Pizza Today June 2021 - 50

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Joey Karvelas
Karvelas Pizza Co. - Newnan,
Lagrange, Hogansville, Georgia
How did you begin working in the
pizza industry?
The pizza industry found me before I
could choose for myself ! My parents owned
a pizza restaurant where I started working
the dish pit as soon as I got off the school
bus. I have found that pizza has always
found a way to be a part of major moments
in my life; after my father sold the family
pizza place, I worked in an Atlanta pizzeria
where I came up to the pizza line. I then
found myself in downtown Knoxville ,Tennessee, working for my now good friend
Gavin Loyer at his small place on Gay St.
While I was managing this restaurant, I met
my wife who was a server. A few years after
I moved back to Georgia, our old family
pizza place came up for sale and I leaped at
the opportunity; and in 2014 Karvelas Pizza
Co. was born.
What is something uniquely you
that you have brought to the pizza
industry?
I like to think everything I do is original,
haha. But I know that our restaurants are
a direct result of years of eating out and
actively seeking the hidden gems on any
vacation I took. I would tell my wife, " I like
their playlist or I love how they displayed
their sauces or that window over there looks
awesome. "
So we took things we loved from all
these different places we ate and put them
together to create Karvelas Pizza Company. One thing though that we do that
is unlike any other restaurant out there, is
using the word " no " . Something I have been
told my entire life is that the customer is
always right and they should have it their
way. But what I have come to learn is that
it is alright to say " no " . I have created and
developed these recipes and pizza combinations through years of trying and testing. I
know they are perfect the way they are, and
that is how I want other people to experience our pizza. So on our menu it is clearly
stated that there is no adding, substituting
or leaving off anything on our specialty

pizzas. That is something uniquely Karvelas
but I think it is something more people in
the restaurant business, especially the pizza
business, should feel comfortable saying.
Not only because I know that our product is
good the way it comes, but saying " no " has
revolutionized the way our kitchen operates.
On a busy Friday night our pizza line does
not have to read a ticket and think what
to leave off, what to add on, or half this
and half that. They can simply see a works
pizza, and know exactly how to top it, which
in turn will get our customer their food
quicker and cut down on the ticket time
overall. Knowing our pizza as it comes cuts
down on the amount of mistakes made and
allows us to feed more people faster.
What's been your biggest challenge in the pizza business?
It is hard to say there has been one big
challenge in the pizza business. I think the
biggest challenge is the little challenges and
everyday challenges that come up constantly. The pizza business is not static, it is
dynamic. Our business is always changing
and always growing and there are always
new challenges associated with our growth.
Knowing what to do is hard; there is no
playbook given to pizzeria owners about
how to be successful. Making choices and
trusting that you're doing the right thing is
a big challenge for an owner.
What do you do to motivate your
staff during these challenging times?
Our staff 's motivation is just as high
now as it has been anytime. How we treat
our people has not changed from 2019 to
2020. We want anyone who chooses to work
at Karvelas to enjoy themselves and always
have fun at what they're doing. The bright
and funky artwork we have on our walls,
the playlist that is full blast all day, and our
consistent social media filming all help our
staff to look forward to coming into work.
That in turn makes for motivated people.
We are a mom-and-pop place, but not the
traditional version. Now we have to make
sure our restaurants stay a place people want
to work. Also, you can never underestimate
the value of a southern smile!

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Pizza Today June 2021

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