50 oz. Tomahawk Steak cooked in Revolving Brick Oven

Top 10 “Fast Casual Pizza” ingredients.

Top 10 “Fast Casual” traits and how they affect pizza today. 

Fast Casual refers to a certain type of restaurant which usually has most of these attributes:

1)      An apparent quality improvement over fast food. This is created with fresh food promoted and prepared in front of the customer eliminating the possibility of frozen processed foods. This is often enhanced with a promise of GMO-free, free trade zone and locally grown produce.

2)      An upscale more comfortable and inviting atmosphere.

3)      Interaction of customer and staff due to the need to order, pick, choose and direct the assembly and preparation of the food items.

4)      Varied, made to order wholesome food choices.

5)      Counter service with limited table service like food runners.

6)      Very fast production and cook times.

7)      Healthier food items and items that are naturally grown, organic with free range meets and non-farmed fish.

8)      Perceived value with a cost that trends between fast food and casual full service dining.

9)      Trendy

10)   Aimed at the millennial consumer category.

So how does this affect pizza today and the exciting concepts reaching for the brass ring in the Gold Rush of the “Fast Casual Pizza” market?

Fast Casual Pizza Franchise Secret they Don't want You to Know

Fast Casual Pizza Brick Ovens

New York Brick Oven Company Revolving Fast Casual Pizza Oven

The New York Brick Oven Company has delivered the Fast Casual Pizza Industry's   ultimate weapon-The Inferno Series Revolving Brick Oven. All the benefits of the ancient brick oven with none of the drawbacks. Leading the Fast Casual Pizza Revolution by enabling smart operators to make the fastest, most consistent gourmet brick oven pizza without the difficulties associated with the run of the mill brick oven was the goal. Some of these issues that the revolving brick oven addressed and handled according to the Goodfella's Brick Oven Pizza chain Founder Marc Cosentino were: 1."The long runway(months) required to train an oven man who may or may not stick around or make the final cut. 2. Always having a man stuck at the oven at all times to turn the pies and rotate them to avoid burning or not getting an even bake. 3. Hot spots and cold spots occurring on the cooking surface from placing cold dough on a surface that is "fixed" and requires time to recover the heat. 4. Maintaining a constant cooking temperature for a consistent product regardless of who is manning the oven. 5. Many operators having to resort to a dough press to par cook and flatten the pie in an effort to get speed without the dough rising naturally creating the bubbles and traditionally chewy crust instead of a cracker crust. 6. Long pizza peels and a very wide opening which ad to the footprint of the pizza station and operating costs. The head of the New York Pizza School Andrew Scudera had this to say about the revolving brick oven verses the fixed deck average brick oven"There is no comparison, it's night and day if only for the ease of training new people on it. You don't need to waste months hoping you'll get a guy who can handle your rush. That is one of the many advantages though, if you have used a traditional brick oven for any length of time the benefits become painfully obvious compared to the old ways. Not having customers complain about pies cooked too lightly or burnt is a thing of the past because your not relying on different pizza men with different cooking methods trying to make the same pie(which is critical in this business to maintain your customer base and expand it).  The pizzas require much less attention and practically cook themselves. The temperature is pre-set so there is no variable from trying to controlling the fire by the amount of wood in the oven or how it stacked etc... This oven is a no-brainer and the fact that it was used to cook an amazing 200 pizzas in 50 minutes at pizza Expo says volumes for the production capabilities of the New York Brick Oven Companies Inferno Series revolving brick ovens and the inherent ease of use. Personally, this oven was a life saver in my own restaurant and has helped many pizza entrepreneurs  enjoy a fantastic edge in starting up their new fast casual pizza concepts around the United States of America, Canad and e South America. So join the revolution-I did.

New Trends in Pizza-The Gourmet Pizza Brew Pub Arrives

The Gourmet Pizza Brew Pub Arrives

Having recently visited the extremely well executed Radius Brew Pub in Emporia Kansas featuring wood fired brick oven pizza from a revolving  brick oven that is part of a wonderful open kitchen design, I realize a new player/category is emerging -The Gourmet Pizza Brew Pub. To begin, select craft beers such as Watermelon Wheat and Milk Stout are being brewed for customers in one of the nation’s first completely visible and walk around electric micro-breweries as the Chess Masters Blues tunes set rhythm to  the mood. A unique sampling of six delightful ales and  stouts arrives at the table in a signature hand-made split level server( which takes up less room while making for a wonderful display) is brought to the table with each of its individual glasses glistening with cold condensation to start. Details, details, details, a pleasant Midwestern staff and a completely unexpected menu are a welcome surprise to see in this small town on the prairie but when the Scotch eggs with homemade Dijon mustard and butter washed Pretzel bread featuring a homemade cream cheese and Cheddar spread arrived, I was sold. Then the Mako Shark with adobe spiced French potatoes was placed in front of me I had visions of my home town- New York, this was a piece of paradise or an oasis on the Great Plains (pinch me). As if all this was not enough for this kid from Brooklyn, the next dish was a broccoli pancetta pizza delight cooked in a revolving wood burning brick oven built by the New York Brick Oven Company.  I had to hold back the tears.  Radius brew pub has raised the proverbial bar on pizza and set a new standard for brew pubs while homing in on a new food trendsetting idea.   This long time restaurateur   feels Gourmet Pizza Brew Pubs will be of the importance and demand attention on par with the fast casual trend for quick eating. It is fantastic to see young entrepreneurs bringing their best game and hitting it out of the park. Marc Cosentino

World's Best Pizza Contest-Pizza Expo Las Vegas Nevada

Scot Cosentino of the New York Brick Oven Company wins the Title

If you are in the pizza industry, you have probably heard of Pizza Expo by now. It is the Super Bowl of the pizza world with close to 10,000 people from across the world attending Pizza Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center on March 25th-27th.

 Anything involved in the business of  making pizza , delivering or selling pizza is represented here. The atmosphere is electric with characters from all parts of the US and the world involved in  buying, selling, lecturing, competing and most importantly-eating pizza. Representatives from all the major pizza equipment dealer such as Stanilsaus Tomatoes, Grande Cheese, New York Brick Ovens and Hobart Mixers will be in attendance. Then you have your pizza making contestants from around the world competing in spinning, stretching, tossing and making pizza in daily contests. If your shopping you can find ingredients, distributors, computer systems, signs and everything in between.

Lucky contest winners get the big check, acknowledgement from the pizza world and most important to future success: that priceless amount of press both locally and internationally. 

Andrew Scudera of Goodfella's Brick oven Pizza wins World's best Pizza!

Whether you are an owner, operator, manager or just an avid pizza fan you will enjoy this show and make some great connections and friends. Be sure to check out the New York Contingent of Goodfella's Brick oven Pizza, The Pizza 

School of New York and the New York Brick Oven Co. at booth 231 and say hello!