The Hot Slice
The Hot Slice brings you inspiring stories, strategies and lessons learned from successful pizzeria professionals and top experts. This podcast is hosted by the team at Pizza Today, the premier network for pizzeria professionals. We’re bringing our award-winning interviewing and 37 years as a trusted pizza restaurant partner to the airwaves with real, in-depth conversations with pizzeria owners, champion pizza makers, industry pros and others to help make your business better.
Episodes
228 episodes
228. Keeping Business Rolling in Pizza Truck with Louise Joseph
Denise goes one-on-one with Louise Joseph on life in her pizza truck business, Dough Girls in Greenwich, Connecticut. Dough Girls specializes in wood-fired pizza on the go. Dough Girls rolls to local events, fairs, festivals,...
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Episode 228
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31:48
227. Building Momentum in the Chicago Market with Robert Garvey
This week, Denise and Josh chat with Robert Garvey, co-founder of Robert’s Pizza & Dough Co. in Chicago, Illinois. Robert had just returned from Italy, where his pizzerias was honored as a Top 50 of “The Best 100 Pizzerias in the World” by ...
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35:29
226. The One Pizza That Caused Business to Explode
This week, Josh and Denise sit down with Jay Hansji, owner of Pizza Buzz in Watauga, Texas. He shares how one pizza catapulted his business into a huge 6,000-squre-foot building. He even tried to discontinue the pizza and the people revolted.
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Episode 226
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31:05
225. Big Months Ahead for Pizzerias
The Pizza Today crew is back together again. Jeremy, Denise and Josh hop on the podcast together for a special episode on the big 4th quarter for pizzerias and us. We’re here to help you get ready. We kick things off highlighting Pi...
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Episode 225
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32:28
224. Thinking Big with a Small Town Pizzeria
This week, Denise goes one-on-one with Rick Herman, CEO of Log Home Wood Fired Pizza in McGregor, Minnesota, with a population of 350 people. So how has this business thrived for 10 years? Rick dives into the pivotal anniversary, focus of the b...
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Episode 224
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35:58
223. Mashing Up Two Beloved Pizza Styles
This week on The Hot Slice Podcast, Josh and Denise chat with Ryan Ososky, owner of DTown Pizzeria in Hollywood, California. He caught our attention on Instagram for marrying two great pizza styles into one: Detroit and Tavern. We get into how ...
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Episode 223
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30:27
222. Happy National Cheese Pizza Day
It’s National Cheese Pizza Day, September 5. We celebrate the quintessential holy trinity of pizza, the cheese pizza. It is the classic combination of cheese, red pizza sauce and crust.
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Episode 222
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32:58
221. Tech Savvy 50-Year-Old Pizzeria
This week we’re exploring tech in pizzerias with George Panagopoulos, owner of Dedham House of Pizza, in Dedham, Massachusetts. This tech-savvy operator has taken over an over 50-year-old pizzeria. He is driving the business into future by deve...
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Episode 221
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33:03
220. Competing & Thriving in the Columbus Market
This week on The Hot Slice Podcast, Denise and Josh chat with Jessica Hellaine and Nick MacDonald, owners of Black Dog Pizzeria in Dublin, Ohio. First, we learn what Columbus-style pizza is. Black Dog also serves New York-style piz...
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Episode 220
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37:08
219. From Chef to Owner with Jeff Cincotta
This week, Jeremy and Denise chat with Jeff Cincotta, Chef Owner of Molinari's Italian Eatery & Pizzeria and Ravello Italian Kitchen in Watertown, Massachusetts. Prior to opening Molinari nine years ago, Jeff spent his career as an executiv...
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Episode 219
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38:57
218. Creating a Magical Vibe
This week, we chat with Candy Yiu, who owns The Turning Peel in Portland, Oregon. She meticulously selected all the design elements that went into the pizzeria that resides in a house turned commercial space. The result is an enchanting and mag...
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Episode 218
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36:38
217. Rising Stars Jillana Miller & Ahmad Butler
This week, Executive Editor Denise Greer interviews Jillana Miller and Ahmad Butler, Owners & Chefs at Miller Butler in San Pedro, CA, They have quickly gained a reputation for amazing pizza in the LA pizza scene. What started o...
