What's Good Dough?

What happens when you open a slice shop during a pandemic, with no dining room and no walk-in traffic?
In this episode, we sit down with Lars Smith, Chef and Co-Owner of State of Mind Slice House and the mind behind State of Mind Slice House in Palo Alto. Lars shares how lessons from past failures, smart pricing, and intentional design helped him build a high-performing slice shop during and after the pandemic.

Highlights:
0:52 – Opening during the pandemic
1:39 – Why smaller restaurants are winning right now
2:14 – Location strategy without foot traffic
3:27 – Designing the slice case
4:27 – Freshness standards and waste control
4:56 – Pricing slices and accounting for waste
5:51 – Customer-first mindset vs cost-saving mindset
6:21 – Weekly sales and waste benchmarks
6:53 – Scaling recipes from restaurant to slice shop
7:46 – Advice for aspiring slice shop owners
8:34 – Designing customer flow for high-volume service
9:19 – Final thoughts and takeaways

Follow:https://www.instagram.com/lboogiesmith/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/stateofmindslicehouse/
https://www.facebook.com/stateofmindslicehouse/
https://www.stateofmindslicehouse.com/

Thank you to our show sponsors:
Bacio Cheese:
https://bit.ly/3FmQ3up
Corto:https://bit.ly/457DNII

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Topic:
pizza slice shop, slice house business, pizza shop success, small pizza shop, $2M pizza shop, high volume pizza shop, restaurant business model, pizza shop operations, slice shop pricing, pizza waste management, restaurant profit margins, pizza shop startup, opening a slice shop, pizza shop design, restaurant flow design, grab and go restaurant, pandemic restaurant success, pizza entrepreneur, restaurant owner interview, pizza podcast, food business podcast, how to open a pizza shop, pizza shop location strategy, slice case design, pizza industry insights, restaurant operations strategy, pizza business tips, independent pizza shop, state of mind slice house, lars smith pizza

What if everyone told you your pizzeria would fail because of its location — and you proved them wrong by selling 275 pizzas in just four hours?

In this episode of What’s Good Dough, we sit down inside Fired Pizza in Stockton, CA — a pizzeria that broke nearly every “rule” people swear by in the restaurant industry.

From being told their location would never work, to transitioning from a mobile pizza trailer to a full brick-and-mortar restaurant, this conversation goes deep on resilience, smart compromises, and building a business that customers choose to go out of their way for.

We talk pizza philosophy, Neapolitan vs expectations, pricing challenges, build-out realities, and what it actually takes to survive (and thrive) in today’s pizza landscape.

Highlights:
0:00 – Why this pizzeria “should’ve failed”
1:00 – Selling 200–275 pizzas in a single night
1:55 – From food truck muscle memory to restaurant survival
2:20 – Keeping the menu simple on purpose
3:25 – Oven temps, bake times, and “send it straight to hell”
3:55 – Educating customers on Neapolitan pizza
4:50 – Ranch on pizza (yes, proudly)
5:30 – Less cheese, more balance
6:30 – Why pizza was always the end goal
7:10 – Betting half their savings on a mobile pizza trailer
8:10 – The worst first catering event imaginable
9:00 – Why beer and wine drive ~30% of revenue
10:00 – Pricing reality: $18 pizzas and customer pushback
13:25 – Building out the restaurant themselves
14:30 – A full year to open the doors
15:05 – “What’s Good Dough?”

Follow Fired Pizza:
https://www.instagram.com/fired_pizza/?hl=en

Thank you to our show sponsors:
Bacio Cheese:
https://bit.ly/3FmQ3up
Corto:https://bit.ly/457DNII

Join my Instagram Community Channel: https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbbWnReTYIlCfO21/

Patreon Page: patreon.com/whatsgooddough

DM @whatsgooddoughhttps://www.instagram.com/whatsgooddough/
email me: [email protected]

Topic:pizza podcast, pizzeria success story, opening a pizzeria, restaurant startup story, pizza business, Neapolitan pizza, wood fired pizza, pizza shop owner interview, food truck to restaurant, small business success, restaurant location myth, pizza entrepreneur, pizza industry, artisan pizza, independent pizzeria, California pizza, Stockton pizza, fired pizza, pizza oven cooking, pizza margins, restaurant pricing, pizza menu strategy, pizza education, craft beer and pizza, restaurant build out, DIY restaurant build, pizza trailer business, mobile pizza business, how to start a pizzeria, pizza business mistakes, pizza passion, pizza culture, food entrepreneurship

What if the reason this pizza won wasn’t a secret ingredient… but a decision most people wouldn’t make?
Slice on Broadway just took home Best Cheese Slice at the 2025 Las Vegas Pizza Expo and was named Best Pizzeria in the State—and today, we’re sitting down with owner-operator Rico Lunardi to find out why. From dough hydration and cheese blends to Pittsburgh pizza culture and consistency under pressure, this episode goes deep into what it actually takes to make great pizza… and keep it great.
0:26 – Why Slice on Broadway stands out (and the “secret cheese blend”)
1:41 – Dough hydration, consistency, and why small changes matter big
2:56 – The accidental sugar-in-the-dough story 🍩
4:11 – Flour choices, competitions, and learning from Italy
5:11 – The Pittsburgh 50/50 provolone–mozzarella cheese blend explained
6:01 – Sauce philosophy: tomatoes, freshness, and staying consistent
7:06 – Winning awards, pizza loyalty, and why pizza gets so personal
8:21 – Pittsburgh pizza cuts: slices vs “cuts”
9:21 – Staying authentic in competitions (and regretting one change)
10:41 – Cheese texture, shredding in-house, and operational realities
12:11 – What “good dough” really means: patience, time, and care

