296. Lars Smith on Competing, Branding, and Pizza Excellence

Send us Fan MailThis week, we chat with champion pizza maker and industry leader Lars Smith. Lars co-owns State of Mind Pub and State of Mind Slice House in Palo Alto, California. Fresh off his recent trip to Italy, Lars competed at the Sigep World in Rimini. His finishes include 2nd place in Pizza in Teglia, 11th place in Pizza alla Pala and 25th place in Pizza Classica. He highlighted his winning pizza, a seasonal winter squash and mushroom pizza with blue cheese, hazelnut, and lemon zest. Lars emphasized the importance of using high-quality ingredients and maintaining consistency. He also shared his approach to branding, focusing on seasonal offers and a strong brand identity. Leveraging his expertise, Lars lets us in on his upcoming sessions at Pizza Expo on limited time offers and building a strong brand identity, aiming to help operators improve their business strategies and customer engagement.Follow Lars on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/lboogiesmith/ Learn more about State of Mind at https://www.stateofmindslicehouse.com/  and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/stateofmindslicehouse/ . Show Notes: Are you a Pizzeria to Watch? We are looking for standout pizzerias to feature in our 2026 Pizzerias to Watch in our May issue of Pizza Today. If you would like to be considered, complete our questionnaire for inclusion.  https://pizzatoday.com/pizzerias-to-watch-questionnaire/   Countdown to Pizza Expo As Pizza Expo approaches, we are preparing for the biggest and best Pizza Expo yet. A couple things of note. Competition spots are filling or are on waitlists, signed up now for remaining competition spots.  Register now for Pizza Expo 2026.