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Questions, Questions, Questions
Dear PMQ,
I have three quick questions; for pan pizzas, does it matter whether the baking surface is steel or stone? If so, which is better? If stone is better and if I am using coated pans, such as the Tuff-Kote from www.Pizzatools.com, how much should I worry about the stone (or for that matter, steel) wearing the coating off?
Gene
According to Tom Lehmann, pan pizzas can create a bit of a problem in deck ovens as the pan will sit directly on the deck. The solution is to place a screen under the pan(s) which creates an air gap between the deck and the pan effectively reducing the heat transfer from the deck to the pan allowing the pizza to bake more evenly between the top and bottom. Another option is to have dimples put into the pan bottom. These dimples act as feet to hold the pan off of the oven deck in the same way as the screens previously mentioned do. Regarding those pans from Lloyd Pans, don’t worry about abrading the finish off of the pans. This is a very tough and durable finish. It is actually part of the metal, so if the finish is worn away, so is a good portion of the pan bottom.
New to China
Dear PMQ,
I am about to open a pizzeria in south China. I don’t have any experience in a pizza operation, but I believe I have gotten the dough and sauce down, I just need to know how to open a store…things like equipment and tools lists, step-by-step ‘how-to’ advice and marketing help. Any help is appreciated.
Thompson
If you do not have experience working in a pizzeria, I would strongly suggest you start by getting a job working in one. First, you need to know just how long the hours are and how much work goes into running a pizzeria. Second, spend as much time reading threads and asking questions in the PMQ.com Think Tank. There are thousands of operators who have gone through the process of opening their first pizzeria and have lots of advice to offer. Lastly, make sure you have a menu, marketing plan and enough cash to get you through the first six months or even better, first year. One of the biggest mistakes is getting started without enough cash to get you through the first few months. You can also email Weihua Xaio-Watson (PMQ’s Chinese edition editor) at weihua@pmq.com and she should be able to give you some contacts in China that may help with advice.
Out of Control
Dear PMQ,
Just a short note about your Is Pizza Spiraling Out of Control? story in your news archives. The story makes it seem as if these XL pizzas are something new. The truth of the matter is that over the years Domino’s and Pizza Hut have shrunk their pizza from the 16” size to their current 14” size. Their new 16” size is just getting back to their original size. The article insinuates the problem with obesity is due to diets and portions without addressing the lack of physical education in our schools and the general laziness of our society in general. The problem in this reporting is it gives credence to the frivolous lawsuits that our industry has fought so hard to put an end to.
Paul G.
Yes, you are right, many of the pizza chains’ large pizzas are 14” pizzas, where at one time they offered 16” large pies. In order for all of them to compete on the same playing field, rather than compete with their large pizzas advertised at a certain price and the competition’s smaller diameter large pizza advertised at the same price, some chose to downsize their pizzas to give them an even advantage. This article was one opinion submitted to PMQ and I do agree, obesity is not the fault of pizza makers…or pizza’s size. The problem is learning self-control. A slice or two of a 16” pizza with sausage and pepperoni isn’t the problem, but eating the whole thing is. Now we have another problem being added to the mix with the issue of trans-fat. I don’t think government regulation is the answer, nor are legal actions by consumers, consumer’s rights groups or lobbyists. I think it will simply create other replacements that may, or may not, be just as harmful if not worse. Thanks for your letter and be sure to write the NRA and your state representatives and voice you opinions with them too.