Starting A New Wood Fired Pizza Restaurant Need Advice

[barryg]

Hi all, I'm opening a restaurant and I'm interested in starting a casual style authentic wood fired full service pizza restaurant. Any advice on getting started would be appreciated. I don't have much experience with wood fired pizza ovens however I have 20 years in the business. Any comments and referral of resources would be apppreciated. I'm on the east coast, I don't know if that helps or hinders. Thanks in advance of your responses

[dmun]

Re: Starting A New Wood Fired Pizza Restaurant Need Advice

Hi, BarryG, welcome.

Most of us here are home builders, and don't have much experience in commercial operations. James does sell commercial ovens, so he may jump in with some good advice, but I think he's been out of touch for a couple of days.

[CanuckJim]

Re: Starting A New Wood Fired Pizza Restaurant Need Advice

Barry,

I've operated a wood-fired microbakery in Ontario, outside Toronto, for the last two years. Maybe have a look at my website: :: Mary G's Artisan Breads :: Traditional wood-fired brick-oven breads made to uncompromising gourmet standards for some info. You'll find that the free eBooks on the main Forno Bravo site will be helpful for such things as firing, but on a smaller scale than what you want to do. If I can help with specifics, send me an email through the Forum.

Good luck,

Jim

[Xabia Jim]

Re: Starting A New Wood Fired Pizza Restaurant Need Advice

Barry, I think the main thing is that you already have experience with the restaurant business....adding a wood fired oven is just a different way to cook.....

Ask some specific questions and there are usually some good opinions and feedback from this group of wood oven enthusiasts.

Good luck, Jim

[jjerrier]

Re: Starting A New Wood Fired Pizza Restaurant Need Advice

Barry - I would suggest taking a class at Antica Pizzeria in Los Angeles. You can go there and for 3 days they will teach you how to make pizza, sauce, mozzarella, etc. Most importantly they will teach you how to manage a commercial wood-burning oven - in fact, you will be doing hands on work in a live restaurant. You can take a 3 day class and it is well worth it...Peppe Miele is the guy that runs it. If you google "vpn pizza" you can find the site and training details. The class is really on how to make authentic neapolitan pizza, but the oven management is an added bonus. Making fresh mozzarella is also a nice touch and very easy to do.

I also started as a home enthusiast and ended up opening a wood-burning pizza restaurant in Dallas.

Jay

[michael]

Re: Starting A New Wood Fired Pizza Restaurant Need Advice

Hello Barry
I'm the newest member of the Forno Bravo team and I've just helped a client plan, develop and open a VPN pizzeria in Athens, Greece. Also, I spent 5 weeks in January and February of this year in Napoli working with a master pizzaiolo to perfect my technique. I'd be happy answer any questions you might have. You can email me through the forum. Good luck! Michael