Thursday, August 2, 2007
All I knead is "dough"
It really does make the world go round or was that love-does'nt matter because I LOVE DOUGH!
it certainly makes the Pizza go round and it is the foundation of a great pizza, and I am going to tell you how to make a great batch of pizza dough to bake in your own oven!
Here is the recipe Enjoy!
it certainly makes the Pizza go round and it is the foundation of a great pizza, and I am going to tell you how to make a great batch of pizza dough to bake in your own oven!
Here is the recipe Enjoy!
1 package active dry yeast (2 teaspoons)
1 cup warm water (105° to 115°, no more)
3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little for coating
1 cup warm water (105° to 115°, no more)
3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little for coating
How to make pizza dough from scratch:
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Set aside and follow the instructions below for the method you choose.
By hand:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Make a well
in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the olive oil and yeast
mixture into it. Stir until it begins to form a ball, then turn it out
onto a clean, floured surface and knead for about 4 or 5 minutes.
In a mixer:
Using a dough hook, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add the liquid
ingredients and mix on low until the dough begins to clump around the
dough hook. Remove and knead as above
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Sunday, July 29, 2007
Lets set the "pizza" record straight!
Taste it! Does it really taste good or are you just eating to get full?
Does the pizzeria brag about its fresh home made ingredients? or just open cans?
OK this is a really stupid one "Hand tossed dough". Guess what? WE ALL MAKE OUR DOUGH FRESH! This does not mean it's GOOD!
OH ya and is the place clean? Come on take a look around, you're eating the product of the pizzeria!
Pizza is big business and everyone thinks they can do it and they can't. I am starting this blog to give you my recipes, thoughts, show you how great pizza is made and share other great pizza makers little special tricks of the trade with you, I love pizza so lets get this pizza party started!
Chef Glenn
Thursday, January 3, 2008
New Year! New Pizza Sales!
So how's business? you do ok last year? pies flying out the door right?
I get emails from all over the country from Pizzeria owners with a
variety of questions but the question I get the most often is "How do I
market my business" I need more pizza sales!!!!
So here is a news flash WE ALL NEED MORE SALES!! want more sales and while business may be good, we want it GREAT. I have written about this in previous blogs and have tried almost every form of marketing available to boost sales, and lets face it there are a lot of guys out there that will try and sell you the tools that "they think" you need to boost sales in your town.
I am going to share a few of the marketing Ideas I have used, the success and failure's and you decide if any of them would help you.
1. Great products! are your products outstanding? do your customers refer new customers on there own? if not then its time to hit the books, websites and whatever else you need to do to make your pizza the best in town. I have won over 40 culinary awards with my pizza, sauces, crusts etc you know why? because I enter every contest I can, I participate is fund raisers and I promote myself and my pizzeria's every where I go. This is your first line of attack in the war of Marketing! promote your self, Promote your pizza, and share your products to create a buzz in the community.
2. Make sure you call your local newspaper to let them know you are in business! I know this may sound a little silly but the fact is they may not know you exist, send a pizza over to the editors office and make sure you include a menu and a HAND WRITTEN NOTE asking them if they can do a story on your business, new or not it is something the local papers DO all the time but you have to ask!
3. I have a school program that has made a huge difference in our sales and good will in the community instead of trying to explain it just go to my website and see it for yourself at www.fregenes.com/raise , now heres the kicker, I rarely donate money or pizzas to anyone that comes in and asks, why? glad you asked! let me ask you a question, the last time you donated a pizza to some organization how many sales came in from that donation? did you track them? did it help you boost your business so you could afford to donate next time someone asks? ya I thought that was what you were going to say I dun o? ok here is what I say when someone comes in to asks for a donation.
I tell them about our generous school program "and we do the same for fund raisers"! and then I tell them we would be happy to give them a printed fund raising coupon for there individual event at no cost to them, all they have to do is hand them out! and we will donate a portion of every sale to the cause.
Everyone will ask for something for free for a cause, and while we all want to help we also need to promote our business, so you are accomplishing two things here, the most important is giving back to your community! because they support you right? so its a win win, the coupons do not have to be fancy just make sure your menu is on one side with all your contact info and then make sure you specify that the fund raiser is not valid with any other promotion.
We support a lot of schools and organizations, and they support us it is a great ways to promote and give back at the same time, and here comes the shameless plug, Fregene's uses Revention POS systems and they are great, they track all our coupons easily and lets us know exactly who is buying and who is not. Contact Revention they are a great company "and no they do not pay me or give me stuff to plug them" they are just a great company to work with.
4. Direct mail works, but it is expensive, so make sure you concentrate on the 3 to 5 mile radius around your pizzeria, give your customers a good coupon, include your menu and a little about how great your products are. You also need to make sure your budget is big enough to do direct mail at least a couple of times, before you really start seeing a profit, sure you are going get a response right away and that is exciting, but make sure you are ready for it so your order flow goes well and the NEW customers are happy with the Pizza.
5. The new rage is Post It notes! and from my experience there are a few significant draw backs, now I know I wrote about this in an earlier post and was excited about the potential but the "Post it" campaign ran into major snags, the first was the fact that it was illegal to put them on cars in my area! check with your local police for your area. Then you have to deal with the actual placement make sure you hit the local neighborhoods fast and concentrate on apartments and condos with these post its, I found that that market gave the best response to the campaign.
I have been known to run out to the car are get someone a menu! I carry them all the time, because I talk about my pizza "almost" all the time, you and your product are your most valuable marketing tool you have use them.
If you have any questions that you would like help with just drop me an email at chef@fregenes.com and I will get back to you right away.
my new years resolution is to rock out new blogs twice a week, so keep in touch and if you do not have a subscription to Pizza Today magazine GET ONE there are so many great articles and idea's shared buy the top professionals in the field read them they will help you achieve the success that you want.
Thanks
Chef Glenn
So here is a news flash WE ALL NEED MORE SALES!! want more sales and while business may be good, we want it GREAT. I have written about this in previous blogs and have tried almost every form of marketing available to boost sales, and lets face it there are a lot of guys out there that will try and sell you the tools that "they think" you need to boost sales in your town.
I am going to share a few of the marketing Ideas I have used, the success and failure's and you decide if any of them would help you.
1. Great products! are your products outstanding? do your customers refer new customers on there own? if not then its time to hit the books, websites and whatever else you need to do to make your pizza the best in town. I have won over 40 culinary awards with my pizza, sauces, crusts etc you know why? because I enter every contest I can, I participate is fund raisers and I promote myself and my pizzeria's every where I go. This is your first line of attack in the war of Marketing! promote your self, Promote your pizza, and share your products to create a buzz in the community.
2. Make sure you call your local newspaper to let them know you are in business! I know this may sound a little silly but the fact is they may not know you exist, send a pizza over to the editors office and make sure you include a menu and a HAND WRITTEN NOTE asking them if they can do a story on your business, new or not it is something the local papers DO all the time but you have to ask!
3. I have a school program that has made a huge difference in our sales and good will in the community instead of trying to explain it just go to my website and see it for yourself at www.fregenes.com/raise , now heres the kicker, I rarely donate money or pizzas to anyone that comes in and asks, why? glad you asked! let me ask you a question, the last time you donated a pizza to some organization how many sales came in from that donation? did you track them? did it help you boost your business so you could afford to donate next time someone asks? ya I thought that was what you were going to say I dun o? ok here is what I say when someone comes in to asks for a donation.
I tell them about our generous school program "and we do the same for fund raisers"! and then I tell them we would be happy to give them a printed fund raising coupon for there individual event at no cost to them, all they have to do is hand them out! and we will donate a portion of every sale to the cause.
Everyone will ask for something for free for a cause, and while we all want to help we also need to promote our business, so you are accomplishing two things here, the most important is giving back to your community! because they support you right? so its a win win, the coupons do not have to be fancy just make sure your menu is on one side with all your contact info and then make sure you specify that the fund raiser is not valid with any other promotion.
We support a lot of schools and organizations, and they support us it is a great ways to promote and give back at the same time, and here comes the shameless plug, Fregene's uses Revention POS systems and they are great, they track all our coupons easily and lets us know exactly who is buying and who is not. Contact Revention they are a great company "and no they do not pay me or give me stuff to plug them" they are just a great company to work with.
4. Direct mail works, but it is expensive, so make sure you concentrate on the 3 to 5 mile radius around your pizzeria, give your customers a good coupon, include your menu and a little about how great your products are. You also need to make sure your budget is big enough to do direct mail at least a couple of times, before you really start seeing a profit, sure you are going get a response right away and that is exciting, but make sure you are ready for it so your order flow goes well and the NEW customers are happy with the Pizza.
5. The new rage is Post It notes! and from my experience there are a few significant draw backs, now I know I wrote about this in an earlier post and was excited about the potential but the "Post it" campaign ran into major snags, the first was the fact that it was illegal to put them on cars in my area! check with your local police for your area. Then you have to deal with the actual placement make sure you hit the local neighborhoods fast and concentrate on apartments and condos with these post its, I found that that market gave the best response to the campaign.
I have been known to run out to the car are get someone a menu! I carry them all the time, because I talk about my pizza "almost" all the time, you and your product are your most valuable marketing tool you have use them.
If you have any questions that you would like help with just drop me an email at chef@fregenes.com and I will get back to you right away.
my new years resolution is to rock out new blogs twice a week, so keep in touch and if you do not have a subscription to Pizza Today magazine GET ONE there are so many great articles and idea's shared buy the top professionals in the field read them they will help you achieve the success that you want.
Thanks
Chef Glenn
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Wingin it!
So what else are you selling at your Pizzeria? breadstix, pasta, garlic
bread, salads, just depends on whats on the menu doesn't it,
Everybody loves wings and there are a lot of brands out there, so who's are the best? what flavors should you use? and do you make your own or do you buy them and if so what brand?
good questions all of them so lets get down the nitty gritty
making your own wings is easy, and setting your self apart from any other mass produces brand can be a great way to create a buzz around your pizzeria, the best part about making your own wings is that you can have your customers taste them and give you the feed back you need to before you begin the production.
Hot wings are a favorite where ever you go, making a nice spicy sauce for your wings is ease but make sure its not too spicy, remember that your customer base is diverse and some like it SUPER hot and some mild heres a few tips.
1. make your sauce with a medium heat and you can always bring it up if its not kickin enough for ya.
2. a nice asian sauce is always a favorite and not too many places offer a great one.
3. Italian spices are always a favorite this is a must for your pizzeria.
OK its the Friday morning after Thannksgiving, I hope you all stuffed yourself yesterday and had a great time with the Fam but my kids are out of school and I need to get them out of the house for some play time, but I will come back later and share some easy recipes with you on all the wings I talked about.
