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This week, The Hot Slice Podcast continues its Special Pizza Expo Series exploring what it takes to succeed with a mobile pizzeria. In the Pizza Today Village studio, Senior Editor Kate Lavin talks with two experienced mobile operators. They break down the daily realities, tough challenges, and big wins of working on the road.

Zephanie’s Pizza (Kahuku, Hawaii)

Zach and Stephanie Draper explain what it really takes to run a mobile pizza business in Hawaii. A mobile operator works out of a pizza oven built into a truck, trailer, or similar vehicle—allowing them to serve fresh pizza at beaches, events, and popular local spots. Zephanie’s takes advantage of a permanently placed mobile pizzeria. The couple is expanding to two locations.

Key Takeaways:

• Building a mobile pizza brand in a unique, tourist-heavy market.
• Balancing artisan quality with the demands of a mobile setup.
• Creating a vibrant and uniquely Hawaiian variation pizza crust.

Learn more @ zephaniespizza on Instagram.

Bella & Penelope’s (Mont Claire, California)

Carlos and Kelly Tello reveal how to build a winning mobile pizza business in California. They specialize in private events, enjoying repeat business and community connections. Carlos handles front operations, while Kelly manages logistics and decorations. They share what sets their brand apart from other food vendors in a busy market.

Key Takeaways:

• Navigating the daily logistics of a mobile pizzeria.
• Strategies for engaging the local community on the move.

Learn more @ bella_and_penelopes_ on Instagram.

Catch the full episode now for practical advice on running a mobile pizza business. You’ll hear operator tips, success stories, and real-world solutions—direct from Pizza Expo interviews. Listen in to fuel your pizza dreams and learn what works on the road!

Explore more about Pizza Expo.

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This week, we continue to bring you interviews from The Hot Slice Podcast Studio in the Pizza Today Village at Pizza Expo. Senior Editor Kate Lavin had an engaging conversation with Philip De Andrade, founder of San Francisco-based Goat Hill Pizza that recently celebrated its 50th anniversary.

A piqued interest in restaurants initiated De Andrade’s journey into pizza, first in management then ownership.

He shares the origin of the region and naming and history of the longstanding pizzeria. He chronicles how the business grew to three locations and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Listen as De Andrade shares insights on:

· Community involvement and neighborhood support

· Menu development and specials

· Slice business

· Interest in the frozen market.

Learn more at https://www.goathillpizza.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/goathillpizza/

Explore more about Pizza Expo at pizzaexpo.pizzatoday.com.

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We are just back from Pizza Expo, where the staff of Pizza Today welcomed the industry for the inaugural Pizza Today Village. We recorded episodes of The Hot Slice live on the show floor and will be rolling them out over the next several weeks.

Our first guest? None other than Wylie Dufresne, the keynote speaker at Pizza Expo. Dufresne made a name for himself in New York City’s fine dining scene by letting curiosity take the wheel. Whether it was a deconstructed eggs benedict or smoke salmon bagel with cream cheese, dishes were about more than meets the eye at Michelin-starred eatery wd-50.

Today, Dufresne brings that same curiosity to Stretch Pizza, his New York-based pizzeria that marries old-school nostalgia with best-in-class Caesar salads, mozzarella sticks and meatball sliders. Find out how Dufresne’s devotion to a life of learning informs his journey forward in the pizza world – and how you can take inspiration from the process yourself.

Show Notes:

Stretch Pizza: stretchpizzanyc.com

Pizza Expo: pizzaexpo.pizzatoday.com

Wylie Dufresne’s Recommended Reading

The Joy of Pizza: thejoyofpizzabook.com

The Pursuit of Pizza: tonygemignani.com/books

Pizza Czar: piz.za.com/cookbook