distractions. The coaster provides restaurant owners with a way to tastefully encourage diners to stack their phones at meal time and engage in the traditional dining experience, the company said in a press release. The WindFall Coaster is constructed of powder-coated steel and

TASTE THE

TRADITION

Manufacturers and Distributors of Italian Specialty Cheeses and Food Products

gaylea.com • 1-800-268-0508 • salernodairy.com SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 pizza 25

new products includes soft elastomer corner pegs that lift the phone away from liquid and other tabletop debris and reduce vibration noise when a phone is silenced. By keeping the phone visible and face down, diners stay engaged in the experience, yet won’t risk phones being inadvertently thrown away or left behind, the company said. “Restaurateurs and chefs have a love/hate relationship with phone use in the restaurant,” said Dean Heckler, founder and lead designer at Heckler Design. “Though customer Instagramming while dining is a helpful form of marketing, restaurant phone use has frustrated servers and significantly impacted table turn in recent years,” Heckler said. “WindFall Coaster was created to give restaurateurs a stylish and polite way to create a muchneeded phone etiquette.” The coaster should be placed in the centre of the table to encourage all diners to stack their phones together. A playful diagram found on the bottom of the phone coaster depicts how to use it. The WIndfall Coaster is available in several colours, and starts at US $15 for an individual smartphone coaster, and $149 for a package of 12. www.hecklerdesign.com

TouchBistro POS integrates with QuickBooks TouchBistro, an iPad point-of-sale provider, now offers seamless integration with QuickBooks small business accounting software. Integration with QuickBooks, which is provided as an option for TouchBistro POS app users, helps restaurateurs reduce accountant fees and bookkeeping hours by eliminating time-consuming double entry of operating data into accounting records, TouchBistro said in a release. The integration takes only minutes to activate, using SHOGO cloudbased integration. During the initial installation of the integration, TouchBistro revenue and cost categories are mapped to the related accounts the restaurant has set up in its QuickBooks application, to help ensure accuracy between operational and accounting reports. “TouchBistro is committed to helping restaurant owners and managers improve their bottom line by seeking out new partners and the best technologies to increase efficiencies and simplify operations,” said Alex Barrotti, CEO and founder of TouchBistro, in the release. The POS software features cloud reporting tools designed to further streamline restaurant operations from seating and scheduling to inventory, payroll, tax calculations and sales analysis. With the QuickBooks integration, TouchBistro accounting data can be imported into the restaurant’s QuickBooks desktop or online app by categories or totals, thus eliminating the need for double entry. www.touchbistro.com

Everything you need to creatE the perfect gourmet pizza...

FINICA OFFERS INNOVATIVE WAYS TO CREATE YOUR PIZZA WITH THE HIGHEST QUALITY PRODUCTS. PLEASE CONTACT A SALES REP FOR MORE INFORMATION.

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26 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 PZ_Finica_SeptOct16_CSA.indd 1

2016-09-07 2:05 PM

Welcome to your show! It’s the only trade show in Canada dedicated to the art and business of making fresh pizza!

e have made it easier than ever to enjoy a day of pizza appreciation and business networking. The competitions will be centre stage, with seats all around to let you give your overworked feet a rest. With judges Marina Rondinelli, Ettore Pugliese, Gabriele Paganelli and Diana Cline joining us to evaluate our chefs’ innovative pizzas,

it’s sure to be an exciting event! We want to extend a very special thank-you to our generous and very engaged sponsors, exhibitors and panellists for their participation, enthusiasm and support. They help make this an event like no other with value for all participants. And we thank you, our showgoers, for giving up a day out of your busiest month.

This show is for you, but we couldn’t put it on without you! Talk to the folks in the booths – they are here to help. Study the chefs’ techniques. Take part in the lunchtime panel and enjoy a relaxed day of learning and socializing with others facing the same issues and challenges you do. Most of all, have fun! – Canadian Pizza magazine

Pizza Marketing Panel:

How to get more bang for your budget!

28 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

DR AG O

I ST OYAN SA ND

SANDI STOYAN Sandi Stoyan owns and operates the popular Mickey’s Pizza in Mississauga, Ont. Customers know Mickey’s for its Chicagostyle deep-dish pan pizza, its unique

HILARY DRAGO Hilary Drago is the marketing co-ordinator for Pizzeria Libretto in Toronto. As the face behind the smartphone camera documenting and sharing Libretto’s innovations on social media, Hilary brings to

TONY SABHERWAL Tony Sabherwal, the entrepreneur behind the successful Magic Oven pizza chain in Toronto, was among the first in the city to offer online ordering, a social media presence, a mobile ordering app and a sophisticated email marketing campaign.

