Pizza Today - March 2022 - 65

then perhaps consider utilizing cuts
with more versatility instead.
Depending on the size of your
kitchen and how well equipped it is,
you may consider adding lasagne to
your menu. Although lasagne is labor
intensive, it can be very profitable if
you hit the right price point. If labor is
a concern, you could consider making
it a weekly special, in order to drive
sales on a slower day of the week. Using
a fresh pasta sheet opens up a world
of possibilities. You can use them to
make handcrafted manicotti, ravioli or
pappardelle pasta.
Another strategy is to offer only a
few pasta cuts paired with a marinara
recipe that can be easily adapted to
create other sauces. Add ground beef
for Bolognese; add crushed red pepper
and other spices to make an Arrabbiata;
or a vodka sauce made from a base of
marinara, vodka and a hint of cream.
Speaking of cream, if you already
have grated Parmesan on hand, add
butter and heavy whipping cream to
create a delicious Alfredo sauce. Make
it zippy and try simmering your Alfredo
sauce with a few sweet picante peppers
for a fun variation.
I mentioned that our
guests are seeking a
highly individualized and
customizable experience. The
advent of the " Chipotle " style restaurant
has gifted us the " pick and choose "
mentality. " I know you've got fill in the
blank back there in the kitchen, why
can't you just cook that up with some
pasta? " We've all had that guest. This is
why a build-your-own pasta section of
your menu is a winner! Pick your pasta,
pick your sauce and protein.
When it comes to specialty pastas
and substitutions, we must strike a
balance between being a " restaurant "
and protecting our brand. If the
substitutions that your guest wants
to make hurt the overall quality or
integrity of the dish, or delay the
experience of other guests, it's going
to fall on your shoulders. The crappy
review won't read, " The owner told me
not to put marinara on my four cheese
and pear pasta which was garnished
MARCH 2022 / PIZZATODAY.COM / 65
with fresh sage and balsamic reduction, but
I did it anyway and it was awful, my bad! "
They will simply say that the pasta that you
had imported from Italy and artfully crafted
was overpriced and it sucked! Offer only the
modifications that will work best with your
recipes. You are responsible for the guest
experience, so protect it.
I have learned that less is more. I had a
huge pasta selection pre-pandemic and I
was not selling a whole lot of any one thing
and a little bit of everything. You will be
more profitable if you sell a high volume of
a few key pasta dishes. It will be easier to
train your team to execute them perfectly if
they have fewer dishes to learn, and they will
appreciate having fewer SKUs to purchase,
stock and count every week. (You ARE doing
weekly inventory - Right?) Be selective and
intentional about your pasta offerings and you
will profit from pasta profits! n
MELISSA RICKMAN is co-founder of
Wholly Stromboli in Fort Lupton, Colorado,
and member of the World Pizza Champions.
http://Rosina.com http://Rosina.com http://www.PIZZATODAY.COM
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