Mike Kurtz, founder of Mike’s Hot Honey, joins the show to discuss how his industry-changing product came to be (2:31). Kurtz shares the challenges he faced as his product began to take off—and how a chance conversation with a professor at UMass-Amherst helped him unlock the secret to producing hot honey at scale. Kurtz also discusses why he still carries the same drive and collaborative mindset with him 15 years after he began bottling Mike’s Hot Honey.
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Episode 34: Matt Plapp of America's Best Restaurants
Matt Plapp, CEO of America’s Best Restaurants and DRYVER—as well as a regular guest contributor to PMQ—joins the show to discuss the biggest mistakes pizzeria operators are making when it comes to marketing (2:21). Plapp also shares how an early understanding of the internet—and its potential as a marketing tool—helped build his career. Plapp also dives into why you will always see him wearing orange and how that helps solidify his own personal brand.
Pizza power forum registration: PizzaPowerForum.com
America’s Best Restaurants: americasbestrestaurants.com
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Episode 33: Tyrell Reed of Westshore Pizza and the Pizza King Podcast
Tyrell Reed, franchisee at Westshore Pizza outside of Tampa, Florida, joins the show to discuss his pizza origin story and what made him want to start his own podcast (2:37). Reed shares his first humbling experience as a franchisee and what he had to do differently the second time around in order to be successful. He also talks about work-life balance as a shop owner, husband and father and shares why his favorite athlete of all time is Kobe Bryant. Later in the show, Brian Hernandez is back for a Style Guide discussion regarding Altoona-style pizza (36:55).
Tyrell Reed’s Pizza King podcast: https://pizzakingpodcast.com/
More on Altoona-style pizza: https://pmq.com/altoona-style-pizza/
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Episode 32: Leah Scurto of Pizzaleah
Leah Scurto joins the show to discuss her upbringing in Northern California and how she broke into pizza (3:00). Scurto also discusses how nervous she was cooking for a certain celebrity, what it was like to launch her own restaurant and what her long-term goals are for the future. Later in the show, Brian Hernandez gives a U.S. Pizza Team update, recapping the team’s performance in Las Vegas and Parma, Italy (50:55).
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Episode 31: Rich Payne of Dough and Behold
Rich Payne of Dough and Behold joins the show to talk about attending Pizza Expo with two other British pop-up pizza makers (2:29). Payne describes what his first-ever trip to the U.S. was like, and how he got into pizza in the first place. He also discusses his approach to using Instagram, and why he’s gone all in on “sarnies.”
PMQ story about Payne: https://www.pmq.com/feng-chen-and-richard-payne-pop-up-pizzaioli/
Every day, pizzeria operators grind to produce great pizza and customer-service experiences for their patrons. This podcast features free-flowing conversations with those operators regarding the trials and tribulations they face both inside and outside of work. The show also features pizza news and deep dives into things like unique pizza styles.
Ireland