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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→

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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→

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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

This Episode’s Sponsors→

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

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

On this episode, we sit down with Rich Payne (@dough_and_behold), Chris Townsend(@doughballdisco), and Scott Deley(@scottspizzaproject), Ooni Ambasadors and pizza chefs who make incredibly delicious food and content for the Gram. They made the trip to Pizza Expo 2025 in Las Vegas from all the way across the pond in London, England.

Chapters:

00:00 London's Emerging Pizza Scene

02:24 How the Ooni oven and Instagram Transformed Their Pizza Journey

09:18 Content Creation Secrets for Home Pizza Makers: Filming and Editing Tips from Professionals

14:10 Balancing Home Pizza Making with Full-Time Careers

23:23 From Backyard Pizza Hobbyist to Ooni Ambassador

37:40 Home Pizza Content Strategy: Finding Your Authentic Voice in Loud Pizza World

46:47 High Hydration Pizza Dough Adventures

1:16:51 Monetizing Home Pizza Content: Brand Partnerships and Setting Boundaries as a Pizza Creator

1:27:30 Home Pizza Equipment Deep-Dive: Portable Ovens vs. Commercial Setups for Serious Home Bakers

1:40:51 Pizza Technique Debate: Are High-Hydration Doughs Overrated for Home Pizza Makers?

1:50:58 UK Pizza Scene Pioneers: How Pizza Pilgrims Inspired a Generation

1:54:10 The "D**k Payne" Revelation: When a Pizza Maker's Name Takes an Unexpected Turn

1:55:22 British Beans and other Gifts: A Cultural Exchange Between Pizza Makers

This Episode’s Sponsors→

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

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On this episode, meet Justin and Andy, owners of Cowabunga Pizzeria and Cowabunga Plus in Hamilton, just outside Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Chapters:

Chapters: 00:00:00 Canadian Dipping Sauce Worth Freezing - The Cold Open 00:03:00 Stanislaus Harvest Tour: Learning From the Best in the Business 00:07:15 How Cowabunga Launched in October 2020 00:09:35 From 15 to 250 Pizzas a Day: Scaling a Pizza Shop in Hamilton 00:10:25 Best Cheese Slice: How Winning Changed Everything 00:12:10 Managing Pizza Demand: The Challenges After Winning Awards 00:14:20 $16K-$18K Nights: Inside the Economics of Award-Winning Pizza 00:16:00 Time Slots vs. Wait Times: Revolutionizing Pizza Pickup 00:20:00 Kitchen Space vs. Dining Room: The Perfect Pizzeria Layout 00:26:15 Asian-Owned Pizzeria: Breaking Stereotypes in an Italian-Dominated Industry 00:31:05 Pizza Screens Controversy: How Cowabunga Won with Unconventional Methods 00:34:10 Vegas Pizza Expo: The Competition Experience 00:36:25 72-Hour Fermentation: The Secret to Cowabunga's Dough 00:37:15 Best of the Best: The Mystery Box Competition 00:48:30 The Famous 'Dipping Sauce': Cowabunga's Cult Favorite Condiment 00:56:00 Social Media Marketing: Building a Pizza Brand Through Content 01:11:55 Bangkok Expansion: Taking Canadian Pizza to Thailand 01:19:45 Building in Thailand vs. Canada: Why Asian Expansion Makes Sense 01:21:30 Overrated vs. Underrated: Honest Pizza Industry Talk 01:32:15 Pizza Master Ovens & Spiral Mixers: The Equipment That Makes a Difference 01:36:40 Competition Strategy: Why Pizza Contests Matter for Business 01:38:20 Building Community vs. Joining Cliques: The Future of Pizza Culture

This Episode’s Sponsors→

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🍕 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 had the opportunity to reunite with brothers Kyle and Jacob, owners of Slice Godz Pizza in Hesperia, CA.

This Episode’s Sponsors→

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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 I talk to the GOAT Tony Gemignani of Pizza Rock, Slice House, Tony's Napoletana, Capo's to name a few.

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Learning from Failure: Tony's Philosophy on Becoming Better Through Challenges

00:14:51 - The Pizza Acrobatics Origin Story: How a Breakup Led to World Championships

00:19:59 - Building a Pizza Brand: From The Tonight Show to International Recognition

00:27:10 - The Independent Pizza Operator's Struggle Against Major Chains

00:35:02 - Pizza Competition Insights: Learning From Wins and Losses

00:47:50 - Creating The Pizza Bible: Revolutionizing Pizza Education

00:59:02 - Building the World Pizza Champions Team: Community in the Pizza Industry

01:08:39 - Tony's Pizza School: Teaching the Real Restaurant Experience

01:18:21 - Multiple Pizza Concepts: From Tony's Pizza to Slice House

01:28:57 - Evolution of Pizza Styles: From Regional Rivalry to Style Renaissance

01:34:15 - Pizza Expo: Why It's the Ultimate Pizza Industry Experience

01:35:36 - Tony's Hot Takes on Pizza Trends

01:54:44 - The Importance of Industry Recognition: Getting on "Best Pizza" Lists

01:56:29 - The Art of Pizza Finishing: Post-Bake Techniques That Make Great Pizza

This Episode’s Sponsors→

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

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

On this episode we talk to Max Blachman-Gentile of Jules Pizza in San Francisco, CA.

Chapters:

00:00:00 -The new Restaurant Space inthe 1892 Building

00:02:53 - Electric vs. Gas Oven

00:05:11 - The Bread Component & Baker's Hours

00:06:59 - The Bagel Question: Dense vs. Airy

00:08:51 - California vs. East Coast Food Culture

00:11:29 - Tartine vs. Bub & Grandma's

00:13:18 - When Everyone Made Sourdough

00:15:14 - The Main Issue of Being a Business Owner

00:18:41 - The Big One's Coming: Earthquake Preparedness

00:21:55 - The Restaurant Build-Out Process

00:24:57 - Taking on Investors: Lessons Learned

00:26:38 - "There's Not a Good Training Program for People"

00:30:10 - Restaurant Industry Fairytales: Building to Sell

00:32:32 - When Money Doesn't Feel Real: Restaurant Construction

00:35:40 - The Hardest Part of Opening a Restaurant

00:38:07 - Kid NYC: Pizza Consulting Adventures

00:42:02 - The Juicy Slice: Pizza Terminology Evolution

00:48:53 - The Sourdough Starter Routine

00:54:52 - Bread and Beer: The Foundations of Civilization

01:00:11 - David Lynch's Impact on the Food World

01:03:34 - Why Tartine Row Failed: The Grove Without a Fountain

01:11:41 - "Pizza is Supposed to Be Fun" Philosophy

01:12:23 - Is Pizza Just an Open-Faced Sandwich?

01:16:22 - The Problem with Bready Pizza: Fermentation Theory

01:21:24 - Speaking Spanish in Restaurant Kitchens

01:24:26 - The Bay Area Pizza Scene Evolution

01:29:08 - Overrated/Underrated Game: Pizza Edition