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
254 episodes
254. A Century of the Iconic Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana
In June, Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana turns 100. The iconic New Haven pizzeria continues the legacy of Frank Pepe, who opened New Haven-style "abeetz" restaurant on the now famous Wooster Street in New Haven, Connecticut in 1925. On this week...
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Episode 254
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33:59
253. Mom & Pop Pizzeria Realized, Now What with Mark & Kira Zabrowski
Mark & Kira Zabrowski left the teaching profession to pursue their passion for pizza. They had a vision to open a mom-and-pop pizza business. That vision has been realized in Much Ado About Pizza in Pleasanton, California. They found more s...
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Episode 253
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36:35
252. Making the Leap with Lynn Humphrey and Brandon Bruner, Sr., Lynn’s Chicago Pizza
Lynn’s Chicago Pizza began with Lynn Humphrey and Brandon Bruner, Sr. trying to solve a problem. They couldn’t get pizza delivered to their Southside Chicago neighborhood so Brandon, a trained chef, began experimenting with making a Chicago Dee...
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Episode 252
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38:35
251. REPLAY Tech Savvy 50-Year-Old Pizzeria with George Panagopoulos
It’s Pizza Expo week! While we are meeting all of you in person in Las Vegas, we wanted to share a replay of a favorite episode. George Panagopoulos spent this week with us and even gave an amazing seminar on Innovative Pizzeria Technology....
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Episode 251
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33:38
250. Get Hyped for Pizza Expo with Nick Bogacz
Pizza Expo starts soon. To get hyped up for the Las Vegas show, we’re chatting with Nick Bogacz, founder of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His deep-dive, four-hour workshop is part of the 2025 School of Pizzeria M...
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Episode 250
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36:48
249. From Famed Louie & Ernie’s to New Concept, New Style with Tori Tiso
Tori Tiso grew up in her father’s pizzeria, the famous Louie and Ernie's Pizza in Bronx, New York. She could have easily continued the pizza dynasty at Louie and Ernie’s. Instead, she decided to strike out on her own in Long Island straying fro...
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Episode 249
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32:56
248. The Pizza Expo Preview Show
It is March, you know what that means… It is almost showtime. The team at Pizza Today gather to bring you the Pizza Expo Preview Show on The Hot Slice Podcast. We’re covering all the highlights of the pizza industry’s biggest event.
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Episode 248
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31:45
247. Setting Out on His Own with Vincent Sgarlato
Eleven B has been a pizza mainstay in the East Village for 18 years. But owner Vincent Sgarlato has been in the business since he was eight years old. Vincent reached out to us wanting to share his story with the pizza community. Hi...
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Episode 247
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33:56
246. Taking Care of Business with Melinda Carbajal -- Pizza Expo Speaker
Melinda Carbajal, Managing Member and CEO of Simply Pizza, a unique woodfired, mobile, and hybrid restaurant business, is bringing her knowledge and experience to Pizza Expo. As a new Pizza Expo speaker, we wanted to learn more about Melinda an...
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Episode 246
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33:43
245. Hot Takes on Pizza with the Pizza Today Team
This week, we’re bringing you a fun episode with the Pizza Today Team giving our “Hot Takes” on pizza. And we didn’t even talk about pineapple on pizza. We dive into pizza styles. Whether toppings go over or under the cheese, chicken’s place, c...
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Episode 245
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31:20
244. A Story of Perseverance with Liz Badami
This week, Elizabeth (Liz) Badami joins the podcast with Executive Editor Denise Greer and Senior Editor Kate Lavin. Liz has overcome trials and tragedy to reopen her pizzeria, Mary Jane’s Stone Baked Pizza in Chester, West Virginia in December...
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Episode 244
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36:24
243. Mentorship in Pizza with John Arena and Pete Raskovic
Don’t miss this back-and-forth conversation with a mentor and mentee in the pizza business. This week we chat with Pete Raskovic, owner of Bentley’s Log Cabin Pub and Grill in Hollandale, Wisconsin and his mentor, the pizza icon and visionary J...
