What's Good Dough?

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 big2:56 – The accidental sugar-in-the-dough story 🍩4:11 – Flour choices, competitions, and learning from Italy5:11 – The Pittsburgh 50/50 provolone–mozzarella cheese blend explained6:01 – Sauce philosophy: tomatoes, freshness, and staying consistent7:06 – Winning awards, pizza loyalty, and why pizza gets so personal8:21 – 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 realities12:11 – What “good dough” really means: patience, time, and careThank you to our show sponsors:Bacio Cheese:https://bit.ly/3FmQ3upCorto:https://bit.ly/457DNIIOoni:https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=77074&awinaffid=1800006Join my Instagram Community Channel: https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbbWnReTYIlCfO21/DM @whatsgooddoughhttps://www.instagram.com/whatsgooddough/email me: [email protected]: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 podcastHighlights

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 right1:03 – Realizing the true cost of saying yes to family1:21 – Lesson 1: Charge the right amount1:25 – How pricing affects crew pay, food cost, travel, & mental load2:50 – Lesson 2: Timing is everything, especially dough management3:54 – Heat + travel = dough problems4:58 – Lesson 3: The value of a dry run5:17 – Venue challenges: steep hills, uneven ground, and access issues5:34 – Lesson 4: Build a pro operation7:26 – Why more reps = better service8:05 – Experience grows, so should margins8:32 – Shifting from side hustle to proThank you to our show sponsors:Bacio Cheese:https://bit.ly/3FmQ3upCorto:https://bit.ly/457DNIIJoin my Instagram Community Channel: https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbbWnReTYIlCfO21/Patreon Page: patreon.com/whatsgooddoughDM @whatsgooddoughhttps://www.instagram.com/whatsgooddough/email me: [email protected] 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 gamble1:46 – Touring the inherited bakery space & long-fermentation setup2:13 – David’s pizza journey: from Pizza My Heart (2005) to top Bay Area kitchens4:12 – How he scored a great lease during Market Street’s downturn5:36 – Building a dream team & freeing himself up to do CEO-level work6:55 – Who actually comes to Cheezy’s: tourists, office workers, locals, and theater crowds8:32 – The scary slow days & the reality of running a business in downtown SF9:27 – His unique oven setup, steam function, and plans for a sandwich program10:51 – The origin story of the Gold Rush pizza & how a rough day led to a championship11:55 – Breaking down the award-winning Gold Rush build: potatoes, pancetta, Mount Tam, smoked sea salt13:53 – Dough philosophy: blending West Coast fermentation with East Coast structure17:03 – First bites of the Gold Rush & why this pizza represents the whole shop17:52 – Building the Grandma pie: haloumi, lamb sausage, pickled Fresnos, walnuts, muhammara20:03 – Pulling the Grandma from the oven — aroma, color, texture21:41 – Tasting the Grandma & why it’s one of the shop’s most unique offerings22:12 – “What’s good dough?” — David’s wholesome take on life and gratitudeCheck them out:https://www.instagram.com/chefdavidjacobson/?hl=enhttps://www.instagram.com/cheezysartisanpizza/?hl=enhttps://cheezysartisanpizza.com/storyThank you to our show sponsors:Bacio Cheese:https://bit.ly/3FmQ3upCorto:https://bit.ly/457DNIIJoin my Instagram Community Channel: https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbbWnReTYIlCfO21/Patreon Page: patreon.com/whatsgooddoughDM @whatsgooddoughhttps://www.instagram.com/whatsgooddough/email me: [email protected] By Valentine PhelippeauTopic: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