Thank you to our show sponsors:
Bacio Cheese:
https://bit.ly/3FmQ3up
Corto:https://bit.ly/457DNII
Ooni:https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=77074&awinaffid=1800006

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Topic:
award-winning pizza, best cheese slice, Las Vegas Pizza Expo 2025, Slice on Broadway, Pittsburgh pizza, pizza podcast, What’s Good Dough podcast, pizza dough technique, pizza making process, New York style pizza, provolone mozzarella blend, pizza cheese blend, pizza dough hydration, professional pizza making, pizzeria owner interview, pizza industry podcast, artisan pizza, how award-winning pizza is made, secret behind great pizza dough, Pittsburgh style pizza cheese, pizza expo competition tips, staying consistent in pizza making, pizza dough fermentation process, what makes good pizza dough, Rico Lunardi, Slice on Broadway Pittsburgh, pizza podcast interviews, pizza behind the scenes, pizza shop story, pizza culture USA, pizza craftsmanship, small business food podcast
Highlights

What really happens when you cater a wedding for the first time—especially when it’s your cousin’s big day?
In this episode, I break down the behind-the-scenes reality of catering my first-ever wedding. From long-distance travel and unexpected costs to dough management disasters and learning the power of preparation, these lessons can help any pizza operator—whether you're established or just getting started. Let’s dive into the four biggest takeaways that shaped the entire experience.
Highlights:
0:54 – Setting the scene: my cousin’s wedding + the pressure to get it right
1:03 – Realizing the true cost of saying yes to family
1:21 – Lesson 1: Charge the right amount
1:25 – How pricing affects crew pay, food cost, travel, & mental load
2:50 – Lesson 2: Timing is everything, especially dough management
3:54 – Heat + travel = dough problems
4:58 – Lesson 3: The value of a dry run
5:17 – Venue challenges: steep hills, uneven ground, and access issues
5:34 – Lesson 4: Build a pro operation
7:26 – Why more reps = better service
8:05 – Experience grows, so should margins
8:32 – Shifting from side hustle to pro

Thank you to our show sponsors:
Bacio Cheese:
https://bit.ly/3FmQ3up
Corto:https://bit.ly/457DNII

Join my Instagram Community Channel: https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbbWnReTYIlCfO21/
Patreon Page: patreon.com/whatsgooddough
DM @whatsgooddoughhttps://www.instagram.com/whatsgooddough/email me: [email protected]

first wedding catering, pizza catering lessons, pricing mistakes, travel costs, dough management, heat challenges, dry run importance, venue prep, building a pro crew, working with new staff, catering systems, professional mindset, Bacio cheese, mobile pizza business, wedding catering tips

Can a brand-new pizzeria really survive on one of San Francisco’s toughest streets?

In this episode, we hang out with David Jacobson, the pizza maker behind Cheezy’s Artisan Pizza and a Real California Milk Cheese Champion. David’s worked in some of the Bay Area’s most respected kitchens, built pizza programs from scratch, and now he’s taking a big swing by opening his own shop right on Market Street — a place known for being unpredictable, challenging, and honestly, a little intimidating.

We walk through his kitchen, talk about his past jobs, learn how he built his team, and of course, we get into his award-winning Gold Rush pizza and his super unique Grandma pie.\

Highlights:
0:54 – Why opening a pizzeria on Market Street is a gamble
1:46 – Touring the inherited bakery space & long-fermentation setup
2:13 – David’s pizza journey: from Pizza My Heart (2005) to top Bay Area kitchens
4:12 – How he scored a great lease during Market Street’s downturn
5:36 – Building a dream team & freeing himself up to do CEO-level work
6:55 – Who actually comes to Cheezy’s: tourists, office workers, locals, and theater crowds
8:32 – The scary slow days & the reality of running a business in downtown SF
9:27 – His unique oven setup, steam function, and plans for a sandwich program
10:51 – The origin story of the Gold Rush pizza & how a rough day led to a championship
11:55 – Breaking down the award-winning Gold Rush build: potatoes, pancetta, Mount Tam, smoked sea salt
13:53 – Dough philosophy: blending West Coast fermentation with East Coast structure
17:03 – First bites of the Gold Rush & why this pizza represents the whole shop
17:52 – Building the Grandma pie: haloumi, lamb sausage, pickled Fresnos, walnuts, muhammara
20:03 – Pulling the Grandma from the oven — aroma, color, texture
21:41 – Tasting the Grandma & why it’s one of the shop’s most unique offerings
22:12 – “What’s good dough?” — David’s wholesome take on life and gratitude

Check them out:https://www.instagram.com/chefdavidjacobson/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/cheezysartisanpizza/?hl=en
https://cheezysartisanpizza.com/story

Thank you to our show sponsors:
Bacio Cheese:
https://bit.ly/3FmQ3up
Corto:https://bit.ly/457DNII

Join my Instagram Community Channel: https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbbWnReTYIlCfO21/
Patreon Page: patreon.com/whatsgooddough

DM @whatsgooddoughhttps://www.instagram.com/whatsgooddough/email me: [email protected]

Edited By Valentine Phelippeau

Topic:
pizza dough fermentation, long fermented dough, San Francisco pizza, Market Street restaurants, artisan pizza shop, pizza maker interview, real california milk champion, award winning pizza, gold rush pizza, grandma style pizza, sf food scene, pizza business tips, starting a pizzeria, restaurant challenges san francisco, pizza oven techniques, artisan dough recipe, pizza fermentation tips, chef story bay area, best pizza in san francisco, pizza shop tour, food entrepreneurship, how to open a pizza shop, behind the scenes pizzeria, bay area culinary stories, trending sf restaurants, pizza lovers content, food documentary style, culinary craftsmanship, pizza recipe inspiration, pizza techniques explained