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Episode 243
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38:49
242. Live in the Pizza Biz with Joe Argento, Mama’s Meatballs & Pizzeria
This week, Denise and Josh sit down with Joe Argento, co-owner of Mama’s Meatballs & Pizzeria in Pennsauken, New Jersey. Joe grew up in the pizza business and began working at his grandmother’s shop at age 8. Joe went on to own...
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Episode 242
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29:36
241. LA-based Danny Boy’s with Chef Daniel Holzman
This week, we chat with Chef Daniel Holzman, who owns Danny Boy’s Famous Original, a two-location operation in Los Angeles, California. We spoke with Daniel a few days before the catastrophic wildfires broke out in LA. So, our conve...
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Episode 241
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39:03
240. Midwest Pizzeria of the Year: Old Scratch Pizza (Dayton, Ohio)
Old Scratch Pizza in Dayton, Ohio, had a huge year in 2024. The Dayton pizza company opened its fourth location in a revitalized fire station. And in November, the pizzeria took home three Pizza Today
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Episode 240
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27:51
239. Hello 2025
Happy New Year, pizza fam! The Pizza Today Team of Jeremy White, Denise Greer and Josh Keown kick the year off with conversation. We talk 2025 goals, dream podcast guests, reminisce a little, share restaurant stories and changes the...
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Episode 239
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39:14
238. Most Popular Episode of 2024: Audrey Kelly –REPLAY
As we wrap up 2024, The Hot Slice Podcast with Pizza Today has featured some incredible guests from top pizza makers and pizzeria owners as well as the pizza industry’s thought leaders. The most popular episode of 2024 features Audrey Kelly. Sh...
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Episode 238
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29:09
237. The Drop on Pizza Expo Competition Updates with Jeremy Galvin
The International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo 2025 is set to be the biggest and best pizza competition. Executive Editor Denise Greer went one-on-one with Jeremy Galvin, who along with Michael LaMarca oversee the competitions. Je...
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Episode 237
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29:09
236. A Sit Down with Pizzeria Operators at Pizza Con
During PizzaCon 2024 in Philadelphia, Executive Editor Denise Greer took the opportunity to sit down with various pizzeria operators in person to talk pizza shop. Conversations in this episode include: Corey DiGiovanni,
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Episode 236
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29:31
235. Our Young Entrepreneur of the Year at PizzaCon
We caught up with this year’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year Weather Preston with her mom and business partner, Donna Grainger, at PizzaCon in Philadelphia. They, along with Jim Grainger, own the quirky and fun family-run pizzeria,
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Episode 235
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15:21
234. Thanksgiving Day REPLAY - Flour + Water = a Vibrant, Growing Pizza Concept
This week, we talk with co-executive chefs and partners Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow at San Francisco-based Flour + Water to get the skinny on the direction their taking their highly successful pizza concept. Check out more details provid...
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Episode 234
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33:25
233. Pizza Champion Nicole Bean from PizzaCon
This week, we share our conversation with Nicole Bean, co-owner of Houston-based Pizaro’s Pizza Napoletana. During PizzaCon 2024 in Philly, Executive Editor Denise Greer had a lively conversation w...
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Episode 233
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17:42
232. Rising from the Ashes
Two years ago, Chris and Angela Woodbeck received the call that many operators have feared. Their beloved pizzeria, Mangia Macrina’s in New Hartford, New York was on fire. Worse, when they arrived, they found out it was arson. It ...
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Episode 232
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36:15
231. Getting my Pizza into Walmart with Katie Lee
Katie Lee owns Katie’s Pizza & Pasta with three locations in the St. Louis, Missouri area. Recently, the pizza company scored a huge client for its frozen pizza line to be sold in Walmart grocery stores starting in mid-to-late 2025.
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Episode 231
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32:43