I will also have a local restaurant review for you to chew on and yes the column is called "Chew on this" from snap dogs to Michelin rated restaurants I hit them all so stay tuned to here and you can read all about the good eats in the local market!
cheers
Chef Glenn
Everybody loves wings and there are a lot of brands out there, so who's are the best? what flavors should you use? and do you make your own or do you buy them and if so what brand?
good questions all of them so lets get down the nitty gritty
making your own wings is easy, and setting your self apart from any other mass produces brand can be a great way to create a buzz around your pizzeria, the best part about making your own wings is that you can have your customers taste them and give you the feed back you need to before you begin the production.
Hot wings are a favorite where ever you go, making a nice spicy sauce for your wings is ease but make sure its not too spicy, remember that your customer base is diverse and some like it SUPER hot and some mild heres a few tips.
1. make your sauce with a medium heat and you can always bring it up if its not kickin enough for ya.
2. a nice asian sauce is always a favorite and not too many places offer a great one.
3. Italian spices are always a favorite this is a must for your pizzeria.
OK its the Friday morning after Thannksgiving, I hope you all stuffed yourself yesterday and had a great time with the Fam but my kids are out of school and I need to get them out of the house for some play time, but I will come back later and share some easy recipes with you on all the wings I talked about.
I will also have a local restaurant review for you to chew on and yes the column is called "Chew on this" from snap dogs to Michelin rated restaurants I hit them all so stay tuned to here and you can read all about the good eats in the local market!
cheers
Chef Glenn
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Here comes the Turkey!
Its coming, Thanksgiving is just a couple of weeks away and it is another great time to boost sales in your pizzeria.
I don't know about your town but in mine is booming the night before Thanksgiving with kids back form college and familys getting together for Turkey Day, so I will be sending out a lot of box toppers for the next two weeks promoting the day before and the weekend after Thanksgiving and that will definitely boost sales---try it
Now on the Post-it notes that I talked about in an earlier post, we are starting to see them coming in so they definitely are working and we are designing a new set of them for distribution in two weeks. Take a look at that post and call Liz, she will get you all set up and then hit the streets and let the sales increase!
Oh and for all you budding Chefs out there that are thinking about a turkey pizza? don't waste your time, everybody's going to be sick and tired of turkey and will be looking for a great Pizza to munch on :)
Its the Holiday season, enjoy it, savor your family and friends and above all thank whatever "god" you thank for being in the best business in the world! Pizza baby!
Cheers
Chef Glenn
I don't know about your town but in mine is booming the night before Thanksgiving with kids back form college and familys getting together for Turkey Day, so I will be sending out a lot of box toppers for the next two weeks promoting the day before and the weekend after Thanksgiving and that will definitely boost sales---try it
Now on the Post-it notes that I talked about in an earlier post, we are starting to see them coming in so they definitely are working and we are designing a new set of them for distribution in two weeks. Take a look at that post and call Liz, she will get you all set up and then hit the streets and let the sales increase!
Oh and for all you budding Chefs out there that are thinking about a turkey pizza? don't waste your time, everybody's going to be sick and tired of turkey and will be looking for a great Pizza to munch on :)
Its the Holiday season, enjoy it, savor your family and friends and above all thank whatever "god" you thank for being in the best business in the world! Pizza baby!
Cheers
Chef Glenn
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
BOO !
are you scared yet? Halloween is tomorrow are you ready for it?
this is probably one of the biggest days in the pizza industry so we all need to make the best of it and get those customers in the door or at least get your pizza in there house.
if you have not already been advertising to your customer base do it NOW
any time is a good time to go to Kinkos and print up a few hundred flyers, get out in the neighbor hood and pass them out, it works!
As I wrote in an earlier post I am trying out the Post It note 4x6 size sticky pads, so far we are still handing them out "or sticking them on the window" and that is what is cool about these, they print your ad for you, and you can use these for cars windows, front doors and basically anywhere you can get your message out. 5000 for about 300.00 not bad you jsut need to get them out
Super Sticky Post It Notes 1-800-309-7502 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1-800-309-7502 end_of_the_skype_highlighting talk to Liz
anyway I will let ya know how tomorrow goes and I hope you all have record nights!
Chef Glenn
this is probably one of the biggest days in the pizza industry so we all need to make the best of it and get those customers in the door or at least get your pizza in there house.
if you have not already been advertising to your customer base do it NOW
any time is a good time to go to Kinkos and print up a few hundred flyers, get out in the neighbor hood and pass them out, it works!
As I wrote in an earlier post I am trying out the Post It note 4x6 size sticky pads, so far we are still handing them out "or sticking them on the window" and that is what is cool about these, they print your ad for you, and you can use these for cars windows, front doors and basically anywhere you can get your message out. 5000 for about 300.00 not bad you jsut need to get them out
Super Sticky Post It Notes 1-800-309-7502 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1-800-309-7502 end_of_the_skype_highlighting talk to Liz
anyway I will let ya know how tomorrow goes and I hope you all have record nights!
Chef Glenn
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
So they didn't rush in when you opened huh?
I know I have heard it before, " I have the best pizza ever"! ya me too, so where are all the customer's?
A new mexican restaurant just opened in downtown Petaluma "where I live" and I talked to the owner who has two other locations, both in VERY high traffic college towns, and asked him about how much demographics he did before deciding to open, he said " uh none" now this guy also said he needs to do 200k per month to be profitable? good luck! Petaluma is a high rent tough town to open a fancy Mexi place in.
my point? you better know your demographic market if you expect to survive and thrive in this business
there is a lot of great material out there my favorite is Kameron Karrington's Conquer the Competition the Black Book pizza marketing book, and if your going to buy anything to help in marketing BUY THIS COURSE but first make sure you need it! what I mean is, there are so many people telling you what you should buy and what they will do for you and your business that the only thing you really should know is to trust your own instinct on what to do.
I have learned that gorilla marketing is the best marketing that you can do, here are few tips.
1. start a school program, check out my website Fregenes and look at our school program it really works, find a charity whether it is your local schools or not, giving back to the community is key in making your company successful.
2. sticky notes are a great way to blanket your local area with great promo info for your pizzeria, here are a few tips, you can order 5000 4x6 sticky notes for about $300 bucks they work great for front doors, cars, and school dorms, make sure you put them on the drivers side window "ever get in the car just to find out some buffoon put a flyer on your windshield" the driver grabs the note and jumps in the car with your info in there hand, I am getting a new batch of notes from a company in Washington "state" I will report on the success next week.
3. Mid week specials are always great, Sun -Thur its is always great to give incentives to yoru regular customers, Sunday free delivery with every order over 20 bucks, Monday package a pizza salad, breadstix, wings, soda "whatever" combo and price accordingly, Tuesday? two pizzas for the price of one? you get the point right, send each pizza that goes out your door with a coupon or some message encouraging your customers to BUY MORE MORE OFTEN!
4. gift cards are a great way to get sales rolling especially if you market them as a fund raiser. First off these cards are cheap to buy! and they work great in getting new customers, here are a few tips.
1. If you have a POS system check with your company to see if they recommend a company that has a tight interface and works with your POS this makes to entire process relatively simple.
2. I highly discourage any internet based gift cards, I chose one last year and it cost me thousands in fees and having to log onto a website and input info while the customer stands there is painful and time consuming, don't be fooled into buying a program like this.
3. Get your schools involved they love these kind of fund raisers heres a example, you order 1000 20 dollar gift cards, the cost vary but you can get them for as little as .25 each, you go to a local school and pitch them to teh school for 15 bucks each, the school gets the other five bucks and you are giving a 25% discount, but here is the real money maker, call your local paper and let them know what your doing chances are they will run a little story, and lets face it, with all teh repeat business you get "because your pizza is soooo great" ! you will make up that 25% in no time flat.
Be creative, and think outside the box, don't just settle for the Money mailers, and val paks, mix it up a bit and you will see more and more new customers coming in your store, and here is the last tip DONT JUST LISTEN TO ME , if you have a tip I can post, let me have it, I will plug your company and it always feel great to share.
send me an email at chef@fregenes.com
I hope this helps, talk to you soon
Chef Glenn
A new mexican restaurant just opened in downtown Petaluma "where I live" and I talked to the owner who has two other locations, both in VERY high traffic college towns, and asked him about how much demographics he did before deciding to open, he said " uh none" now this guy also said he needs to do 200k per month to be profitable? good luck! Petaluma is a high rent tough town to open a fancy Mexi place in.
my point? you better know your demographic market if you expect to survive and thrive in this business
there is a lot of great material out there my favorite is Kameron Karrington's Conquer the Competition the Black Book pizza marketing book, and if your going to buy anything to help in marketing BUY THIS COURSE but first make sure you need it! what I mean is, there are so many people telling you what you should buy and what they will do for you and your business that the only thing you really should know is to trust your own instinct on what to do.
I have learned that gorilla marketing is the best marketing that you can do, here are few tips.
1. start a school program, check out my website Fregenes and look at our school program it really works, find a charity whether it is your local schools or not, giving back to the community is key in making your company successful.
2. sticky notes are a great way to blanket your local area with great promo info for your pizzeria, here are a few tips, you can order 5000 4x6 sticky notes for about $300 bucks they work great for front doors, cars, and school dorms, make sure you put them on the drivers side window "ever get in the car just to find out some buffoon put a flyer on your windshield" the driver grabs the note and jumps in the car with your info in there hand, I am getting a new batch of notes from a company in Washington "state" I will report on the success next week.
3. Mid week specials are always great, Sun -Thur its is always great to give incentives to yoru regular customers, Sunday free delivery with every order over 20 bucks, Monday package a pizza salad, breadstix, wings, soda "whatever" combo and price accordingly, Tuesday? two pizzas for the price of one? you get the point right, send each pizza that goes out your door with a coupon or some message encouraging your customers to BUY MORE MORE OFTEN!
4. gift cards are a great way to get sales rolling especially if you market them as a fund raiser. First off these cards are cheap to buy! and they work great in getting new customers, here are a few tips.
1. If you have a POS system check with your company to see if they recommend a company that has a tight interface and works with your POS this makes to entire process relatively simple.
2. I highly discourage any internet based gift cards, I chose one last year and it cost me thousands in fees and having to log onto a website and input info while the customer stands there is painful and time consuming, don't be fooled into buying a program like this.
3. Get your schools involved they love these kind of fund raisers heres a example, you order 1000 20 dollar gift cards, the cost vary but you can get them for as little as .25 each, you go to a local school and pitch them to teh school for 15 bucks each, the school gets the other five bucks and you are giving a 25% discount, but here is the real money maker, call your local paper and let them know what your doing chances are they will run a little story, and lets face it, with all teh repeat business you get "because your pizza is soooo great" ! you will make up that 25% in no time flat.
