A Neighborhood Establishment w/ Anthony Badamo of Badamo's Pizza

This Episode’s Sponsors→ 🌾 Use Code: PIE2PIE to Get 15% Off Cairnspring Mills Flour: https://bit.ly/CairnspringMills 🌶️ Join The Pepper Flake Revolution: https://bit.ly/flatironpepper 🎶 Maestro Sausage: https://bit.ly/maestro-sausage 🍕  Be in Business for yourself, not by yourself w/ SLICE : https://bit.ly/SLICENOW   Get a NEW GOZNEY: https://us.gozney.com/?dt_id=1529737   Here's some FREE stuff → 🚀HOW TO STEAL A RECIPE https://www.subscribepage.com/howtostealarecipe 🍕 Thinking of Opening a Pizza Shop? Start here: https://howtoopenapizzashop.com/   My Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/alexkoons   On this episode, join us for an in-depth conversation with Anthony Badamo, owner of Badamo's Pizza in Pittsburgh, recorded live at the Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. In this episode, we dive deep into Anthony's 15+ year journey in the pizza business. Anthony shares his honest thoughts on running two pizza shops in Pittsburgh PA, the challenges of finding good labor, and why he believes in investing in quality equipment over flashy build-outs. We explore his slice-focused approach, inspired by legendary New York spots like Joe's, and discuss how the pizza scene has evolved with social media and home baking trends. The conversation gets real about the business side - from owning multiple properties in Pittsburgh to dealing with reviews, the impact of COVID, and why he's skeptical about rapid expansion. Plus, we play a fun game of "Overrated/Underrated" covering everything from hot honey to high hydration dough. • Transitioning from vintage gas ovens to modern electric equipment • The reality of pizza shop ownership and labor challenges • Pittsburgh's pizza scene and local competition • Equipment investment vs. build-out spending • Social media's impact on pizza culture • Property ownership in the restaurant business • Honest takes on industry trends and ingredients     Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction & Pizza Expo Setup 00:28 - The $20K Pietrobak Oven Decision 01:33 - From Gas Ovens to Electric: The Evolution 02:22 - Building the Commissary Plans 06:52 - From Music to Pizza: Career Transition 08:11 - Running Two Pittsburgh Locations 09:22 - Expansion Philosophy: Why Not More? 10:32 - Labor Challenges in Pittsburgh - Long-term Employee Loyalty 11:56 - Management Structure & Team Dynamics 12:48 - Slice Shop Focus & New York Inspiration 14:29 - Pittsburgh Pizza Scene Changes 17:13 - Food Truck & Catering Operations 20:14 - Selling a Restaurant: The Reality Check 21:19 - Pittsburgh Property Investment 24:57 - Current Pizza Influences & Techniques 27:07 - Build-Out vs. Equipment Spending 28:04 - Conveyor Technology Discussion 32:04 - AI Technology in Restaurants 39:07 - Overrated/Underrated Pizza Industry hot takes 40:12 - High Hydration Dough Discussion 41:54 - Pre-ferments in Pizza Making 42:43 - Pizza Expo: Final Verdict 47:00 - Closing Thoughts & Future Plans