What's Good Dough? Pizza

• How A Food Truck Sells Out 200 Slices Of Pizza During Lunch

  How do you balance running a mobile pizza trailer and a brick-and-mortar shop—without burning out or burning the pies?In this episode, we visit Charlie’s Pizza to see how they keep their slice game strong while expanding to a full restaurant. From learning the rhythm of the oven to managing staff, events, and logistics, Charlie shares how he’s turning passion and hustle into a thriving business.Highlights:0:52 – Behind the scenes at Charlie’s Pizza trailer — the rush begins1:13 – Serving 160–200 slices a day at the industrial park1:37 – The constant rhythm of a one-man pizza operation2:0 1– Why they only serve 14-inch pizzas from the trailer2:12 – Turning the trailer and shop into two unique pizza experiences2:33 – Why customers love the 14-inch “just right” size3:03 – Training new staff vs. trusting experienced hands3:27 – The difference between shop and trailer pizza vibes3:50 – The lunch rush: slammed lines and high heat4:20 – Real oven temps: why 485°F doesn’t tell the full story5:01 – Managing oven zones and cooking speeds5:32 – Preparing for events: The Harley-Davidson Proving Grounds5:54 – Becoming one of the OG food trailers in the area6:08 – Catering and pricing: from kids’ parties to weddings6:47 – Cranking out 10 pizzas in 20 minutes7:05 – Life inside the trailer: AC, generators, and grit8:56 – Sold out! Wrapping up another busy day10:23 – The toughest part about opening a restaurant10:41 – Balancing the food truck and restaurant grind11:13 – Lessons learned: staffing, systems, and scaling11:24 – The one mistake he’d avoid next time11:55 – “What’s Good Dough?” — Charlie’s heartfelt answerCheck them out:https://www.instagram.com/charliespizzeria/?hl=enhttps://www.facebook.com/ray.cullison/Thank you to our show sponsors:Corto:https://bit.ly/457DNIIBacio Cheese:https://bit.ly/3FmQ3upJoin 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 PhelippeauTopics:Charlie’s Pizza, Bacio cheese, Bacio Pizza, pizza food truck, pizza trailer, mobile pizza business, pizza catering, pizza trailer setup, pizza oven tips, pizza workflow, artisan pizza, behind the scenes pizza, pizza slice service, pizza shop vs trailer, pizza business advice, pizzeria owner story, pizza entrepreneur, how to open a pizzeria, running a pizza truck, restaurant owner tips, pizza catering pricing, food truck life, pizza making process, pizza oven temperature, small business hustle, food entrepreneur, restaurant startup, pizzeria marketing, pizza business growth, pizza owner interview

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• 12 Million A Year And The Epitome Of Pizzerias w/ Esther's Kitchen

  What does it take to run one of Las Vegas’ most influential kitchens—and keep raising the bar while staying true to your craft?In this episode of What’s Good Dough, Eidref sits down with James and Dylan of Esther’s Kitchen, a restaurant that’s become a cornerstone of the Las Vegas dining scene. Known for pushing culinary boundaries with seasonality, fermentation, and relentless standards, the duo opens up about their philosophy, challenges, and how they’ve built a culture that inspires chefs and diners alike.Highlights:0:53 – Setting the stage: Why Esther’s Kitchen is the spot chefs flock to when they visit Vegas.2:18 – Seasonality & standards: Bringing true market-driven ingredients to pizza in a city dominated by margarita and pepperoniEsther's Kitchen Full EP3:53 – Recognition from the best: Wylie Dufresne, Chris Decker, and other culinary giants show their respectEsther's Kitchen Full EP6:08 – Honest takes on Italian pizza: Why pizza in Italy isn’t always what you think, and the lessons Esther’s team brought home11:13 – Bread in the desert: The science of sourdough and how Vegas’ extreme climate shaped their dough program18:33 – Growth & community: Why Esther’s started with a simple menu—and how it became a neighborhood-defining restaurant32:53 – Kitchen culture: Humbling egos, building systems, and holding impossible standards for pasta and pizza service36:53 – Esther’s three rules: Don’t die, don’t believe the hype, and never settle54:53 – Locals first: Why Esther’s isn’t a tourist restaurant and how they share their knowledge openly1:04:53 – Always evolving: Seasonal menus, experimental pastas, and reviving old dishes with new masteryEsther's Kitchen Full EP1:10:53 – Final reflections: Collaboration, curiosity, and what’s really good dough.Check them out:https://www.estherslv.com/https://www.instagram.com/estherskitchenlv/https://www.facebook.com/estherskitchenlv/Thank you to our show sponsors:Corto:https://bit.ly/457DNIIBacio Cheese:https://bit.ly/3FmQ3upJoin 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 Marlin MackTopics:Esther’s Kitchen Las Vegas, James Trees chef, Dylan Esther’s Kitchen, Las Vegas pizza scene, sourdough pizza Las Vegas, fermentation in pizza dough, seasonality in pizza, Vegas Italian restaurant, best pizza Las Vegas, restaurant growth story, culinary culture Las Vegas, pizza expo Vegas, Chris Decker pizza, John Arena Vegas pizza, Wylie Dufresne pizza, restaurant leadership, building kitchen culture, pizza in Italy vs America, artisan bread Las Vegas, executive chef Dillon, resilience in the kitchen, how to run a pizzeria, Vegas dining scene, modern Italian restaurant Vegas, What’s Good Dough podcast