Be creative, and think outside the box, don't just settle for the Money mailers, and val paks, mix it up a bit and you will see more and more new customers coming in your store, and here is the last tip DONT JUST LISTEN TO ME , if you have a tip I can post, let me have it, I will plug your company and it always feel great to share.
send me an email at chef@fregenes.com
I hope this helps, talk to you soon
Chef Glenn
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
To Take N Bake or not, good question huh?
Ok pizza people lets get down to the business of making pizz------I
mean MONEY! reading some of the posts today was a little like taking a
trip back in time, some of you are not having fun yet, right? so here
are a few answers for all you post-ers
First off, Papa Murphys is alive and well last count over 1000 stores with gross revenue tipping 500M last year sooooo is this the "hot new trend"? well the best way for all the small guys to profit from the success of the is to definitely add this segment to your menu, especially if you are already a full service store or a TOAD "Take Out And Delivery"
The start up cost are minimal and I will list them at the end of the blog, the most important part of this set up is making sure your dough is formulated so that it is easy to place on the tray, not only for your employees but also so it is easy to bake and remove for your customers.
As I stated in my post on PizzaToday I formulated the crust recipe for PM's Thin Crust Delight pizza, the most important part of any formula for TB is the hydration of your flour, you do not want to make a separate dough for your TB but it cannot be too sticky!
I have tested very thin crust pizza's and thick crust and they both work equally well as long as the dough is not too wet.
Now you may feel like you need to lower your cost on TB pizza compared to your baked pie's but do not be fooled into thinking this will increase your local market share! YOU CANNOT COMPETE AGAINST PAPA MURPHY'S lets face it they own the market on low cost value added TB pizza, but hey so what? your pizza is better than theres right!----RIGHT! ok I am just trying to make a point after all we ALL think our pizza is great and that is why we are in the business. The bottom line is that in my experience your customers love your pizza, don't change your price! for TB and they will not ask you too either.
Fregene's was fortunate enough to have won the Revention POS system last March in at the International Pizza Expo in Vegas, and if you do not have a POS system GET ONE they will help you track your sales and see exactly what I see and that is where my sales are the strongest, TB is a big part of our sales and I cannot wait for Halloween :)
It will take about $500.00 to get you started with TB. Wisco Industries has the Deli Wrap machine and the cellophane and Pac Tiv has the baking trays and your local distributor can get you everything.
I am going to talk about marketing in my next blog so listen up! this is where it gets fun.
Cheers!
Chef Glenn is the founder and Executive Chef of Fregene's Pizza with four locations in Northern California and has won over forty different Culinary awards along with being featured on ABC The View From The Bay and local radio talk shows, and is a Member of the World Pizza Champions.
OH ya and I don't get paid by any of theses linked folks, I just happen to think they are the best in the business SO THERE :)
First off, Papa Murphys is alive and well last count over 1000 stores with gross revenue tipping 500M last year sooooo is this the "hot new trend"? well the best way for all the small guys to profit from the success of the is to definitely add this segment to your menu, especially if you are already a full service store or a TOAD "Take Out And Delivery"
The start up cost are minimal and I will list them at the end of the blog, the most important part of this set up is making sure your dough is formulated so that it is easy to place on the tray, not only for your employees but also so it is easy to bake and remove for your customers.
As I stated in my post on PizzaToday I formulated the crust recipe for PM's Thin Crust Delight pizza, the most important part of any formula for TB is the hydration of your flour, you do not want to make a separate dough for your TB but it cannot be too sticky!
I have tested very thin crust pizza's and thick crust and they both work equally well as long as the dough is not too wet.
Now you may feel like you need to lower your cost on TB pizza compared to your baked pie's but do not be fooled into thinking this will increase your local market share! YOU CANNOT COMPETE AGAINST PAPA MURPHY'S lets face it they own the market on low cost value added TB pizza, but hey so what? your pizza is better than theres right!----RIGHT! ok I am just trying to make a point after all we ALL think our pizza is great and that is why we are in the business. The bottom line is that in my experience your customers love your pizza, don't change your price! for TB and they will not ask you too either.
Fregene's was fortunate enough to have won the Revention POS system last March in at the International Pizza Expo in Vegas, and if you do not have a POS system GET ONE they will help you track your sales and see exactly what I see and that is where my sales are the strongest, TB is a big part of our sales and I cannot wait for Halloween :)
It will take about $500.00 to get you started with TB. Wisco Industries has the Deli Wrap machine and the cellophane and Pac Tiv has the baking trays and your local distributor can get you everything.
I am going to talk about marketing in my next blog so listen up! this is where it gets fun.
Cheers!
Chef Glenn is the founder and Executive Chef of Fregene's Pizza with four locations in Northern California and has won over forty different Culinary awards along with being featured on ABC The View From The Bay and local radio talk shows, and is a Member of the World Pizza Champions.
OH ya and I don't get paid by any of theses linked folks, I just happen to think they are the best in the business SO THERE :)
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Whats "Love" got to do with it?
As we move into the Holiday season, do you ever wonder why all those special meals taste so good? is it because they are prepared by professional Chefs? no! is it because all the ingredients are the best that money can buy? nope! then why
LOVE, there have been scientific tests done on the "love" factor that goes into cooking and what it does to the taste of the food, and yes it matters a lot
“Cooking is at once one of the simplest and most gratifying of the arts, but to cook well one must love and respect food.”
Craig Claiborne
you can research all you want on how love affects food, and it is fun, but all you really have to do is walk into the house on Thanksgiving, savor the aroma in the air, enjoy the laughter of your family and enjoy the best meal you have ever had! because it was prepared with Love, a lot of Love
I don't use our tag line lightly, all of Fregene's home made recipes are prepared with Love, just ask any of the hundreds of people that tasted our award winning pizza and sauces at this years Harvest Fair, again we had the longest line and did not come up for air for two straight hours.
thanks to everyone that I saw at the Harvest Fair this year, to all the Chef's, vintners and friends that I only get to see a few times a year, and to Arturo and Angelo Ibleto "The Pasta King" and "Angelos's Meats" you both are an incredible inspiration to me,
Thank you,
Monday, February 23, 2009
It's not all about pizza! or is it?
Like anything else, too much of one thing is boring,
ok significant others excluded! LOL I am talking about food of course,
and the fact of the matter is there are all kinds of great restaurants
in the North bay here are a couple for you to enjoy
Super Burger: has two locations on in Santa Rossa and the new location in Penngrove. I had lunch at the new Penngrove location and I have to tell ya the place is really cool, decor and the staff were great its a cozy little place, of course Penngrove is a great little town, now for the food.
I had the Cheese Burger and it was really good, cooked perfectly! the bun was fresh and it came with all the fixins, the only thing I would say is a littel more FAT please, ya thats right I am a firm believer that the best burger you can get is a 20/80 chuck burger, its juicy and flavorful and for most line cooks its a easy burger to cook. I also tried the Chili, its home made and to tell you the truth it was nothing special, thick and spicy but missing the mark in texture and flavor, now the Cole Slaw was somthing entirely different, it was great! the sauce was perfect crisp cabbage and perfectly seasoned VERY GOOD! back to the fries and Onion rings? hmm frozen :( with that said though they were good, I just prefer fresh dipped rings and french fries that are pressed fresh! I spoke to the owner and he is a great guy, and takes pride in his places and it shows, the staff is great! the place is clean and the prices are reasonable, GO GET A SUPER BURGER and tell em Chef Glenn sent you!
1501 4th StSanta Rosa, CA 95404
(707) 546-4016 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (707) 546-4016 end_of_the_skype_highlighting and in Penngrove!
Bianchini's Sandwich and Salad Market: So you think making sandwiches is easy huh? well you would think it is but very few places make a great sandwich, Bianchini's is the exception! Steve and Debbie Bianchini are no strangers to great food, Steves Grandfather founded Scottys Market in Marin and now they are bringing that same love of food to little ol Petaluma THANK YOU! seriously we needed this place! Ok I had the Pastrami sandwich and it was great, fresh pastrami, the rolls are all baked in house and then made it to order! no problem adding or taking certain ingredients off if you like, I also had the Macaroni Salad and it was good too. You have got to try the Spinach Salad, fresh baby Spinach, candied walnuts cranberries and the dressing was excellent, the Sante Fe Chicken Sando was awesome too, fresh sliced chicken breast, pepper jack chees and a nice Chilli! The prices are very reasonable, teh Sante Fe Chicken sando was $6.99 and the Spinach Salad $7.25 you cannot get the quality of these items for that price anywhere! I think one of the nicest things about Bianchini's is the fact that you can watch your sando being made, everything is fresh and the place is very clean, Steve and Deb are true professionals and a very welcome addition to North East P town, see you soon for another great sandwich!
1367 N. McDowell BlvdSuite 100Petaluma, CA 94954(707) 776-4570
Iron Chef Wine Collection
I am very happy to announce that I have been asked to represent Iron Chef and thier new Wine Collection, this is a great honor to be associated with such a well respected name in the food industry. The wine speaks for itself! it is great and I am already working on pairings for the D.O.C.G. Chianti, Un-Oaked Chardonnay, Merlot and the Pino Grigio.
Along with the other World Pizza Champion members, we will be working on Distribution through out the US and abroad! for more information on Iron Chef Wine Collection please contact myself at chef@fregenes.com
Super Burger: has two locations on in Santa Rossa and the new location in Penngrove. I had lunch at the new Penngrove location and I have to tell ya the place is really cool, decor and the staff were great its a cozy little place, of course Penngrove is a great little town, now for the food.
I had the Cheese Burger and it was really good, cooked perfectly! the bun was fresh and it came with all the fixins, the only thing I would say is a littel more FAT please, ya thats right I am a firm believer that the best burger you can get is a 20/80 chuck burger, its juicy and flavorful and for most line cooks its a easy burger to cook. I also tried the Chili, its home made and to tell you the truth it was nothing special, thick and spicy but missing the mark in texture and flavor, now the Cole Slaw was somthing entirely different, it was great! the sauce was perfect crisp cabbage and perfectly seasoned VERY GOOD! back to the fries and Onion rings? hmm frozen :( with that said though they were good, I just prefer fresh dipped rings and french fries that are pressed fresh! I spoke to the owner and he is a great guy, and takes pride in his places and it shows, the staff is great! the place is clean and the prices are reasonable, GO GET A SUPER BURGER and tell em Chef Glenn sent you!
1501 4th StSanta Rosa, CA 95404
(707) 546-4016 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (707) 546-4016 end_of_the_skype_highlighting and in Penngrove!
