Pizza Today - July 2024 - 18

Building Blocks
Back to Basics
Nick Bogacz
Founder & President
Caliente Pizza & Draft House
" You can practice shooting
eight hours a day. But if your
technique is wrong, then all
you become is very good at
shooting the wrong way. Get
the fundamentals down and
the level of everything you do
will rise. "
- Michael Jordan
I
n the last couple
articles, I talked about
how sports translate
into the restaurant world and,
more specifically, the pizza
industry and your pizzeria.
That's why this Michael
Jordan quote rings true. The
one thing that might not
ring true is we never have
practice ... For us, it is always
game time. The way we do
something is the way we
do everything. Consistency
breeds success, and getting
the fundamentals down inside
your pizzeria is most important.
I
have talked a lot about
training your staff correctly
from the moment they join
your team. One other key
point to mention is that they
are always watching you.
Everything you do becomes
the standard. You can have as
many signs as you want on
the walls and talk until you
are blue in the face, but your
actions have the most conse18
/ PIZZATODAY.COM / JULY 2024
As many of you know I
started in the pizza industry
as a driver, and I am very
proud of that. Th e beginning
of my career I drove for the
big chain pizzerias. When I
fi nally got my fi rst delivery
job for an independent
operator it was a lot diff erent
(to say the least). Mainly
at that time the technology
quences. You need to be the
one who sets the standard
and the one who holds
others accountable. I have
seen many good operators
in my time, ones who have
very successful pizzerias.
What separates the good
ones from the great ones?
Th e little, mundane everyday
tasks.
of the big guys was the biggest
advantage the independents
didn't have. Still this
particular independent was
very busy. I quickly found
the reason for their success:
Th ere was a manager
working named Paul, and
Paul was all of 20 years old.
As I was working the oven,
every pizza needed a parchment
paper under the pizza.
Every time I cut a pizza I
forgot the paper. I had never
done that before. Paul was
furious and reminded me
every single time. He even
threatened that he would
send me home if I did it
again. I also observed that a
customer would never call
back about the toppings
being wrong or about a salad
missing the dressing. Paul
made sure that every single
detail was followed to the
letter.
I ended up loving to work
for Paul because my tips
were great because the food
was always right. Fast forward
20 years and Paul is a
great friend, and he has had
his own pizzeria going on
14 years and he has become
very successful. His
operations are great, and
they have stood the test of
time. In fact, he recently
expanded into a full-service
model, and he is doing
amazing. Speaking of expansion,
that's what we will
delve into in the next installment
of Building Blocks.
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Pizza Today - July 2024

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