Square Pies & Mai Tai’s w/ Salar of MaiPai

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, meet Salar, the visionary owner-operator behind MaiPai, Hamilton Ontario's most unique dining destination where authentic Detroit-style pizza meets immersive tiki bar culture. What started as a dream to combine two passions has become a fully-booked phenomenon that guests reserve weeks in advance, proving that when you build something people can't find anywhere else, they'll seek you out.   Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction: MaiPai's Tiki Pizza Paradise 2:05 - The Origin Story: How Tiki Bars & Detroit Pizza Merged 3:07 - Location Strategy: Opening in Hamilton's "Bad" Neighborhood 5:02 - Word-of-Mouth Marketing: Building Buzz Without Social Media 6:14 - Pizza vs Alcohol Sales: What Really Drives Revenue 7:11 - Tiki Bar Culture: Adult Disneyland for Rum Lovers 10:26 - Tiki Bar Design: Creating an Overwhelming Sensory Experience 13:06 - Red Dwarf Comparison: Detroit Pizza & Tiki Bar Concepts 15:00 - Space Buildout: Finding the Right Location & Layout 16:23 - Pandemic Pivot: How Pizza Saved the Day During Lockdown 24:16 - Tiki Cocktail Program: Hiring Expert Bartenders 26:12 - Detroit Style Pizza in Canada: Missing Market Opportunity 28:20 - Detroit Pizza Pilgrimage: Louis vs Spicy Pie 29:16 - Pan Size Debate: 8x10 vs 10x14 Detroit Style 31:24 - Detroit Style Pizza Company: Taking Shawn Randazzo's Class 34:18 - Pan Seasoning: Detroit Style Pizza Co vs Lloyd Pans 35:01 - Detroit Pizza Dough: 70% Hydration & Simplified Process 37:27 - Skipping Steps: Why Perfect Isn't Always Better 41:32 - Equipment Upgrade: From Bakers Pride to Pizza Master Ovens 48:23 - Round Pizza Experiments: Using New Oven Flexibility 50:18 - Training Staff: Is Detroit Style Easier Than Round Pizza? 53:47 - Restaurant Operations: Daily Routine & Responsibilities 54:59 - Building Infrastructure: Power, AC & Apartment Issues 56:22 - Future Plans: Hawaiian Restaurant Dreams 59:44 - Work-Life Balance: Managing a 7-Day Operation 1:05:18 - Rapid Fire: Hot Honey, Long Fermentation & High Hydration 1:07:31 - Social Media Impact: TikTok Success Without Trying 1:10:06 - AI Phone Systems: The Future of Restaurant Technology 1:13:59 - Pizza Competitions: Why Competing is Underrated