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Episode 217
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38:38
216. Evolving Your Pizza Dough & Earning Employee Buy-In with Thomas Ardito
This week, Editor-in-Chief Jeremy White goes one-on-one with Thomas Ardito, co-owner of Brooklyn DOP in Brooklyn, New York. A fitness enthusiast and gym owner, Ardito grew up tinkering with pizza at home and first got involved in ...
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Episode 216
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32:20
215. Rising Star Marisol Doyle, Leña – Pizza + Bagels, Cleveland, Mississippi
Over the next few episodes of The Hot Slice Podcast, we’re excited to let you get to know pizza makers and owners who we named Rising Stars in the Pizza Industry. We’re so impressed by Marisol Doyle, Co-owner/Pizzaiola, Leña – Pizza + Bagels in...
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Episode 215
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39:36
214. Chicago Pizza with Hillary Lake
This week, Executive Editor Denise Greer goes one-on-one with Hillary Lake, who co-owns Hillary’s Chicago Pizza, in St. Augustine, Florida. She’s no stranger to restaurant business ownership, but she never thought she would enter th...
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24:01
213. Pizza Legend John Arena, the One & Only - REPLAY
Happy 4th of July, everyone! On this holiday, we’re replaying a favorite episode for your enjoyment. Jeremy sat down for a one-on-one interview with pizza legend John Arena, co-founder of Metro Pizza in Las...
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Episode 213
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31:17
212. Catching up with King Umberto’s Giovanni Cesarano
Giovanni Cesarano is part of the new generation behind the legendary King Umberto on Long Island, New York. We last caught up with Giovanni in 2021 on the podcast when we shared with him that he had been named a Rising Star in the Pizza Industr...
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Episode 212
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35:05
211. World Champion Pizza Maker of the Year Tony Cerimele
It’s been a whirlwind kind of few months for Tony Cerimele, owner of New Columbus Pizza Company, in Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania. After capturing the first-place finish in the Pan Division, Tony went ...
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Episode 211
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37:47
210. Not Ready for Retirement with Chip Myles
This week on The Hot Slice Podcast is Chip Myles. His passion for the pizza business and his customers radiates through this episode.Chip Myles opened Myles’ Pizza Pub in 1978 in Bowling Green, Ohio. The pizza pub's family business hospi...
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Episode 210
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31:44
209. Pizza For Ukraine with Corey Watson
This week, we talk with Corey Watson, founder of Pizza for Ukraine. Pizza for Ukraine's mission is to Make Pizza, Not War. We make Neapolitan pizza is made for Ukrainians affected by the trauma of war. Whether they are displaced, orphaned, woun...
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Episode 209
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33:03
208. The Explosion of Mattenga’s Pizzeria with Hengam Stanfield
This week, Josh and Denise chat with Hengam Stanfield, co-owner of Mattenga’s Pizzeria in San Antonio, Texas. What started out as taking over a failing pizzeria in 2013 has grown into eight locations and expanding. Hengam and husba...
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Episode 208
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35:07
207. Daily Dough with Gus Franco’s Pizza
This week on The Hot Slice Podcast, Denise and Jeremy chat with Patrick Elston, who with his wife Mandy operates Gus Franco’s Pizza in Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania. Originally started as a food truck, Gus Franco’s opened in 2017. He...
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Episode 207
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34:18
205. Transitioning to Ownership at 23 with Shelby Hall
This week on The Hot Slice Podcast, we hear Shelby Hall’s story. She owns Fox’s Pizza Den Cheat Lake in Morgantown, West Virginia and starting working at Fox’s Pizza Den as a teenager. While in college, she leaped into management. After graduat...
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Episode 205
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31:42
204. Pizza Expo Interview Series, Part 6: Innovative Approaches to Pizza
This week, we continue our Pizza Expo Interview Series from the show floor at
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Episode 204
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25:18
203 – Pizza Expo Interview Series, Part 5: California Knows How to Pizza
This week, we continue our Pizza Expo Interview Series from the show floor at Pizza Expo. Denise interviews three operators with pizzerias doing business in California. Check out these Golden State pizza pros: Zak Fishman from Prim...
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Episode 203
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18:51