DIANA CLINE Diana Cline is a two-time Canadian Pizza Magazine Chef of the Year, an internationally recognized gourmet pizzaiolo, a partner with Diana’s Cucina & Lounge in Winnipeg, a director for the CRFA [now Restaurants Canada] from 2009-2013, and a consultant to the industry.

LESLEY GREENBERG As vice-president and partner of CCS Creative in Toronto, Lesley Greenberg brings many years of foodservice marketing expertise to the agency. Specializing in strategic brand development, Lesley makes strong connections with operators by focusing on their unique visions.

E LESL

OUR PANELLISTS

our panel a millennial perspective on marketing your brand.

A CLIN

HILARY

o you want to learn about practical, affordable promotional tactics that are working for other pizzerias or get feedback on plans of your own? This 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. marketing panel, hosted by Canadian Pizza, will give you a chance to share marketing stories and ideas.

AN DI

RG TONY BHERWA SA

rotating oven and one very large inflatable dragon that adorns its rooftop, serving as a beacon to customers and bringing to life its motto, “Feed your dragon.” Get ready-to-implement advice from in-the-trenches marketers and sales pros on how to build pizza sales through smart strategies and tools that can work for any budget. Join us to learn how to stretch your marketing dough! •

Better Ideas. Better Pizza. Better Business. It’s that Simple. SCHEDULE OF SPEAKERS AND EVENTS

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 pizza 29

8:30 a.m.

Competition registration open

9:00 a.m.

Trade show registration begins

All day

Prizes table (near the Canadian Pizza booth) Want tips on gluten-free dough? Help with balancing your books? What kinds of information will help you run your pizzeria smarter? Add your questions to our Help Wall and let us deliver you some answers in future issues of Canadian Pizza magazine. The ‘Help!’ Wall Want tips on gluten-free dough? Need help with balancing your books? What kinds of information will help you run your pizzeria smarter? Add your questions to our ‘Help!’ Wall and let us deliver answers in future issues of Canadian Pizza magazine.

9 – 10:00 a.m.

9:30 a.m.

Junior Chef of the Year Budding pizza chefs aged 14-17 will go dough to dough to be best up-and-comer! Competitors may make a pizza in a style of their choosing with however many or few toppings they like. Trade show opens

10:00 a.m. – 11:30 am

Chef of the Year – Open (Morning group) Competitors may enter a pizza with any combination and number of toppings they choose. Crust may be traditional, or deep-dish. Imagination is your only limit.

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Pizza Marketing Panel: Get More Bang for Your Marketing Budget! Get ready-to-implement advice from independent pizzerias and sales pros on how to build sales through smart strategies and tools that can work for any budget. Come away with: • Tips and takeaways on direct-mail, website, social media, cause-oriented marketing • Inspiration and ideas from successful pizzerias • Proven advice to help you sell more products and stand out in a competitive market

1:00 p.m. – 3:05 p.m.

Chef of the Year – Open (Afternoon group)

3:15 p.m.

Great Pizza Box Fold-Off Think you’re fast? Show us just how fast can you fold 10 large pizza boxes as you go for glory against your speedy peers!

3:45 p.m.

Prizes awarded and competition winners announced: • Great Pizza Box Fold-Off • Junior Chef of the Year • Third place, Chef of the Year • Runner-up to Chef of the Year • Canadian Pizza magazine Chef of the Year

4:30 p.m.

Trade show closes

30 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

Better Ideas. Better Pizza. Better Business. It’s that Simple. SCHEDULE OF SPEAKERS AND EVENTS

Exhibitors and Sponsors of the 2016 Canadian Pizza Show Alfa Food Service espresso.com pizzamaster.com Booth 101/115

GOLD SPONSOR

of Canadian Pizza Chef of the Year

DIAMOND SPONSOR

SILVER SPONSOR

of Canadian Pizza Chef of the Year

Ardent Mills ardentmills.ca Booth 100/201 Arla Foods arlafoods.ca Booth 307 Burke Corporation burkecorp.com Booth 400/402 Canbrands Specialty Foods canbrands.ca Booth 301

