A few weeks ago I was able to spend some time in Chicago at the National Restaurant Show. Times are tough, no doubt about it. The show certainly had fewer attendees than we have seen in the past. Some of the booths and exhibits were scaled down. Of course some businesses chose to skip the [...]
Everyone has an opinion about what makes a pizza great, and by extension what makes a great pizzeria. We want to find something that we can focus on, some key element that simplifies the process. Well the answer is… Willie Mays. That’s it… Willie Mays! Runs, hits, makes the big plays, steals bases, bangs out [...]
I have some great friends at Nick’s Pizza and Pub in suburban Chicago who have generously shared their unique business philosophy with me over the past few years.
One of the guiding principles of Nick’s is that all food must pass “the Grandma test”. Before bringing a food item to the table, employees must ask themselves if they would serve the [...]
In the early 1900’s there was a legendary jazz musician named Freddie Keppard. Most people never heard of him and here’s why: Freddie Keppard was always afraid that some young musician would steal his secrets. He was so paranoid he would play his horn with a handkerchief over his hands so rivals couldn’t see what [...]
If you are reading this it’s safe to say you are a pizza fanatic. You have probably traveled to hundreds of pizzerias in the quest for the mythological “perfect pie” You have spent hours debating the merits of different types of ovens, flour, cheese and tomatoes. Over time what becomes painfully clear is that there is [...]
About John Arena
From Las Vegas, NV
A short recap of the traditions that created what we know today as pizza today.