Bianchini's Sandwich and Salad Market: So you think making sandwiches is easy huh? well you would think it is but very few places make a great sandwich, Bianchini's is the exception! Steve and Debbie Bianchini are no strangers to great food, Steves Grandfather founded Scottys Market in Marin and now they are bringing that same love of food to little ol Petaluma THANK YOU! seriously we needed this place! Ok I had the Pastrami sandwich and it was great, fresh pastrami, the rolls are all baked in house and then made it to order! no problem adding or taking certain ingredients off if you like, I also had the Macaroni Salad and it was good too. You have got to try the Spinach Salad, fresh baby Spinach, candied walnuts cranberries and the dressing was excellent, the Sante Fe Chicken Sando was awesome too, fresh sliced chicken breast, pepper jack chees and a nice Chilli! The prices are very reasonable, teh Sante Fe Chicken sando was $6.99 and the Spinach Salad $7.25 you cannot get the quality of these items for that price anywhere! I think one of the nicest things about Bianchini's is the fact that you can watch your sando being made, everything is fresh and the place is very clean, Steve and Deb are true professionals and a very welcome addition to North East P town, see you soon for another great sandwich!
1367 N. McDowell BlvdSuite 100Petaluma, CA 94954(707) 776-4570
Iron Chef Wine Collection
I am very happy to announce that I have been asked to represent Iron Chef and thier new Wine Collection, this is a great honor to be associated with such a well respected name in the food industry. The wine speaks for itself! it is great and I am already working on pairings for the D.O.C.G. Chianti, Un-Oaked Chardonnay, Merlot and the Pino Grigio.
Along with the other World Pizza Champion members, we will be working on Distribution through out the US and abroad! for more information on Iron Chef Wine Collection please contact myself at chef@fregenes.com
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Fresh is Fresh , but there is so much more
I had dinner last night in San Rafael, at a restaurant that will remain
anonymous " If I was reviewing this place it would not be good" but
that's not the point I am trying to get at, the owner was talking to
myself and my friend and complaining about all the other restaurants in
the town and how they do not use fresh ingredients, cans in the
kitchen, distributors delivering heat and eat products you know the
places I am talking about!!!! and she said shes "dying" not sure she
will make it
It is too bad that a people accept that kind of food preparation, we have become LAZY when it comes to eating out, and yet we expect low prices and great food or we jump on YELP and become half assed critics!!
Now this restaurant owner has got to get her kitchen together, we paid $18.00 for a bowl of Bucatini that was so small I was shocked, and while the food was fresh the portions were VERY SMALL
No restaurant will survive if the local diners do not come back and eat on a regular basis, FRESH OR NOT, if the portions are small and expensive then the place will be closed in no time, so what do I do?
It is so easy to make great recipes using fresh ingrediants everyday, so write your menus utilizing your local produce meats and other ingrediants when at all possible
Be generous in your portions! go the extra step and make your pasta dishes a little bigger! add a couple of ounces to your beef dishes, unless you are a restaurant that specializes in Tappas then you better feed your customers becasue if you do not THEY WON"T COME BACK!!!! even worse is they will not "spread the word" and no matter how much marketing you do it will not help in turning tables.
I have seen this first hand in some of the restaurants I consult for, and then there are the places that are always packed and everybody loves them, go eat at one of them and see what they are doing!!!! are you listening? put your ego asid eand go learn first hand the secret to their success.
I am goign to start a series of posts that focuses on recipes that really make diners happy and are very easy to make, I will spell it all out for you, includeing food costs preperation and plating, and remember size does matter ;) in plating that is.
Ok its saturday night and I am going down to my favorite Italian Restaurant in P-Town and have nice bowl of Penne Pasta Arrabiata!!!!!
Remember everyone, PASSION make it with all the love you have and it will be great!
Chef Glenn
It is too bad that a people accept that kind of food preparation, we have become LAZY when it comes to eating out, and yet we expect low prices and great food or we jump on YELP and become half assed critics!!
Now this restaurant owner has got to get her kitchen together, we paid $18.00 for a bowl of Bucatini that was so small I was shocked, and while the food was fresh the portions were VERY SMALL
No restaurant will survive if the local diners do not come back and eat on a regular basis, FRESH OR NOT, if the portions are small and expensive then the place will be closed in no time, so what do I do?
It is so easy to make great recipes using fresh ingrediants everyday, so write your menus utilizing your local produce meats and other ingrediants when at all possible
Be generous in your portions! go the extra step and make your pasta dishes a little bigger! add a couple of ounces to your beef dishes, unless you are a restaurant that specializes in Tappas then you better feed your customers becasue if you do not THEY WON"T COME BACK!!!! even worse is they will not "spread the word" and no matter how much marketing you do it will not help in turning tables.
I have seen this first hand in some of the restaurants I consult for, and then there are the places that are always packed and everybody loves them, go eat at one of them and see what they are doing!!!! are you listening? put your ego asid eand go learn first hand the secret to their success.
I am goign to start a series of posts that focuses on recipes that really make diners happy and are very easy to make, I will spell it all out for you, includeing food costs preperation and plating, and remember size does matter ;) in plating that is.
Ok its saturday night and I am going down to my favorite Italian Restaurant in P-Town and have nice bowl of Penne Pasta Arrabiata!!!!!
Remember everyone, PASSION make it with all the love you have and it will be great!
Chef Glenn
Monday, September 1, 2008
Passion? whats that have to do with great food!
Ok this might be a dumb question, I mean if you are a professional Chef
or a weekend warrior it is that same passion that keeps you cooking
right? why is it that your grand mother's soup tasted so
good------------------because she loved to cook!!! it was not a chore
or something she HAD to do.
So what the hell am I talking about and what does this have to do with my business? EVERYTHING "when I cap my letters THAT MEANS I AM YELLING AT YOU" :)
Seriously you need to pay attention to this, it is important, your business depends on it.
I do not have to tell you that we are in a recession, and while the fast casual segment is being impacted along with all other restaurants, Pizza is still a good seller, my personal restaurants are down about 10% and while that hurts the bottom line, I have friends in fine dinning that are getting killed!!!
I completely believe that if you are passionate about your business and LOVE to cook, you will make it through these lean times, marketing food cost and labor cost are a huge factor, but if you do not love what you do you will never survive!
The gifter of my passion is my father, I remember the BBQ's that he threw when we were young, every one would come to eat "Skis" ribs, or thanksgiving dinner on the rugged north coast of Mendocino County!
Whether pops was cooking for a few or many his passion was the same, it had to be great! and he made it look effortless.
I lost my dad to cancer this fall, I have never felt such a deep and all encompassing sadness, and at the same time so grateful for all the happy memories that will keep pops alive in my heart forever.
thanks for being such a great dad, and teaching me to be a great dad, I really miss you pops and the kids tell you they love you every night.
This is the passion that my father gave me, I will never lose it, I hope you never lose yours.
So what the hell am I talking about and what does this have to do with my business? EVERYTHING "when I cap my letters THAT MEANS I AM YELLING AT YOU" :)
Seriously you need to pay attention to this, it is important, your business depends on it.
I do not have to tell you that we are in a recession, and while the fast casual segment is being impacted along with all other restaurants, Pizza is still a good seller, my personal restaurants are down about 10% and while that hurts the bottom line, I have friends in fine dinning that are getting killed!!!
I completely believe that if you are passionate about your business and LOVE to cook, you will make it through these lean times, marketing food cost and labor cost are a huge factor, but if you do not love what you do you will never survive!
The gifter of my passion is my father, I remember the BBQ's that he threw when we were young, every one would come to eat "Skis" ribs, or thanksgiving dinner on the rugged north coast of Mendocino County!
Whether pops was cooking for a few or many his passion was the same, it had to be great! and he made it look effortless.
I lost my dad to cancer this fall, I have never felt such a deep and all encompassing sadness, and at the same time so grateful for all the happy memories that will keep pops alive in my heart forever.
thanks for being such a great dad, and teaching me to be a great dad, I really miss you pops and the kids tell you they love you every night.
This is the passion that my father gave me, I will never lose it, I hope you never lose yours.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
From Naples with love!
To say this trip to Naples for the " Troffeo Citta Di' Napoli World Pizza Cup-the Challenge Cup"
was special is an understatement!
On June 7th I left for the contest with high hopes and just plain ol excitement, I knew I was going to see my Chef friends from the East Coast, Dublin Ireland and of course all our friends in Napoli, the surprise was meeting all the new members of the World Pizza Champions team, Bruno Di Fabio New York, Diana Coutu Canada, and Randy Hueffmeier from Minnesota.
This trip was also special because the Food Network was in Naples with us to film a show of "Glutton For Punishment" starring Bob Blummer, the show will air early next season so keep an eye out for it! oh ya and I will be blasting the heck out of the air date too! Check out Bobs show at
www.gluttonforpunishment.tv
The challenge was to Teach Bob how to be a pizza acrobat a daunting task to say the least, but he had a GREAT! coach and our team founder Tony Gemignani 9 time World Champion Pizza Acrobat. Now I work really hard, and Tony, Bruno, Joe all of us take enormous pride in what we do but I have to take my "Chef Coat" off to Bob and the entire crew from Glutton For Punishment on how hard they work to get every shot! Vera is AMAZING, she had every detail down to the nano second, and we all learned very quickly I might add to "leave the flash off" :)
quite down or just leave the shoot!!!! Vera your great! Will behind the camera? ya he rocks too, and Francesca and Roberto pulled that equipment around like it was nothin, hell we had the easy job baking and competing!!!!! cant wait to see you all in Sonoma for the Grape Stomp
Tony G and Nancy P arranged a tour of the Buffalo Mozzarella in Salerno on Monday, so we all packed up early and drove south from Naples down the Amalfi Coast to Salerno and arrived at the Mozz facility about 10am, they were in full swing producing the freshest most unbelievable Buffalo Mozz you have ever tasted, the actual Buffalo are only 3 min
utes down the road, so from milking to finish product is about 3 hours! just amazing here are a few pictures
Monday after the tour we drove a few miles to one of the best Pizzeria's in Italy owned by Vincenzo Manzi and his family, you really have to be there to feel the generosity, love and brotherhood of the
Manzi Family, the pizza was great and yet another round of filming for Bob and the crew heres a few more 
pics!
