Peel: A PMQ Pizza Podcast

Brian Weavel of Perfect Crust Pizza Liners and Incredible Bags joins Peel: A PMQ Pizza Podcast to talk about his 40 years in the pizza business, from getting started young and running Anna’s Pizza & Pasta for 24 years to helping operators improve delivery quality today. Weavel shares lessons on community involvement, employee relationships and learning the hard way what it takes to build something that lasts. Along the way, he offers insight into the operator mindset, the realities of independent pizzeria life and why the details after the bake still matter.

(Note, this episode was the last of technical issues. Resolved halfway through. Thank you for your listening patience)

Dave Dombrowski of Pizza Mia joins Peel: A PMQ Pizza Podcast to talk about his roots in the pizza business and the kind of grassroots, boots-on-the-ground marketing that helped him stand out. Dombrowski shares stories about creative promotional tactics, building buzz through unconventional ideas, and connecting with recognizable names before they became famous. Along the way, he offers insight into the hustle, instinct, and relationship-building that can turn local marketing into something memorable.

Dan Richer, owner and operator of Razza Pizza Artigianale in Jersey City, New Jersey, joins the show to talk about his origins as a pizza maker and the details he’s still obsessed with (4:21). Richer talks about his recent and burgeoning love of golf and how the game shares many similarities with pizza making. He later shares how Razza seeks to balance sourcing seasonal, local ingredients with giving guests something they can rely on and expect each time they visit the restaurant. Prior to that, Charlie shares an announcement about the future of the show (0:12).

Giovanni Labbate joins the show to talk about his journey from franchise operator to independent owner of Tievoli Pizza, his success on the international pizza competition stage and what it takes to build a standout concept (2:18). The conversation touches on family legacy, food trucks as a growth engine, and why simplicity—on the menu and in operations—can be a competitive advantage. Brian Hernandez joins the show after a new ‘Style Guide’ segment focusing on New England Beach Pizza—does the style have what it takes (28:29)?

Story about New England Beach Pizza: https://www.pmq.com/new-england-beach-pizza/
Full U.S. Pizza Team recap: https://uspizzateam.com/carrots-take-the-cake-in-rimini/

Woody’s Wood-Fired Pizza owner Jon Bortles explains why he chose not to chase multi-unit expansion after watching what it took for his father to build and manage nine locations (3:50). Bortles breaks down how Woody’s has grown revenue in creative moves inside a single flagship from a high-volume buffet model to a food truck, takeout kitchen and—potentially—selective licensing (37:58). Later in the show, Brian Hernandez joins for a U.S. Pizza Team update. Charlie also asks Brian questions about visiting Italy prior to his first-ever trip to Italy.

Woody’s history: https://www.pmq.com/how-this-iconic-high-volume-pizza-buffet-concept-keeps-things-fresh/