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• Would You Try This Award-Winning Grape Pizza (Yukon Pizza, Las Vegas)?

  What happens when you take New York nostalgia, wild creativity, and a family-run pizza shop—and bring it all to the world stage in Las Vegas?In this episode, we head to Las Vegas to hang out with the crew from Yukon Pizza, a family-run shop that blends New York nostalgia with bold, competition-level creativity. From balancing 800g dough balls to topping pies with mortadella, marinated grapes, and pistachios, they’ve built a style that’s all their own. We talk about chasing perfection, the cost of cheese, competing on the world stage, and why—at the end of the day—it’s all about community.Highlights:- 0:00 – Introducing The Grapes of Thrash: the award-winning nontraditional pie - 0:26 – A sourdough starter with 128 years of history - 1:50 – Dough-making process: ice-cold water, mixing, and the “salt and oil” method - 4:40 – Why Yukon Pizza uses 100% sourdough and no commercial yeast - 5:00 – Starting the day: wood fire, dough prep, and building rhythm in the kitchen - 6:11 – Recreating the perfect New York slice from childhood memories - 7:12 – Balancing service: cheese, pepperoni, half-and-half, and specialty pies - 8:47 – The reality of cheese costs and how operators can protect margins - 9:35 – Struggles with “competition dough” and embracing what works - 10:49 – Crafting the competition pizza: mortadella, balsamic grapes, herbs, pistachios - 12:18 – Taste test reactions: crunch, structure, and flavor explosion - 13:04 – Winning at Pizza Expo: from “just having fun” to bringing home the plate - 13:18 – Roots and inspiration: family, rice farming, and food memories - 13:34 – Promoting the team and uplifting the pizza community - 14:25 – Final reflections: pizza is for the people, and family comes firstCheck them out:https://yukonpizza.com/https://www.instagram.com/yukonpizzahttps://www.facebook.com/yukonpizzaThank you to our show sponsors:Bacio Cheese:https://bit.ly/3FmQ3upCorto:https://bit.ly/457DNII Join 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 Marlin MackEdited By Valentine PhelippeauTopics:pizza podcast, Yukon Pizza, Las Vegas Pizza Expo, New York style pizza, competition pizza, sourdough pizza, mortadella pizza, pistachio pizza, best pizza Las Vegas, family run pizzeria, artisan dough, pizza competition 2024, wood fired pizza, unique pizza toppings, pizza community, pizza business stories, pizza makers interview, craft pizza, gourmet pizza, pizza industry insights

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• This Cheese Pizza Beat Every Slice in the World—But How Does It Actually Taste?