Monday night after a great dinner we headed to the Kitchen at the Tennis Hotel www.tennishotel.it
to prepare our recipes for Tuesdays competition, and here is where it really gets fun, you have 6 different Chefs in one kitchen, just about to go head to head in the worlds best Pizza competition and everyone is helping everyone!!! Tony jumps in and starts to make dough for the team to compete in the original Margherita contest and we all start sharing whatever we have "or have forgotten" with everyone else. This is what makes the WPC the best Pizza team in the world the fact that no matter what goes on in the competition we still remain a team even in the heat "NPI" of the battle :)
The competition on Tuesday went great! my two entries were flawless!!! and I was hoping the judges would agree. The entire day was filled with seeing all our Italian Friends, baking, and all the acrobatic challenges including Bobs big show. Manzo and I did the Billy and Glenn show, color commentary for Will during the acrobatic events and yes we are working on a pilot show for future Food Network airing ;) hey dreams come true every day, why not this one lol
Jason nailed the individual freestyle, Bruno predicted and then delivered his wins in the largest dough and the fastest!!!! you Rock Bruno and Christopher "Brunos Son" rocked the house with his largest! first place and his acrobatics, made me miss my kids even more than I already did, Christopher your a pro in my book pal!!!!
On Tuesday night after the competition we all went to down town Naples to Vera Pizza, Ernesto Cacialli's pizzeria, and in my opinion the worlds best pizzeria! check out these pictures, close your eyes and you might even taste it!
Wednesday was spent reaping the benefits of all the hard work that went into the competition, we had a chance to hang out poolside and relax a little and catch up with all our friends. The competition awards night is filled with local talent acts that were just awesome, and the Pizza? well that is the best part, all the local pizzerias start cooking and the crowds start arriving. I will try to give you a feel for what is going on here, the crowd reaches about 3ooo people, there are ten wood fired ovens with pizzioli's firing 5 to 8 pizzas at a time, now remember theses ovens are at about 800 degrees, and the pizzas cook in just one minute so they are cranking them out really fast and the lines are still 30 people deep at every oven THE ENTIRE NIGHT!!! yes its a party, lots of great TAB beer, wonderful people form Naples and all the competitors from all corners of the Globe, the best of the best are invited here to compete and it is an honor to just be here, of course its also great to come in 1st in North America and Canada but hey who's counting.
Bob was awarded his WPC Team Jacket! all of the team members that won collected there trophies, Tony Gemignani was recognized for his lifetime acheivments with a beautiful trophy and well deserved it was, in fact both Tony and Nancy Pugliesi worked tirelessly to represent the World Pizza Cup in this contest, form the bottom of my heart you guys are the best.
For a list of all the awards go to www.worldpizzachampions.com
I cannot thank everyone enough for the support in getting to Naples here is just a few, Pop's I love you! Ray and Cheri no words describe my gratitude for all your hard work and support, Michael well pal without you we would not be where we are! you are amazing. All my friends VJB winery, Henry Belmonte, Jeremy Forcier Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc. Dereck O'Connell
And my sponsors, Pepsi, Castino restaurant supply, Alcatraz SeaFood, Bank Of The West, Stinger Sportwear, La Nova Wings and Revention POS systems THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS!!!
I will leave you with a few more pics of the awards night,
Ciao
was special is an understatement!
On June 7th I left for the contest with high hopes and just plain ol excitement, I knew I was going to see my Chef friends from the East Coast, Dublin Ireland and of course all our friends in Napoli, the surprise was meeting all the new members of the World Pizza Champions team, Bruno Di Fabio New York, Diana Coutu Canada, and Randy Hueffmeier from Minnesota.
This trip was also special because the Food Network was in Naples with us to film a show of "Glutton For Punishment" starring Bob Blummer, the show will air early next season so keep an eye out for it! oh ya and I will be blasting the heck out of the air date too! Check out Bobs show at
www.gluttonforpunishment.tv
The challenge was to Teach Bob how to be a pizza acrobat a daunting task to say the least, but he had a GREAT! coach and our team founder Tony Gemignani 9 time World Champion Pizza Acrobat. Now I work really hard, and Tony, Bruno, Joe all of us take enormous pride in what we do but I have to take my "Chef Coat" off to Bob and the entire crew from Glutton For Punishment on how hard they work to get every shot! Vera is AMAZING, she had every detail down to the nano second, and we all learned very quickly I might add to "leave the flash off" :)
quite down or just leave the shoot!!!! Vera your great! Will behind the camera? ya he rocks too, and Francesca and Roberto pulled that equipment around like it was nothin, hell we had the easy job baking and competing!!!!! cant wait to see you all in Sonoma for the Grape Stomp
Tony G and Nancy P arranged a tour of the Buffalo Mozzarella in Salerno on Monday, so we all packed up early and drove south from Naples down the Amalfi Coast to Salerno and arrived at the Mozz facility about 10am, they were in full swing producing the freshest most unbelievable Buffalo Mozz you have ever tasted, the actual Buffalo are only 3 min
utes down the road, so from milking to finish product is about 3 hours! just amazing here are a few pictures
Monday after the tour we drove a few miles to one of the best Pizzeria's in Italy owned by Vincenzo Manzi and his family, you really have to be there to feel the generosity, love and brotherhood of the
Manzi Family, the pizza was great and yet another round of filming for Bob and the crew heres a few more 
pics!Monday night after a great dinner we headed to the Kitchen at the Tennis Hotel www.tennishotel.it
to prepare our recipes for Tuesdays competition, and here is where it really gets fun, you have 6 different Chefs in one kitchen, just about to go head to head in the worlds best Pizza competition and everyone is helping everyone!!! Tony jumps in and starts to make dough for the team to compete in the original Margherita contest and we all start sharing whatever we have "or have forgotten" with everyone else. This is what makes the WPC the best Pizza team in the world the fact that no matter what goes on in the competition we still remain a team even in the heat "NPI" of the battle :)
The competition on Tuesday went great! my two entries were flawless!!! and I was hoping the judges would agree. The entire day was filled with seeing all our Italian Friends, baking, and all the acrobatic challenges including Bobs big show. Manzo and I did the Billy and Glenn show, color commentary for Will during the acrobatic events and yes we are working on a pilot show for future Food Network airing ;) hey dreams come true every day, why not this one lol
Jason nailed the individual freestyle, Bruno predicted and then delivered his wins in the largest dough and the fastest!!!! you Rock Bruno and Christopher "Brunos Son" rocked the house with his largest! first place and his acrobatics, made me miss my kids even more than I already did, Christopher your a pro in my book pal!!!!
On Tuesday night after the competition we all went to down town Naples to Vera Pizza, Ernesto Cacialli's pizzeria, and in my opinion the worlds best pizzeria! check out these pictures, close your eyes and you might even taste it!
Wednesday was spent reaping the benefits of all the hard work that went into the competition, we had a chance to hang out poolside and relax a little and catch up with all our friends. The competition awards night is filled with local talent acts that were just awesome, and the Pizza? well that is the best part, all the local pizzerias start cooking and the crowds start arriving. I will try to give you a feel for what is going on here, the crowd reaches about 3ooo people, there are ten wood fired ovens with pizzioli's firing 5 to 8 pizzas at a time, now remember theses ovens are at about 800 degrees, and the pizzas cook in just one minute so they are cranking them out really fast and the lines are still 30 people deep at every oven THE ENTIRE NIGHT!!! yes its a party, lots of great TAB beer, wonderful people form Naples and all the competitors from all corners of the Globe, the best of the best are invited here to compete and it is an honor to just be here, of course its also great to come in 1st in North America and Canada but hey who's counting.
Bob was awarded his WPC Team Jacket! all of the team members that won collected there trophies, Tony Gemignani was recognized for his lifetime acheivments with a beautiful trophy and well deserved it was, in fact both Tony and Nancy Pugliesi worked tirelessly to represent the World Pizza Cup in this contest, form the bottom of my heart you guys are the best.
For a list of all the awards go to www.worldpizzachampions.com
I cannot thank everyone enough for the support in getting to Naples here is just a few, Pop's I love you! Ray and Cheri no words describe my gratitude for all your hard work and support, Michael well pal without you we would not be where we are! you are amazing. All my friends VJB winery, Henry Belmonte, Jeremy Forcier Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc. Dereck O'Connell
And my sponsors, Pepsi, Castino restaurant supply, Alcatraz SeaFood, Bank Of The West, Stinger Sportwear, La Nova Wings and Revention POS systems THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS!!!
I will leave you with a few more pics of the awards night,
Ciao
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Crusty! How about a beer? crust that is
Yep just made an awesome beer crust, and everybody loves it! so what
are you waiting for? how does your crust crisp up ya its a mouth full
huh :)
Ok I am going to give you a great recipe for a beer crust and if you give it a try don't worry no one will get drunk, what they will get is an awesome crust that is yeasty, bakes up with the perfect amount of chewy sponge and yet has a crispy bottom that will crunch as you run the slicer across it!
every great pizza starts with the crust its the foundation of "your" pizzeria, every body says they have a great crust but the truth is most are bland at best. I am introducing a thick crust pizza at Fregene's and have been reading a lot about different techniques on blending the right flour to get the perfect crust, but when it came right down to it I really wanted to make my own-----so I did, and
Here it is
160 Oz. Flour
1/2 qt filtered Hot water
72 oz of beer "I use a local Micro Brewery" and so can you any good amber ale will do
1/4 cup yeast
1/4 cup sugar
one cup Olive Oil
Place the flour in the mixer and turn it on, add the yeast to the hot water and mix well, at the same time pour the olive oil and water/yeast mixture into the mixer "a slow pour is best" when that is done begin to pour the beer into the mixer at an even slow pace, the mix will be quite set but let the mixer do its work and mix for 10 minutes. When your mixing is done then "ball " your dough into the regular size you normally use "this batch makes 10 27oz dough balls" that is my large size. I let my dough proof at room temp about 68degrees and it is ready to bake in two hours, and will last 24 hrs with refrigeration.
Now most of you use a deck oven, but let me tell you I use impinger's and at 550degrees this pizza cooks perfectly in about 5 minutes, so make a note of that and adjust your ovens or cook times accordingly.
More importantly MIX IT UP, use your imagination and make your pizza crust zing with a little cajun seasoning, or a touch of red peppers it is a great way to run a special and your customers will appreciate a new addition to the menu and it is easy to do.
Let me know if you have any questions about the crust, I hope you have fun with this one!
Chef Glenn
Your crust should NOT be doughy at all, you wil get a great sponge and crisp bottom every time
Ok I am going to give you a great recipe for a beer crust and if you give it a try don't worry no one will get drunk, what they will get is an awesome crust that is yeasty, bakes up with the perfect amount of chewy sponge and yet has a crispy bottom that will crunch as you run the slicer across it!
every great pizza starts with the crust its the foundation of "your" pizzeria, every body says they have a great crust but the truth is most are bland at best. I am introducing a thick crust pizza at Fregene's and have been reading a lot about different techniques on blending the right flour to get the perfect crust, but when it came right down to it I really wanted to make my own-----so I did, and
Here it is
160 Oz. Flour
1/2 qt filtered Hot water
72 oz of beer "I use a local Micro Brewery" and so can you any good amber ale will do
1/4 cup yeast
1/4 cup sugar
one cup Olive Oil
Place the flour in the mixer and turn it on, add the yeast to the hot water and mix well, at the same time pour the olive oil and water/yeast mixture into the mixer "a slow pour is best" when that is done begin to pour the beer into the mixer at an even slow pace, the mix will be quite set but let the mixer do its work and mix for 10 minutes. When your mixing is done then "ball " your dough into the regular size you normally use "this batch makes 10 27oz dough balls" that is my large size. I let my dough proof at room temp about 68degrees and it is ready to bake in two hours, and will last 24 hrs with refrigeration.
