September 2019

FOOD FILE
Pizza Package
Complete vegetable/cheese
prep for pizza establishments
Includes
CL50 Ultra Veg Prep Machine,
4mm slicing disc,
2mm slicing disc,
and New 7mm grating disc
800/824-1646
www.robotcoupeusa.com
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larity from deep-dish Chicago-style or the
more traditional Neapolitan-style pizzas.
At Descendant, a large pepperoni pizza
costs $29, while the more exotic Jaffna
(featuring kothu roti, mango chutney,
cilantro cream, green onion, Calabrian
chili and coconut sambol) sells for $35.
PIZZA POWER |
According to the American-based PMQ
Pizza Magazine’s 2019 Pizza Power Report,
while consumers continue to love pizza for
its taste and the ability to customize their
orders, they want the ordering process
to be as simple as possible. Smartphonefriendly
ordering apps are key, but some
Canadian operators are taking technology
to the next level in their operations.
At PizzaForno, which currently boasts
12 locations in the Greater Toronto Area,
a combination of robotic-automation
technology and artisanal methods promises
hot, fresh pizza in three minutes from
the time of ordering. Featuring a digitized
menu of six pizzas (including three vegetarian
options), PizzaForno limits the
amount of face-to-face communication
with customers, acting instead as a highfunctioning
pizza-vending machine.
Les Tomlin, president of PFX Canada
Inc., says an opportunity to bring
these revolutionary Adial pizza ovens
— high-performing electric convection
ovens designed specifically for the
PizzaForno machine — to Canada inspired
PizzaForno’s beginnings.
Upon securing the rights to Adial’s
technology in North America (including
Mexico), Tomlin and his partner, William
Moyer, created the PizzaForno brand. They
tested pizza recipes at two food festivals in
Toronto during the summer of 2018 and
opened their flagship location in downtown
Toronto in December of that year.
While many diners will wait up to
30 minutes for a good-quality pizza,
PizzaForno is shaking things up with the
significant decrease in wait times.
“This aligns with consumer demand,”
Tomlin explains. “QSR data indicates this
segment is growing. Pizza is a staple in the
North American diet, with 35 per cent of
the population eating it once a week.”
FROM THE SUPPLY SIDE
LloydPans offers several sizes of pans for
Detroit-style pizza — a popular, trending
style of pizza. Pans are metal-utensil safe,
durable for commercial baking, need no
seasoning, will not rust and are stick-resistant.
Club House for Chefs’ Italian Seasoning
delivers the earthiness of marjoram and
thyme with a hint of basil. With its flavours
of rosemary, savoury and sage, this blend is
perfect sprinkled on spaghetti sauce, pizza
or lasagne…The new InFlavor controlleddehydration
and preparation process from
Bonduelle uses partial vacuum-microwave
drying (VMD) to remove the desired percentage
of water content from vegetables,
offering a significant strategic advantage
in terms of long-term storage...The new
Ash Wood Serving Peels from American
Metalcraft feature rich patterns, earthy
looks and unique handle designs, making
them the perfect serving choice for pizzas.
Using robotic technology may sound
unromantic, but each PizzaForno pizza
is handmade by its pizza-makers with an
authentic Italian approach. This includes
a Roman-style crust, fresh and locally
sourced toppings and quality cream and
tomato sauces.
“The robotic technology allows us to
deliver a fresh, never-frozen pizza in under
three minutes,” Tomlin explains. “It also
eliminates food waste, reduces labour costs
and allows us to operate on a footprint of
less than 70 sq. ft.”
BAKING OUTSIDE THE BOX |
Beer You Can Eat, based in Toronto, offers
operators an inexpensive way to bring
quality pizza options to their menus. The
ready-to-roll pizza dough, made with quality
ingredients, traditional techniques and
beer, took time to perfect, according to
owner/developer Dan O’Connor.
“I’ve been working on this since
November 2017, but really, I’ve been making
this pizza dough in my own home for
15 years,” he says. “I developed the recipe
by incorporating French and Italian bread
techniques into the dough itself. When I
made it at home, I would cook it at in a
regular oven at 425˚F and result in a res-
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