Canada distributed by

Escalon Premier Brands escalon.net Booth 116/118 Faema Canada faema.ca Booth 313/315 Farm Credit Canada fcc-fac.ca/en.html Booth 216 Finica Food Specialties Ltd finica.com Booth 104 GayLea Foods gaylea.com Booth 219

CCS Creative ccscreative.com Booth 304

IGG International Food Distributor igginternational.com Booth 109

Chase Global Foods chaseglobalfoods.com Booth 400/402

Italiana FoodTech italiana.ca Booth 102

Covertex covertexcorp.com Booth 204

Lallemand lallemand.com Booth 317

Crown Cookware Supreme crowncookware.ca Booth 206

Lesaffre Yeast Corporation lesaffre.com Booth 119

Daniel’s Brands igginternational.com Booth 109

Salamina Foods salamina.ca Booth 106/108

Canada

Moretti Forni (Euro Milan Distributing) euromilan.com Booth 313/315 Lesters lesters.ca Booth 316 Neil Jones Food Company neiljonesfoodcompany.com Booth 318 Parmalat Foodservice parmalat-foodservice.ca/en Booth 203/205

of the Canadian Pizza Show & Canadian Pizza Chef of the Year

Saputo Foodservice saputo.com Booth 208/309 SP Sales spsalescanada.com Booth 102 GOLD SPONSOR

of the Canadian Pizza Show

PLATINUM SPONSOR

of the Canadian Pizza Show distributed by

PizzaMaster distributed by Alfa Food Service pizzamaster.com espresso.com Booth 101/115 PDQ POS pdqpos.com Booth 503/505

Town & Country Uniforms tcuniforms.com Booth 200 Viau Foods viaufood.com Booth 105 Visual Touch POS visualtouchpos.com Booth 406/408

RediHeat rediheat.com Booth 314 Reuven International reuven.com Booth 202 Reiser reiser.com Booth 218

Stanislaus Food Products stanislaus.com Booth 207/209

W.D. Colledge wdcolledge.com Booth 507/509 Weins Foods Ltd. weinsfoods.com Booth 217

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 pizza 31

A pair of pizzas Pizza with Salami, Red Onion, Olives and Basil BY SAPUTO FOODSERVICE PORTIONS: 4-6 PREP TIME: 20 minutes COOK TIME: 15 minutes INGREDIENTS: 2 x 250 g (1/2 lb) pizza dough, raised 250 ml (1 cup) tomato sauce 750 g (3 cups) Saputo Mozzarellissima cheese, shredded 10-12 slices spicy salami of your choice ½ red onion, sliced very thinly 12 pitted olives, cut in halves 12 fresh basil leaves METHOD: 1. Preheat the oven to 225 C (450 F). 2. Roll the pizza dough out on a floured surface into 12-inch rounds and place each on a baking sheet equipped with parchment paper. 3. Spread ½ cup of tomato sauce on each pizza and follow with the Mozzarellissima cheese, the olives, the onion and slices of salami. 4. Cook pizzas in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese is slightly browned. 5. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Grilled Pizza with Peaches and Prosciutto BY SABRINA TUTINO, COURTESY SAPUTO FOODSERVICE PORTIONS: 4 to 6 servings PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOK TIME: 20 minutes INGREDIENTS: 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) store-bought fresh pizza dough Sufficient quantity olive oil 30 ml (2 tbsp) cornmeal 200 g (1 1/2 cups) Saputo Mozzarellissima cheese, shredded 6 slices prosciutto 1 fresh peach, cut in quarters 80 ml (1/3 cup) walnuts 180 ml (3/4 cup) arugula Sufficient quantity balsamic vinegar (optional) To taste freshly ground salt and pepper METHOD: 1. Place the dough in a large bowl, cover with a plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 45 minutes. 2. Preheat barbecue to medium-high for 10 minutes or until the temperature reaches 200 C (400 F). Clean and lightly oil the grill. 3. 4.

For more recipes featuring cheese and dairy products, visit www.saputo.ca 32 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

7. 8.

Brush peach quarters with olive oil and grill on each side for a few minutes. Set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza dough and add a drizzle of olive oil. Invert a baking sheet and sprinkle the cornmeal generously over it. Place the dough on the sheet. Carefully slide the dough off the baking sheet onto the centre of the barbecue grill. Close the lid and cook for five minutes or until the bottom is slightly golden brown. Using tongs and/or a heatproof spatula, gently turn the dough. Arrange half of the Mozzarellissima cheese, the prosciutto, the grilled peach quarters and the walnuts over the top and cover with the remaining cheese. Close the lid again and cook on medium heat for approximately 10 minutes or until the Mozzarellissima is fully melted. Remove from barbecue, top with arugula and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper and serve promptly.