Now most of you use a deck oven, but let me tell you I use impinger's and at 550degrees this pizza cooks perfectly in about 5 minutes, so make a note of that and adjust your ovens or cook times accordingly.
More importantly MIX IT UP, use your imagination and make your pizza crust zing with a little cajun seasoning, or a touch of red peppers it is a great way to run a special and your customers will appreciate a new addition to the menu and it is easy to do.
Let me know if you have any questions about the crust, I hope you have fun with this one!
Chef Glenn
Your crust should NOT be doughy at all, you wil get a great sponge and crisp bottom every time
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Pizza is recession proof--------isn't it?
LOL! Well, let's hope so anyway. Here is the truth about pizza, the
recession and President Bush's bail out plan. I just wrote a lengthy
email and sent it to the white house. In short this is what I said.
Hey Pres, forget the cash refund and just send out gift certificates for Pizza! You see I could use the cash and there are a lot of Pizzeria owners out there that can use it too! Not sure how far that is going to get us but its a try!
So how are you doing to do in these uncertain times? Ignore the 5% 10% 15% drop in your business or do something about it. This post may not speak to the long time pizzeria owners that have a great customer base and can ride out the dips in sales, but if you just opened or have only been in the business for a few years this is for YOU! Ok, let's get to some really basic stuff that will make a big difference in your bottom line.
One of the first ways to boost profits on flat sales is to look at the costs of business that are flexible. Your lease is not. PGE? Nope...Yellow Pages, uh uh, so what is flexible? LABOR and FOOD COST. Sorry...didn't mean to yell but you'd better listen.
Your employees are great aren't they? Young great people and they really need their hours, huh? Do you keep them busy when the sales are slow, or do you let them go for a few hours during the slow time? Can you cut your payroll back and keep everyone happy? Let me ask you this way: if you do not cut back, will you stay in business? Ya, thought so! It is that important so take a good look at the labor cost you will probably be able to cut back without harming your customer service at all.
Your food cost is another story and a much easier one because you really just have to look at your stock. How much cheese are you holding? How much perishable food are you storing..., fresh meat, veggies salads?
Here is what you need to do:
Don't over-order your cheese, Take a look at your past year's same month sales and see what you were ordering then, and make sure you are ordering only what you need each week. This could cut out as much as two-thirds of your normal ordering cost in your overall food order.
Veggies and meats are just as important so make sure you are only prepping what you are using on a three-day cycle, and you should save money on your orders. You may still be surprised at how much food and paper goods you have on your shelves. And while you may say: "But what if I get busy on Thursday night and don't have enough food for the weekend. Believe me, your distributor rep will make sure you get the food you need, and as soon as business picks up, you can stock up because you will have the extra cash.
This is just about good business. If you have to scale back and put in more hours yourself DO IT! It will do your store, employees, and you a great deal of good.
Making sure your food costs are in line is crucial to your success, and the real kicker here is not only will you carry less product and save money. Your customers will also reap the benefit from always enjoying the freshest ingredients and that alone is worth the work. Happy customers tell other customers and your reputation is what will really get you through the tough times.
I just went through my kitchen and I did save 2/3 of one week's food cost and not because my sales fell 2/3 it's because I had so much stock rotating each week. So I know what I am talking about, and I am not sitting in my million-dollar house writing a blog for profit, or trying to tell you what to do, as if I am not doing it myself -- I am . And by the way, I feel like I am in a ten million dollar house writing this blog, because the dog is sitting by the fire, the new kitty is scared to death of the dog, and my kiddos are all snoring away in bed!
Life's good !
Keep the questions coming this is really getting exciting for me to see how many people are reading this and are getting great ideas too, I will answer them all.
Send any Qs to chef@fregenes.com
Chef Glenn
Hey Pres, forget the cash refund and just send out gift certificates for Pizza! You see I could use the cash and there are a lot of Pizzeria owners out there that can use it too! Not sure how far that is going to get us but its a try!
So how are you doing to do in these uncertain times? Ignore the 5% 10% 15% drop in your business or do something about it. This post may not speak to the long time pizzeria owners that have a great customer base and can ride out the dips in sales, but if you just opened or have only been in the business for a few years this is for YOU! Ok, let's get to some really basic stuff that will make a big difference in your bottom line.
One of the first ways to boost profits on flat sales is to look at the costs of business that are flexible. Your lease is not. PGE? Nope...Yellow Pages, uh uh, so what is flexible? LABOR and FOOD COST. Sorry...didn't mean to yell but you'd better listen.
Your employees are great aren't they? Young great people and they really need their hours, huh? Do you keep them busy when the sales are slow, or do you let them go for a few hours during the slow time? Can you cut your payroll back and keep everyone happy? Let me ask you this way: if you do not cut back, will you stay in business? Ya, thought so! It is that important so take a good look at the labor cost you will probably be able to cut back without harming your customer service at all.
Your food cost is another story and a much easier one because you really just have to look at your stock. How much cheese are you holding? How much perishable food are you storing..., fresh meat, veggies salads?
Here is what you need to do:
Don't over-order your cheese, Take a look at your past year's same month sales and see what you were ordering then, and make sure you are ordering only what you need each week. This could cut out as much as two-thirds of your normal ordering cost in your overall food order.
Veggies and meats are just as important so make sure you are only prepping what you are using on a three-day cycle, and you should save money on your orders. You may still be surprised at how much food and paper goods you have on your shelves. And while you may say: "But what if I get busy on Thursday night and don't have enough food for the weekend. Believe me, your distributor rep will make sure you get the food you need, and as soon as business picks up, you can stock up because you will have the extra cash.
This is just about good business. If you have to scale back and put in more hours yourself DO IT! It will do your store, employees, and you a great deal of good.
Making sure your food costs are in line is crucial to your success, and the real kicker here is not only will you carry less product and save money. Your customers will also reap the benefit from always enjoying the freshest ingredients and that alone is worth the work. Happy customers tell other customers and your reputation is what will really get you through the tough times.
I just went through my kitchen and I did save 2/3 of one week's food cost and not because my sales fell 2/3 it's because I had so much stock rotating each week. So I know what I am talking about, and I am not sitting in my million-dollar house writing a blog for profit, or trying to tell you what to do, as if I am not doing it myself -- I am . And by the way, I feel like I am in a ten million dollar house writing this blog, because the dog is sitting by the fire, the new kitty is scared to death of the dog, and my kiddos are all snoring away in bed!
Life's good !
Keep the questions coming this is really getting exciting for me to see how many people are reading this and are getting great ideas too, I will answer them all.
Send any Qs to chef@fregenes.com
Chef Glenn
Thursday, January 10, 2008
So let's eat!!!!
The first is ROSSO Pizzeria & Wine Bar
53 Montgomery Drive, Creekside Center
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
707-544-3221 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 707-544-3221 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Ok so I went up to ROSSO on Tuesday to see what all the buzz was about, and to say the least I was very pleasantly surprised, a great wood fired oven, the decor is warm and inviting "even for a strip mall" and when I was walking up I noticed the Host NOTICE me and welcomed me as I stepped in the door, Bravo! the place was packed, two tables remained and I sat in a booth close to the kitchen so I could watch the Pizza Chef and Co Owner John Franchetti work his magic.
My Waiter was Carl ASK FOR CARL!! he was great! Carl knew his menu inside and out, and his knowledge of the wine list was great and while the place was packed the entire wait staff seemed relaxed and in control, I ordered a starter of Burrata and Prosciutto a house made Mozzarella in cream wrapped in Ricotta Cheese finished with a drizzle of E.V.O.O. and at .9 it was worth every penny!
On to the Salad, Mixed Baby Greens, sweet walnuts, crisp slices of tart apples and nuggets of Point Reyes Blue Cheese, a perfect combination. Salads range from .8 to .12
Now for the Za! and here is where it gets a little tough, learning how to use a real wood fired oven is tough, and it is easy to go from charring your crust to burning bubbles, but there is a learning curve and I am sure the staff will get it right! I ordered the Fungi and it was great, the Za menu is unique and fresh and ALL the ingredients are organic, even the wine!
Now I had the honor of participating at the Troffeo Citta' Di Napoli original Margherita Pizza Competition in Naples last June and I admit I am a bit of a snob when it comes to a traditional Margherita pizza made the Old World style, Chef John is such a delight to watch in his kitchen and the love he has for his product is palpable, but the pizza fell a little short of what I had expected BUT ONLY A LITTLE John :)
ROSSO gets 5 out of six slices, and I am going to be looking for the sixth slice real soon Chef John,thank you so much for the wonderful fair, and to Carl------you rock!
The Second is Finbar Devines Irish Pub
145 Kentucky St
Petaluma, Ca 94952
707-762-9800 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 707-762-9800 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
And there is not much to say about Finbar except for WOW! FB is really one of if not the best authentic Irish Pub in Sonoma County and that is not just because it has the largest collection of Irish whiskey and a great beer selection.
It is because the food is fantastic, the menu is full of great appetizers but the real winner is the Shepherds Pie! yep this is amazing, a nice side of sautéed veggies in a real butter sauce, perfectly cooked I might add, then the pie fresh ground beef in a light but very flavorful gravy along with peas carrots and topped with mashed potatoes finished in the broiler to give them a finish that is to die for.
The ultimate comfort food, thanks Frank well done!
Six slices pal, its the best!
So what are you waiting for? turn off the computer grab your favorite accomplice and go EAT!
Try one of these great restaurants, you will be happy you did.
