Brian of Pizzaspotz
Written by Shawn Randazzo
Could Gourmet Pizza Toppings Be More Than a Trend?
In a recent PMQ Magazine census, pizzeria owners named gourmet toppings as the fastest-growing sales trend in the pizza industry today. Customers, weary of the same-old pepperoni and sausage, are seeking new flavors to satisfy more refined tastes. Right now, your customers are more knowledgeable about the quality of their food than ever before; that, coupled with greater availability of premium ingredients, means there is increased demand for gourmet pizza. Here’s how you can take advantage of the gourmet pizza trend to grow your pizzeria business.
What is Gourmet Pizza?
The term “gourmet” is overused, and often misused; but in general, gourmet food is that which would satisfy the discerning palate of a gourmet, or a person whose culinary opinion is trusted. All confusion aside, for our purposes we’ll define gourmet pizza as that which is unique and made with the utmost attention paid to quality. It is important to include the word “unique” in our definition; gourmet pizza must be above the standard.
At Detroit Style Pizza Co., we make our own dough and signature red sauce from scratch. Our pizzas are pressed in well-seasoned, square steel pans and baked in deck ovens. Our dough has a higher hydration level than most, so it requires a special proofing process. These things make our Detroit Style Pizza authentic, and it’s part of what qualifies them as gourmet.
In fact, the PMQ Magazine survey found that 83% of pizzerias make their own dough, and 57% make their own sauce. If you’re one of them, you’re well on your way to baking gourmet pizza. If not, you can still make pizza topped with gourmet toppings.
What are gourmet pizza toppings?
Gourmet pizzas are topped with premium toppings. Essentially, any topping that is specially-prepared or premium in nature can be considered gourmet. Moreover, unique topping combinations qualify as a gourmet pizza.
When I won Pizza Maker of the Year at the 2012 International Pizza Expo, the Mystery Ingredient Bake-Off featured Cattleman’s Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce. I combined it with tender white meat chicken, red onions, and Applewood smoked bacon to create our Tangy BBQ Chicken Detroit Style Pizza, which is now a popular menu item at our three Metro Detroit locations. The pizza’s premium and unique toppings combine for a zesty pizza and a new flavor experience.
When you want to add gourmet pizza toppings to your menu, always consider the source. Locally-sourced toppings are fresher and taste better, and therefore qualify as gourmet. At Detroit Style Pizza Co., we source locally as much as possible. We also shred our cheese, slice our deli meats, and crumble our bacon in-house. All of these practices make for a better-tasting, gourmet pizza.
Do a Google search for “gourmet pizza toppings,” and you’ll be presented with hundreds, if not thousands, of potential pizza toppings. Find flavors you want to work with, and craft your own unique signature gourmet pizza recipe. So long as your toppings are premium or unique, you can bake your own gourmet pizza. Treat it as an art form, and you’ll have happy customers lining up to try your new gourmet pizza.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this guest post on gourmet pizza toppings from World Champ Pizza Maker Shawn Randazzo.
Shawn Randazzo is president of Detroit Style Pizza Co. and won the title of World Champion Pizza Maker at the 2012 International Pizza Expo. Shawn consults pizzerias to help them start and operate their own successful businesses. His mission is to make sure everyone gets a taste of Detroit Style Pizza.