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On this episode, meet Salar, the visionary owner-operator behind MaiPai, Hamilton Ontario's most unique dining destination where authentic Detroit-style pizza meets immersive tiki bar culture. What started as a dream to combine two passions has become a fully-booked phenomenon that guests reserve weeks in advance, proving that when you build something people can't find anywhere else, they'll seek you out.

Chapters:

0:00 - Introduction: MaiPai's Tiki Pizza Paradise

2:05 - The Origin Story: How Tiki Bars & Detroit Pizza Merged

3:07 - Location Strategy: Opening in Hamilton's "Bad" Neighborhood

5:02 - Word-of-Mouth Marketing: Building Buzz Without Social Media

6:14 - Pizza vs Alcohol Sales: What Really Drives Revenue

7:11 - Tiki Bar Culture: Adult Disneyland for Rum Lovers

10:26 - Tiki Bar Design: Creating an Overwhelming Sensory Experience

13:06 - Red Dwarf Comparison: Detroit Pizza & Tiki Bar Concepts

15:00 - Space Buildout: Finding the Right Location & Layout

16:23 - Pandemic Pivot: How Pizza Saved the Day During Lockdown

24:16 - Tiki Cocktail Program: Hiring Expert Bartenders

26:12 - Detroit Style Pizza in Canada: Missing Market Opportunity

28:20 - Detroit Pizza Pilgrimage: Louis vs Spicy Pie

29:16 - Pan Size Debate: 8x10 vs 10x14 Detroit Style

31:24 - Detroit Style Pizza Company: Taking Shawn Randazzo's Class

34:18 - Pan Seasoning: Detroit Style Pizza Co vs Lloyd Pans

35:01 - Detroit Pizza Dough: 70% Hydration & Simplified Process

37:27 - Skipping Steps: Why Perfect Isn't Always Better

41:32 - Equipment Upgrade: From Bakers Pride to Pizza Master Ovens

48:23 - Round Pizza Experiments: Using New Oven Flexibility

50:18 - Training Staff: Is Detroit Style Easier Than Round Pizza?

53:47 - Restaurant Operations: Daily Routine & Responsibilities

54:59 - Building Infrastructure: Power, AC & Apartment Issues

56:22 - Future Plans: Hawaiian Restaurant Dreams

59:44 - Work-Life Balance: Managing a 7-Day Operation

1:05:18 - Rapid Fire: Hot Honey, Long Fermentation & High Hydration

1:07:31 - Social Media Impact: TikTok Success Without Trying

1:10:06 - AI Phone Systems: The Future of Restaurant Technology

1:13:59 - Pizza Competitions: Why Competing is Underrated

This Episode’s Sponsors→

🌾 Use Code: PIE2PIE to Get 15% Off Cairnspring Mills Flour: https://bit.ly/CairnspringMills

🌶️ Join The Pepper Flake Revolution: https://bit.ly/flatironpepper

🎶 Maestro Sausage: https://bit.ly/maestro-sausage

🍕 Be in Business for yourself, not by yourself w/ SLICE : https://bit.ly/SLICENOW

Get a NEW GOZNEY: https://us.gozney.com/?dt_id=1529737

Here's some FREE stuff →

🚀HOW TO STEAL A RECIPE https://www.subscribepage.com/howtostealarecipe

🍕 Thinking of Opening a Pizza Shop? Start here: https://howtoopenapizzashop.com/

My Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/alexkoons

On this episode of PIE 2 PIE, we get deep with Rico Aguila, the family-first force behind Fort Myers' beloved Uncle Rico's Pizza.

Chapters:

00:02:18 Teen Dad to South Florida Pizza Legend: Uncle Rico's Origin Story

00:05:52 The Power of a Supportive Partner: How Rico's Wife Launched His Competition Career

00:08:21 Lines Out the Door: Building a Popular Pizzeria in Fort Myers

00:12:41 The Evolution of Pizza Culture: From Secret Recipes to Community Sharing

00:15:10 Quality vs. Quantity: Why Rico Limits Orders on Busy Nights

00:21:08 Behind the Competition Win: How Rico's Wife Secretly Entered Him

00:23:39 Keeping It Simple: Rico's Philosophy on Pizza Ingredients

00:26:55 The Truth About Fermentation: Why Simplicity Beats Complexity

00:33:19 Family Business: Teaching the Next Generation of Pizza Makers

00:37:59 The Art of the Perfect Bake: Creating a Signature Pizza Look

00:42:25 Real Talk: The Hard Truth About Opening a Pizzeria

00:47:15 The Future of Pizza: Automation and Industry Evolution

00:52:17 Balance is Everything: Mental Health in the Restaurant Business

01:05:06 Competition Mindset: Staying True to Your Pizza Style

This Episode’s Sponsors→

🌾 Use Code: PIE2PIE to Get 15% Off Cairnspring Mills Flour: https://bit.ly/CairnspringMills

🌶️ Join The Pepper Flake Revolution: https://bit.ly/flatironpepper

🎶 Maestro Sausage: https://bit.ly/maestro-sausage

🍕 Be in Business for yourself, not by yourself w/ SLICE : https://bit.ly/SLICENOW

Get a NEW GOZNEY: https://us.gozney.com/?dt_id=1529737

Here's some FREE stuff →

🚀HOW TO STEAL A RECIPE https://www.subscribepage.com/howtostealarecipe

🍕 Thinking of Opening a Pizza Shop? Start here: https://howtoopenapizzashop.com/

My Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/alexkoons

On this episode, meet Kevin, owner of BOA Bakery in Ontario, Canada where he's transformed his family's bread-making legacy into a thriving bakery business featuring sought-after sourdough pizza that sells out every Friday. Learn how this former soccer player went from kneading dough with his parents to running his own operation against their advice.

Chapters:

00:00:00 Welcome to the Pizza Podcast with BOA Bakery's Kevin

00:01:42 From Wholesale to Storefront: BOA Bakery's COVID Pivot

00:02:55 Pizza Shop Owner Reality: Managing 80 Customer Personalities Daily

00:05:02 Born Into Bread: Kevin's Journey from Family Bakery to Pizza Maker

00:07:11 Portuguese Roots to Canadian Dough: Immigrant Bakery Story

00:09:58 Inside a Pizza Baker's Kitchen: Equipment and Space Management

00:12:09 The Accidental Sourdough Discovery: How Forgotten Dough Created Perfect Pizza

00:13:53 Friday Pizza Phenomenon: One Baker's Sold-Out Operation

00:16:23 Pizza Dreams: Could BOA Open a Dedicated Hamilton Pizzeria?

00:22:48 Baker Marriage: Working 24/7 with Your Spouse in the Pizza Business

00:26:31 Bakery Buildout Nightmares: What New Pizzeria Owners Should Know

00:37:26 The Future of Pizza Making: Automation vs. Human Touch

00:54:58 Bakery Owner Dilemma: Balancing Wholesale Bread and Retail Pizza

00:57:39 Systems for Growth: How This Pizza Baker Plans to Expand

01:11:14 Pizza Competition Dreams: A Baker's Ambition to Enter the Pizza World

01:21:21 Social Media Reality for Small Pizzerias: The Instagram Struggle