Cheers, everyone
Chef Glenn
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Pizzeria Review/ Giovannis Pizzeria Cotati
every once in a while I run into a pizzeria that is good, nice interior
design, makes you actually think of Italy, lighting is good not too
light not too dark
So I walk in about 8 on a Saturday night and the place is dead!!!! no one there except John and Frank both guys on ther computer and I come in and give em a hard time like I have known them for years (I thought they were going to kick me out) but they didn't and I chatted them up, nice guys
so I ordered a Pizza Medium pepperoni and Mushroom, then told them I was going over to the bar next door for a drink, went to pay and they said not worries pay when you get back
Had a couple drinks and went back for my pizza, another couple had come in (either family or just good customers) and they had there three young kids with them, cute kids and they were having fun----now you may be saying to yourself how boring, get to the point, what was the food like? and I would say shut up its my blog and I will get to the point when I want to any way it was really nice to see a couple of young guys running there pizzeria and interacting with the customers like they were family, this kind of information is really important if you want to find a great little place to enjoy a pie
there are quite a few pizzerias in the area: caprara's in Penngrove, Joe and Julie are great, unfortunately the pizza is average, although they have a new store its not that inviting and they always seem like they are in a rush, great people though Joe and Julie! a new place in Petaluma close by is Rafy's in the orchard supply, in order to have an ego you better be DAMN GOOD sorry Rafy your corn meal crust is less than average and no matter how much you skimp on your toppings your still closing in 6 months, nothing has made it in that spot and your place does on have what it takes
ok so back to Giovannis and yes now for the, my pizza was cooked great! the crust was tasty and had a nice fold to it when I ate it, the sauce flavor was also balanced well, too many places use a lot oregano and salt overpowering the other toppings. when I taste a pizza I am looking for a good crust that is crispy, stands well yet has a defined gum line and good rise (this comes from the proper hydration and that there is still life in the yeast when its put in the oven) they use whole milk mozz and ya knwo EVERYONE SHOULD but they don't so this was a big plus for me, the whole milk mozz has a clean buttery taste with a little hint of salt, then the pepperoni, it was really good, did not shrink up and produce a bunch of oil (like Marys does) so it is a good quality, and the mushrooms were chopped and they did not put too many mushrooms on teh pizza so as too make the pizza soggy.
I really liked the place, for all the reasons I mentioned I will be back again, good guys nice place and quality pizza, go take a taste for your self I know you will like it I definitely did
Giovannis Pizzeria
8270 Old Redwood Highway
Cotati, CA 94931-5243
(707) 664-8460 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (707) 664-8460 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
If you have a place you want me to check out let me know, if you do not read about it that means I thought is was CRAP!!!! :)
Chef Glenn
So I walk in about 8 on a Saturday night and the place is dead!!!! no one there except John and Frank both guys on ther computer and I come in and give em a hard time like I have known them for years (I thought they were going to kick me out) but they didn't and I chatted them up, nice guys
so I ordered a Pizza Medium pepperoni and Mushroom, then told them I was going over to the bar next door for a drink, went to pay and they said not worries pay when you get back
Had a couple drinks and went back for my pizza, another couple had come in (either family or just good customers) and they had there three young kids with them, cute kids and they were having fun----now you may be saying to yourself how boring, get to the point, what was the food like? and I would say shut up its my blog and I will get to the point when I want to any way it was really nice to see a couple of young guys running there pizzeria and interacting with the customers like they were family, this kind of information is really important if you want to find a great little place to enjoy a pie
there are quite a few pizzerias in the area: caprara's in Penngrove, Joe and Julie are great, unfortunately the pizza is average, although they have a new store its not that inviting and they always seem like they are in a rush, great people though Joe and Julie! a new place in Petaluma close by is Rafy's in the orchard supply, in order to have an ego you better be DAMN GOOD sorry Rafy your corn meal crust is less than average and no matter how much you skimp on your toppings your still closing in 6 months, nothing has made it in that spot and your place does on have what it takes
ok so back to Giovannis and yes now for the, my pizza was cooked great! the crust was tasty and had a nice fold to it when I ate it, the sauce flavor was also balanced well, too many places use a lot oregano and salt overpowering the other toppings. when I taste a pizza I am looking for a good crust that is crispy, stands well yet has a defined gum line and good rise (this comes from the proper hydration and that there is still life in the yeast when its put in the oven) they use whole milk mozz and ya knwo EVERYONE SHOULD but they don't so this was a big plus for me, the whole milk mozz has a clean buttery taste with a little hint of salt, then the pepperoni, it was really good, did not shrink up and produce a bunch of oil (like Marys does) so it is a good quality, and the mushrooms were chopped and they did not put too many mushrooms on teh pizza so as too make the pizza soggy.
I really liked the place, for all the reasons I mentioned I will be back again, good guys nice place and quality pizza, go take a taste for your self I know you will like it I definitely did
Giovannis Pizzeria
8270 Old Redwood Highway
Cotati, CA 94931-5243
(707) 664-8460 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (707) 664-8460 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
If you have a place you want me to check out let me know, if you do not read about it that means I thought is was CRAP!!!! :)
Chef Glenn
Thursday, January 21, 2010
I love breakfast for dinner!!!!!
Don't you? I mean come on, your a little kid in your jammies, sitting
in front of the TV watchin Gilligans Island, thinking about
Ginge--------------- ok wait thats not the point I wanted to make
Your mom says its dinner time and you jump up and see pancakes and bacon on the table like it's FRICKIN CHRISTMAS!!!! are you kidding? breakfast for dinner!!!!
The idea here is to mix it up a little
change what you are doing and I am talking about your marketing, your in house marketing what are you doing to increase your sales when you have YOUR SALES sitting right in front of you?
here ya go
Make sure your wait staff has a special to offer the customers, your special should be written by the chef taking into consideration what the kitchen has to move and what has the best food cost for the restaurant.
the waitstaff should also be checking in with the table, how many times have you gone to a local restaurant and ordered a meal only to sit there and wait for another drink? how about some appetizers before your meal? oh ya and dessert, coffee, and when they ask for the check how about a little info card "so if you fill this out we will give you a free dinner on your birthday and 15% off your next meal ! see you soon
the way your waitstaff sells your menu can increase sales by 20% per ticket!!!!! think about it and at the same time they will increase their tips and the customers will be delighted with the service!
trust me when I tell you this works, just ask me I have a really cool story I will tell you
cheers
Chef Glenn
Your mom says its dinner time and you jump up and see pancakes and bacon on the table like it's FRICKIN CHRISTMAS!!!! are you kidding? breakfast for dinner!!!!
The idea here is to mix it up a little
change what you are doing and I am talking about your marketing, your in house marketing what are you doing to increase your sales when you have YOUR SALES sitting right in front of you?
here ya go
Make sure your wait staff has a special to offer the customers, your special should be written by the chef taking into consideration what the kitchen has to move and what has the best food cost for the restaurant.
the waitstaff should also be checking in with the table, how many times have you gone to a local restaurant and ordered a meal only to sit there and wait for another drink? how about some appetizers before your meal? oh ya and dessert, coffee, and when they ask for the check how about a little info card "so if you fill this out we will give you a free dinner on your birthday and 15% off your next meal ! see you soon
the way your waitstaff sells your menu can increase sales by 20% per ticket!!!!! think about it and at the same time they will increase their tips and the customers will be delighted with the service!
trust me when I tell you this works, just ask me I have a really cool story I will tell you
cheers
Chef Glenn
Friday, November 20, 2009
Holidays are for Foodies!!! oh ya and the kids
I really cant believe that the holidays are here? seems like yesterday
teh kids were swimming in the pool and I was BBQing adn yelling DONT
RUN IN THE HOUSE WITH WET FEET ya I love having my own blog because I
can write anything I want haha ok down to business
So what's new on your menu? anything? if you have not added new items ye tthen you need to get on it
Even in worst of economic times teh holidays bring out customers! shoppers! and that equals better sales so teh question really is are you ready to offer your customers some new tasty menu items? you better be because the competition sure is.
I like to go to a heartier fare than usual, try using some cream based sauces, one of the best seller on my menu is the roasted Garlic Sauce, our Creamy Ceasar is a hit topped with Grilled Chicken, Roma Tomatoes and Red Onions. Billy Manzo out in Cransto Rhode Island makes a kick ass seafood pizza and depending on where you live make suer you are using local favorites to top your pizzas pastas and salads------ooooh did I say salads? so here's a great salad that will stand up to the colder weather days we are having. I start with crisp Romain lettuce chopped a layer fo croutons (we make our own) but use what you have in your place, add tomatoes and top with 6 oz of grilled Skirt Steak sliced thin. This is a hearty salad, the Steak is hot off the grill and goes well with the crisp cool lettuce, it satisfies without stuffing yoru customers and the food cost on this dish is about $1.80 it sells for $9.95 and is a great quick meal for busy shoppers.
No matter what you do for the Holidays be ready for Black Friday the day after thanksgiving, have those slice and soda combos ready for quick sales and market to yoru customer group and suggest that they let you fix dinner on such a busy day and lets face it no one is going to be eating TURKEY!
Happy Holidays, and I hope that you all have somthing to be thankful for, I have my kids! family and friends,
Chef Glenn
So what's new on your menu? anything? if you have not added new items ye tthen you need to get on it
Even in worst of economic times teh holidays bring out customers! shoppers! and that equals better sales so teh question really is are you ready to offer your customers some new tasty menu items? you better be because the competition sure is.
I like to go to a heartier fare than usual, try using some cream based sauces, one of the best seller on my menu is the roasted Garlic Sauce, our Creamy Ceasar is a hit topped with Grilled Chicken, Roma Tomatoes and Red Onions. Billy Manzo out in Cransto Rhode Island makes a kick ass seafood pizza and depending on where you live make suer you are using local favorites to top your pizzas pastas and salads------ooooh did I say salads? so here's a great salad that will stand up to the colder weather days we are having. I start with crisp Romain lettuce chopped a layer fo croutons (we make our own) but use what you have in your place, add tomatoes and top with 6 oz of grilled Skirt Steak sliced thin. This is a hearty salad, the Steak is hot off the grill and goes well with the crisp cool lettuce, it satisfies without stuffing yoru customers and the food cost on this dish is about $1.80 it sells for $9.95 and is a great quick meal for busy shoppers.
No matter what you do for the Holidays be ready for Black Friday the day after thanksgiving, have those slice and soda combos ready for quick sales and market to yoru customer group and suggest that they let you fix dinner on such a busy day and lets face it no one is going to be eating TURKEY!
Happy Holidays, and I hope that you all have somthing to be thankful for, I have my kids! family and friends,
Chef Glenn
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Thank you Veterans and active duty soldiers
I just wanted to take a moment and say thanks to all our military
personal, you know who they are, they sit in the recruiting office
every day, they take care of our coastal waterways, they live right
next door to you and me.
Its not just the men and women that are on the front lines fighting for the freedom we enjoy, and helping others to fight for their freedom, its ALL the military personal.
I am the proud son of a United States Marine, pops lost his legs at the Chosin Reservoir battle, and went on to marry my mom, raise four great kids, and become a grandpa to nine grandchildren, we lost pop to cancer last year, and I will never forget all the great things we did together.
The Military shaped my fathers life, he was a fiercely proud Marine and loved his country.
Take the time to thank your neighbor, dad, brother or the Veteran standing outside the grocery store next time you see them, they appreciate knowing we care.