  What happens when two pizza-obsessed friends from Hamilton, Ontario, chase their dream—and end up winning the world’s best cheese pizza title in Las Vegas?In this episode, we visit Cowabunga Pizza in Hamilton, Ontario, where Andy and Justin took the pizza world by surprise by bringing home first place for best cheese pizza at the 2024 Las Vegas Pizza Expo. From humble beginnings during the pandemic to serving slices with fried chicken, peanuts, and pineapple, they’ve built something truly unique. We dive into their dough process, the challenges of competing on the world stage, and why their approach to pizza (and business) breaks all the rules.Highlights:0:53 – Can the best pizza really come from Canada?1:07 – Winning the 2024 World Cheese Pizza Championship in Las Vegas1:36 – Inside the dough room: sourdough starter, hydration, and fermentation secrets3:55 – Competing at Pizza Expo with missing dough, sauce, and cheese5:09 – From Instagram friends to pizza partners6:21 – Opening Cowabunga right as the pandemic hit7:32 – Why they experiment and break pizza “rules”9:14 – The Cowabunga pizza: peanuts, fried chicken, and pineapple9:44 – Sauce secrets and their cheese blend11:37 – Pepperoni Plus: jalapeños, spicy honey, and Canadian cheese13:20 – Why they use pizza screens (and why it’s controversial)16:29 – Tasting their world-famous cheese slice + garlic dip18:39 – Reflections on growth, expansion, and “what good dough really means”Check 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 Marlin MackEdited By Valentine PhelippeauTopics:best pizza in Canada, Hamilton Ontario pizza, Cowabunga Pizza Hamilton, world champion pizza, Las Vegas Pizza Expo winner, sourdough pizza dough, Canadian pizzeria, pizza competition 2024, gourmet pizza Canada, unique pizza toppings, best cheese pizza in the world, Canadian food stories, artisan pizza Hamilton, Cowabunga Pizza review, pizza lovers podcast, what’s good dough podcast, Andy and Justin Cowabunga, Canadian pizza culture, pizza business success story, innovative pizza recipes, controversial pizza toppings, pineapple on pizza debate, peanuts on pizza, fried chicken pizza, pepperoni plus pizza, spicy honey pizza, Canadian sourdough pizza, pizza screen controversy, how to make great pizza dough, inspirational pizza story

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• Japanese-Inspired Pizzeria on a Quest for Mastery ( Double 00 Pie And Pub, Las Vegas)

  What happens when you mix Tokyo-inspired artistry with Neo Neapolitan Pizza in the heart of Las Vegas’ Chinatown?In this episode of What’s Good Dough, we visit Double Zero Pie & Pub—a pizzeria that’s made the prestigious 50 Top Pizza USA list two years in a row. Erica Bell shares the story behind their Tokyo-meets-Neapolitan concept, the science and care that goes into their four-day dough fermentation, and how they balance consistency with creativity. From secret menu items to bold menu launches, Erica pulls back the curtain on what it takes to operate at the highest level while staying true to the craft.Highlights:0:00 – Intro1:02 – The Tokyo inspiration behind the concept1:57 – Four-day dough fermentation process explained3:09 – Using multiple Caputo flours for flavor, texture, and color4:30 – Bringing Neapolitan pizza vibes to Las Vegas’ Chinatown5:24 – From wood-fired oven to PizzaMaster: adapting for growth6:45 – The philosophy of chasing consistency over “perfect” pizza8:33 – Introducing the “Italian Job” secret menu pizza9:53 – Baking techniques for crispiness and structure11:18 – Creating the orange-infused short rib pizza13:11 – Making the prestigious 50 Top Pizza USA list two years in a row14:31 – Launching an omakase pizza menu under pressure16:28 – Lessons learned from pushing past imposter syndrome17:01 – Dough is your healthiest relationship: Erica’s philosophy17:44 – Closing thoughts and takeawaysCheck them out:https://www.doublezeropie.com/https://www.instagram.com/doublezeropiepub/Thank 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 Marlin MackEdited By Valentine PhelippeauTopics:double zero pie and pub, las vegas pizzeria, tokyo inspired pizza, neapolitan pizza, japanese flair pizza, best pizza las vegas, 50 top pizza usa, erica bell pizza, four day dough fermentation, high hydration pizza dough, pizza master oven, wood fired pizza, artisanal pizza, secret menu pizza, italian job pizza, short rib pizza, omakase pizza menu, las vegas food scene, airy pizza crust, consistent pizza making, vegas restaurants, asian inspired pizza, best pizza in chinatown las vegas, neapolitan pizza with asian flavors, pizza fermentation process, high quality pizza ingredients

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