How do two pizza lovers turn a shared obsession into a thriving, award-winning pizzeria—during a pandemic?We’re inside the dough room at Cowabunga to hear how Justin and Andy went from pizza snobs and Instagram mutuals to building one of Canada’s most talked-about slice shops. We break down their hybrid sourdough program, how they scaled without sacrificing quality, why pizza screens aren’t the enemy, and the wild story of winning World’s Best Cheese Slice in Vegas… after losing their dough in transit.Highlights:0:00 – Making dough for a 72-hour ferment & what makes their dough special0:24 – Hybrid sourdough + instant yeast: flavor, reliability, and avoiding purist gatekeeping1:31 – Why they call it a “hybrid,” not “sourdough pizza”2:56 – Balancing craft & business: consistency over ego4:18 – The Instagram DM that sparked their partnership5:35 – Early plans, failed farmers market shop attempt, and finding their first location9:50 – Signing the lease… then the pandemic hits10:54 – Pivoting to IG-only ordering + hype-building during lockdown12:58 – Scaling from 50 pizzas → 200/week in weeks14:57 – “Pepperoni pays the bills” — product philosophy17:48 – Blending culinary creativity with approachability19:52 – The Cowabunga pizza: peanuts, pineapple, fried chicken — breaking the rules20:53 – Dough ball sizes & why multiple formats matter for guests22:19 – Flour blend + Pizza Master setup for hybrid baking24:06 –Vegas story: losing the dough, flying a replacement overnight, still taking first place27:12 – Press hits, hometown love, and sustaining momentum30:30 – Awards = attention, but product = retention32:04 – Why they document everything — impact on narrative + community40:00 – Using the Equalizer for perfect slice cuts42:06 – Pizza screens: scaling tool, not a shortcut45:56 – Their cooked sauce profile + cheese approach48:52 – Ingredient sourcing & adapting to import changes57:05 – What’s next: dialing systems & global expansionCheck them out:https://www.cowabungapizzeria.ca/https://www.instagram.com/cowabungapizzeria/?hl=enThank you to our show sponsors:Bacio Cheese:https://bit.ly/3FmQ3upCorto:https://bit.ly/457DNIIJoin my Instagram Community Channel: https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbbWnReTYIlCfO21/Patreon Page: patreon.com/whatsgooddoughDM @whatsgooddoughhttps://www.instagram.com/whatsgooddough/email me: [email protected] By Valentine PhelippeauTopic:Cowabunga Pizza, hybrid sourdough pizza, pizza dough recipe, 72 hour cold ferment, pizza master oven settings, pizza screens vs wooden peel, how to scale a pizzeria, starting a pizza business, pizza slice shop setup, Canadian pizzerias, pepperoni pizza recipe, cheese slice competition, world’s best cheese slice, pizza expo Vegas, restaurant branding, social media marketing for restaurants, pizza shop workflow, dough fermentation tips, pizza sauce recipe, mozzarella blends, Ardent Mills flour, brick and mortar startup story, pandemic restaurant success story, pizza shop equipment, food entrepreneurship, pizza Instagram marketing, behind the scenes pizza kitchen, pizza dough hydration, pizza toppings ideas, restaurant consistency systems, global pizza expansion, pizza business strategy

What happens when a lifelong pizza lover turns his obsession into a craft—and finds his happy place behind the oven?In this episode of What’s Good Dough, Eidref sits down with Matt Lucas, the sourdough pizza mastermind behind Johnny Baguette. From demoing pizzas at Orchard Supply to perfecting naturally leavened doughs at SF Pizza Fest, Matt shares how his curiosity, creativity, and community shaped his pizza-making journey. We talk about learning through failure, finding balance between consistency and creativity, and why pizza pop-ups have become his personal therapy.0:52 – SF Pizza Fest 2024 flashback: trying Matt’s unforgettable sourdough pizza1:05 – Johnny Baguette origins: naming pizzas after favorite songs1:33 – What’s on the “Johnny Baguette” — sausage, Calabrian chilies, and orange zest1:46 – Matt’s 120V oven setup and dialing in his hybrid pizza style2:04 – Early days: making 18-inch New York pies during COVID2:17 – From pizza peel salesman to full-blown pizza maker2:28 – Working at PizzaCraft and testing ovens at Orchard Supply2:55 – The first “parking lot pizza fest” and how it sparked his obsession3:14 – Moving to the Bay and immediately eating at Tony’s3:37 – Discovering The Pizza Bible and diving deep into sourdough4:13 – Learning sourdough through trial and failure4:36 – Staying calm under pressure at Pizza Fest5:02 – “Just make it beautiful”: how Matt motivated his team5:26 – Resisting the urge to constantly tweak recipes6:07 – Balancing creativity and consistency in dough making6:14 – Inspired by Japanese milk bread and hydration experiments6:37 – Keeping pop-up recipes stable for the team’s workflow7:10 – The magic of orange zest and fennel sausage pairing7:24 – Pre-bake oil trick: getting crispy, blistered crusts7:55 – Comparing Pizza Fest 2024 vs. 2025 performances8:27 – Why this year’s operation outshined last year’s dough9:00 – How dough flavor can complement or clash with toppings10:08 – Bulk fermentation: finding the perfect timing and temp10:36 – Consistency over perfection — training the team for any dough10:58 – Finding joy in service: pizza as personal therapy11:54 – “What’s Good Dough?” — Matt’s heartfelt answerCheck them out:https://www.instagram.com/evolutionbake/?hl=enThank you to our show sponsors:Bacio Cheese:https://bit.ly/3FmQ3upCorto:https://bit.ly/457DNIIJoin my Instagram Community Channel: https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbbWnReTYIlCfO21/DM @whatsgooddoughhttps://www.instagram.com/whatsgooddough/email me: [email protected] By Valentine PhelippeauTopics:how to make sourdough pizza, sourdough pizza recipe, pizza pop-up business tips, artisan pizza dough technique, how to dial in pizza oven, pizza event catering tips, pizza maker story, best pizza toppings sausage Calabrian, pizza fermentation tips, small-scale pizza operation behind the scenes