I know this has nothing to do with food today, it is much much more improtant than that
Cheers
Chef Glenn
Its not just the men and women that are on the front lines fighting for the freedom we enjoy, and helping others to fight for their freedom, its ALL the military personal.
I am the proud son of a United States Marine, pops lost his legs at the Chosin Reservoir battle, and went on to marry my mom, raise four great kids, and become a grandpa to nine grandchildren, we lost pop to cancer last year, and I will never forget all the great things we did together.
The Military shaped my fathers life, he was a fiercely proud Marine and loved his country.
Take the time to thank your neighbor, dad, brother or the Veteran standing outside the grocery store next time you see them, they appreciate knowing we care.
I know this has nothing to do with food today, it is much much more improtant than that
Cheers
Chef Glenn
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Buying or Selling your Restaurant ?
Times are tough that is for sure, here in Northern California it is a challenging time for all Restaurant owners and when push comes to shove or your just plain out of cash what do you do sell your place?
Or maybe you are looking for a new career, you love food and MAN can you grill a burger!! at least your friends think so right? and it just so happens that their is a burger stand right down the road for sale, boy its your lucky day huh!!!!!!
And yes I love a little Sarcasm but really you have no idea how many times I have heard similar comments so give me a little room to explain
Selling or Buying a Restaurant? I do not have all the answers but I can definitely give you some advice on how to get through it so here we go, does this sound familiar
"I am going to tough it out, it will change next week I am sure of it"
OK who just said that? YOUR DEAD! its not going to change next week unless you just sent out 30,000 mailers and slashed your prices by half! of course then you don't have the staff to keep up anymore because you kept it "thin to win"
Put your ego away, this is business, the economy is not your fault it just is what it is so in times like these you need to be proactive in creating options for yourself. If you are thinking about selling your restaurant or buying a restaurant then here is the first step:
1. Contact a local BUSINESS broker, WAIT, NO contact a local RESTAURANT BROKER ya that's it ! because you need a professional that understands the restaurant business climate in your area.
2. List your business right now, even if you are considering selling you can do it in a confidential way, you can keep operating while getting offers on your place, new buyers should want to see a place that is up and running because it gives them the information to either make minor changes or make major changes if needed, this also gives you the option to implement some guerrilla marketing techniques that can drive customers to you with very little cost "I have a great bunch of ideas with procedures that I am happy to share with you" as long as your restaurant is not in one of my restaurants demographic" LOL
If you are listing with a Broker to sell make sure they have ALL the facts about your place, do not hold anything back of course list all the positives but do not forget the negatives complete honesty is a must, because if the buyer is informed and smart about their decision making process they will probably seek a third party opinion! and that's where I come in, a consultant Can make or break a deal, but the fact is that consultants make their money regardless of the sale so they should be completely unbiased and deliver the facts to the potential buyer or seller and this is a good thing!
There is a lot of money out there, and everyone loves a great restaurant, I have spoken to people that have checks in hand ready to buy a restaurant and have no clue as to what they are doing. I have helped people walk away from places where the seller was not being forthright with the real information, and I have worked with buyers to see the potential in places that were losing money and still bought them because they understood "with help" that they had a great investment ahead of them.
Either way, Buying or Selling seek professional help from a Restaurant Broker, and ask that broker if they work with any consultants, then you have a team of people that know the business, can help you steer clear of the bad deals and put you into a place that will be fun to own.
When I consult with a client I use my knowledge of over 20 years in the Restaurant business in order to give them valuable information, I have opened and closed restaurants, and I know what it takes to make it out there, so hang in there and remember if you need help ask a professional there are many great people out there that love this business and would be happy to lend a hand.
Email me any questions you have regarding this post and I will recommend some resources for you to consider.
Now go get in the kitchen and make some great dishes! cooking always makes me happy
Cheers
Chef Glenn
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Sooooo is business slow for you too?
That's
an understatement in this economy, everyone is struggling with slow
sales rising labor cost "because as soon as you send them home you will
be slammed" :) so what do you do to make it though these times? that's the million dollar question and I am going to help you answer it right now!
have you checked your food cost lately? spoilage? phone bill? garbage bill? cable? lease cost? guess what!!!! your throwing away money right now!!!!!!
Lets start with your fixed cost! Rent the quickest way to improve your cash flow is ask your landlord for a temporary reduction in your rent, be prepared to address this with factual information that is direct and to the point, in other words SALES RECEIPTS, sales have slowed for most everyone but I can guarantee you that your landlord will NOT come to you and say "hey how bout I reduce your rent?" go to them and ask for a 6 month reduction, start at 20% and negotiate from there, most landlords will work with you as they certainly do not want to lose tenants and try to fill space in this economy.
Food Cost: in Pizza you should be running about a 22-25 % food cost depending on your menu, KNOW YOUR FOOD COST is is vital to your existence, and make sure your measuring out all your products that go on your pizzas, this will create a consistent product that your customers will love and assure that you have your monthly expenditures in check
Labor Cost: this is a big one because you do not want to be understaffed and you certainly do not want to have people standing around doing nothing right? so check your order flow and make sure you are optimizing your opening time and closing time, check your hourly sales and adjust accordingly.
you might be saying "how do I do these things? opening times against hourly sales and such? you should have a Point Of Sale System in your store, if you are still using a cash register for sales then it will be a lot of work to get this information, that is why every consulting gig I do and the restaurants I open have POS systems in them, it keeps all of your sales information at your fingertips and allows you to know exactly what your costs are related to your cash flow, I cannot stress this enough, call me if you need a referral on a great POS system I do not get paid to refer customers to Revention POS but it is the BEST system on the market!
call your phone company, call your cable company call all your vendors and ask them to lower your prices at least for six months, saving money NOW will help you weather the sluggish cycle we are in, and if you need help evaluating your business to see if it is even viable then do not hesitate to call me 707-774-1668 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 707-774-1668 end_of_the_skype_highlighting I can look at it for you FREE, no charge for an evaluation, the more restaurants that keep there doors open and thrive the better for ALL of us so if you need help then just ask!
good luck and I will post more on how to beat the recession and create sales out of $100.00 and a little foot work!
Cheers, Chef Glenn
have you checked your food cost lately? spoilage? phone bill? garbage bill? cable? lease cost? guess what!!!! your throwing away money right now!!!!!!
Lets start with your fixed cost! Rent the quickest way to improve your cash flow is ask your landlord for a temporary reduction in your rent, be prepared to address this with factual information that is direct and to the point, in other words SALES RECEIPTS, sales have slowed for most everyone but I can guarantee you that your landlord will NOT come to you and say "hey how bout I reduce your rent?" go to them and ask for a 6 month reduction, start at 20% and negotiate from there, most landlords will work with you as they certainly do not want to lose tenants and try to fill space in this economy.
Food Cost: in Pizza you should be running about a 22-25 % food cost depending on your menu, KNOW YOUR FOOD COST is is vital to your existence, and make sure your measuring out all your products that go on your pizzas, this will create a consistent product that your customers will love and assure that you have your monthly expenditures in check
Labor Cost: this is a big one because you do not want to be understaffed and you certainly do not want to have people standing around doing nothing right? so check your order flow and make sure you are optimizing your opening time and closing time, check your hourly sales and adjust accordingly.
you might be saying "how do I do these things? opening times against hourly sales and such? you should have a Point Of Sale System in your store, if you are still using a cash register for sales then it will be a lot of work to get this information, that is why every consulting gig I do and the restaurants I open have POS systems in them, it keeps all of your sales information at your fingertips and allows you to know exactly what your costs are related to your cash flow, I cannot stress this enough, call me if you need a referral on a great POS system I do not get paid to refer customers to Revention POS but it is the BEST system on the market!
call your phone company, call your cable company call all your vendors and ask them to lower your prices at least for six months, saving money NOW will help you weather the sluggish cycle we are in, and if you need help evaluating your business to see if it is even viable then do not hesitate to call me 707-774-1668 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 707-774-1668 end_of_the_skype_highlighting I can look at it for you FREE, no charge for an evaluation, the more restaurants that keep there doors open and thrive the better for ALL of us so if you need help then just ask!
good luck and I will post more on how to beat the recession and create sales out of $100.00 and a little foot work!
Cheers, Chef Glenn
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Down and Out in Ann Arbor
June 2, 2009
Pizza Today Magazine http://www.pizzatoday.com/
All restaurants are facing a public indictment - yours included this past spring wasn't an overly joyous time for Domino's Pizza. In April, an employee at a franchised store in Conover, North Carolina, used a video camera to document her co-worker in the act of violating numerous food safety measures. The pizza maker - actually, he was constructing sandwiches at the time - made hundreds of thousands of stomachs turn in the video that quickly went viral on YouTube.It was a nightmare for the delivery giant, which already was struggling with lackluster sales in its U.S. stores. Thanks to the action of two wayward individuals, a brand that has built a reputation over half a century was quickly and severely damaged. That's the power of the Internet. That's the power sites like Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and YouTube wield.Though it's now June, I am writing this column in April. Domino's is getting mixed reviews for its response to the crisis, and rightfully so. While I sympathize with the position in which Domino's found itself after the video got traction, I can't understand why it took the company so long to go into crisis-response mode. We now live in an age where information hits the masses instantaneously - but Domino's didn't have any meaningful response to the video until two days after it was first posted on YouTube. In the meantime, the problem only worsened as more people viewed the video and blogged about it online.Perhaps the Domino's braintrust hoped the video would go unnoticed if they didn't draw attention to it. Perhaps, being a giant, the company simply moves slowly by virtue of the amount of red tape it has to cut to get anything accomplished. I don't know. But I do know this: for consumers, the video was the ultimate scarecrow. "How often does that happen in other Domino's stores?" Americans logically wondered. But the video didn't just taint the Michigan-based franchise - it tainted all restaurants, in my opinion. If this can happen in a Domino's store in North Carolina, is it out of the question that it can also happen in an independent pizzeria in Des Moines or a seafood restaurant in Portland?It's no secret that things like this occur from time to time in professional kitchens. Though the food service industry does its best to hide such cases, I've worked in enough restaurants and have watched enough hidden-camera television shows to know that the public can't always trust those who handle its food.Thankfully, acts of this nature are few and far between. The overwhelming majority of food service workers are honest, safety-conscious people who realize their actions can affect the health of others. But the hoards that viewed the embarrassing Domino's video can't be faulted for wondering how prevalent these acts are within the food service industry. Right or wrong, all restaurants are facing a public indictment over this - yours included. You can't be in your restaurant at all times, but you are responsible for what happens in it, even while you're away. If you've not already taken steps to ensure something like this doesn't happen to you, do so now, before it's too late.
Best,
Jeremy White, editor-in-chief Pizza Today Magazine