RestauRant MaRketing foR owneRs and ManageRs The complete guide to marketing for restaurant managers. By providing specific tools and methods tying marketing theory to practice, this concise, easy-to-use book provides restaurant and foodservice managers with answers to these marketing questions and many more. This hands-on resource offers a variety of material that is applicable to the day-to-day operation of a foodservice business, including strategies linking the location and design of a restaurant with its menu and pricing, as well as guidance on how to implement a marketing plan and budget.

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2016-08-31 3:49 PM

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 pizza 33

Giorgio’s corner

How to retain loyal and amazing staff Giorgio Taverniti

he most important factor in the success of a business is the product or service it offers and the quality of its staff. Even the most popular business can take a turn for the worse by not having loyal and – let’s face it – amazing staff. In today’s workforce, especially in restaurants, the employee turnover rate is high, which makes employee loyalty a low priority. Everyone wants the bigger and better job. I get it! We all want that better job or that job that has no weekend shifts – the one that offers more perks or a better boss! As a small business owner, I know that my staff is just as crucial to me as the product I produce and serve. I want my clients to see a familiar face when they come into my restaurant. I don’t want a revolving door of new people every couple of months. That family restaurant feeling is something I want extended to my clients and staff. I also want my employees to feel genuinely proud of where they work and to treat my baby (the restaurant), as if it were their own. So how does a business owner retain their loyal and amazing staff? My approach to inspire loyalty and have grade A+ genuine work environment is to offer fair wages, provide encouragement, show appreciation, give rewards and provide constant acknowledgment. Minimum wage is a set standard across the board. It is just that: the minimum. Employers can pay their staff more if they are able to and choose to. If a business is doing well, it makes sense to increase an employee’s wage. What employers need to understand is that great employees are hard to come by and keeping the great ones is an even harder task. Providing an increase in an

employee’s wage can set you apart from other businesses and win loyalty from your employees to stay and grow with your business. It will show you are willing to start someone off with a little more than the law requires you to. This alone will showcase your generosity. Similarly, if an employee is at the minimum and goes above and beyond, reward them: even a small increase is appreciated and noticed. This increase can also offset other perks you may not be able to offer that bigger businesses can such as medical and dental benefits. All employees have different strengths and areas that need improvement, as we all do. It’s important to pay attention to your staff and really observe where they shine. Give them goals and challenges so that even a part-time job as a server can be challenging and help them grow. When I see an employee who craves more than the job description, I observe their strengths and give them extra tasks and responsibilities. Additional tasks like asking them to assist with the restaurants’ social media accounts or putting them in charge of the drink inventory and reordering are small but important. These small but empowering acts make employees feel they are an important part of the business and contributing to its operations and overall success. When you need to address areas of improvement, treat your employees how you would want to be treated. Resist disciplining them like you might a child in trouble; they are your employees and always deserve to be treated kindly and respectfully. Remember they are a reflection of you: if you treat them properly, they will treat you, your clients and your business the same way.

34 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

It’s important to respect your employees and build a relationship with them. My staff is a vital part of my business. I make it a point to get to know them, not only by their work strengths but also by their personality. I ask what interests them and what their future goals are. I ask about their families and invite them to sit down with mine for an end-of-the-night dinner (a tradition at my restaurant). We spend so much time with the people we work with that it really becomes a second family. This may seem unnecessary to some who feel they are the boss and not there to be friends with their employees, but building a relationship with your staff is essential. Acknowledgment! This simple gesture can help you keep your awesome staff. I’m sure we all experience critiques at work of what we do wrong or need to improve on, but how often is a job well done praised? Positive reinforcement is vital to any relationship but especially in a business. No one wants to hear only what they need to improve on; everyone wants to know they are doing a great job. Try surprising your staff by giving them a gift card, offering an extended paid day off or letting them leave early as a token of your appreciation for their constant great service. I believe this approach is the best in retaining your staff, keeping them happy and having a positive and fun work environment based on mutual respect. I hope it works for you guys too! •

Giorgio Taverniti owns Frank’s Pizza House in Toronto, which has been in his family since 1990. A graduate of George Brown College’s culinary management and Italian culinary programs, Giorgio helped found a popular pizza-making workshop at the college and ran it for three years.

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