Pizza Oven Thread

[21TonyK]

MattS5 said:

21TonyK said:

£20K on an oven for a startup would be unwise considering you can by them for a fraction on ebay from failed ventures. Plus, unless you are skilled enough to actually use one properly its a waste of time

Much better to go with a commercial pizza oven

Not sure if you mean go with a commercial oven as in "not wood fired" but electric with stone base, but the whole draw for many people is the taste of wood fired pizza.

I have experience of cooking my own, but my plan would be to apporach a local (20 miles away) pizza place which is currently doing similar in a same size town, where I'd offer to work for a week or so (for free) with a view to them letting me see what they do.

Far enough away from them to prevent any sales loss and free labour for them. Whats not to like?

Yep, I mean something like a twin deck electric pizza oven. I agree people like the "idea" of a pizza cooked in a wood-fired oven but most wouldn't know the difference in taste even tasting back to back. Even if they did it can be replicated in an electric oven. The main thing is it has to be good pizza, not what its cooked in. Where a wood fire oven wins is as a centre piece of a restaurant where people can watch the pizzaiola making the pizzas and seeing flames in the background. Selling the sizzle, not the steak.

You may be lucky and an existing place will let you learn from them but I very, very much doubt it. I certainly wouldn't let anyone in my kitchens unless they worked for me as an employee or they were paying me a lot of money if they wanted to learn how we did certain things.

All that aside, public liability insurance, register as a food business and do a £30 online food hygiene course and away you go.

You've said advertising etc is you business and that is the key. Perceived value, desire etc not so much the product. Just do a half decent job, be consistent and reasonably priced. Like I've said already, a former colleague has been very successful and while their pizza is okay its all the other bits around it that makes it work so well, location, attached craft brewery, kids play park etc

[LeadFarmer]

CustardOnChips said:

Have you done the sums on employing someone correctly?

Then there are boxes/containers, waste, giving refunds for complaints, advertising, bank charges, cleaning, food hygiene ratings. And a million other things.

Including shop windows getting smashed by youths, graffiti etc that might not be worth claiming on insurance. Oh yeh, business insurance probably isn't cheap, would burning wood in the shop make it even dearer?

If you end up just breaking even and doing it as a labour of love, what happens when you no longer love it, yet still have rent to pay for the remainder of the year? Not trying to sound negative, but realistic possibilities.

[ecsrobin]

Yidwann said:

Two jars of Candied Jalapeños have just arrived. thanks for the recommendation! Having a fast paced practise run this evening and they're going on. Going to do a spicy and sweet this evening. Mixture of Pepperoni, Nduja, the Jalapeños and Hot Spicy Honey, see if those are end up competing with each other too much and find the sweet spot of toppings

That’s how I like mine although normally use chorizo instead of pepperoni and some days both.

[LeadFarmer]

From the 'tools' thread...

I have just received this Stihl hand pruner/chainsaw that I will use for cutting up loads of branches I have for burning in my Ooni Karu. Makes easy work of cutting chunks small enough to fit in the Ooni fire basket...

[kingston12]

LeadFarmer said:

From the 'tools' thread...

I have just received this Stihl hand pruner/chainsaw that I will use for cutting up loads of branches I have for burning in my Ooni Karu. Makes easy work of cutting chunks small enough to fit in the Ooni fire basket...

Nice! I've got no need for one, but I really want one.

[LeadFarmer]

Yidwann said:

Going to do a spicy and sweet this evening. Mixture of Pepperoni, Nduja, the Jalapeños and Hot Spicy Honey

Sounds nice. I add the candid chillis after cooking my pizza to retain all their flavour.I also like to add Nduja and pepperoni.
Which brand of hot spicy honey do you use please?

[hyphen]

MattS5 said:

I've been giving this some consideration for a few months now.
Running it alongside my exisiting full time job, but opening on Thur, Fri nights, Sat day and Sun evening as a takeaway/small inside seating area....

Have you considered starting with a mobile setup? Using roccbox and oonis? And a Van or market stall type tables and cover.

E.g. https://youtu.be/Osfg2JJeZRQ

[MattS5]

LeadFarmer said:

Including shop windows getting smashed by youths, graffiti etc that might not be worth claiming on insurance. Oh yeh, business insurance probably isn't cheap, would burning wood in the shop make it even dearer?

If you end up just breaking even and doing it as a labour of love, what happens when you no longer love it, yet still have rent to pay for the remainder of the year? Not trying to sound negative, but realistic possibilities.

Hey, thats all sensible stuff and deffo need to be realistic.

The thing is, I've seen other people doing this stuff, and it's easy to go thru life taking no risks at all.
I'm more than capable of doing something similar, and not being far off early retirement (at 55) I see something like this as a chance to turn over a few quid, keep myself busy, but not have to depend on it.
I dont expect it it to pay me £50k + a year, but if I got £10-20k a year from it, and it keeps me out of trouble/busy and not spending money elsewhere, then it might be worth exploring.

Anyway, this way of topic, so apologies!

[number2]

hyphen said:

MattS5 said:

I've been giving this some consideration for a few months now.
Running it alongside my exisiting full time job, but opening on Thur, Fri nights, Sat day and Sun evening as a takeaway/small inside seating area....

Have you considered starting with a mobile setup? Using roccbox and oonis? And a Van or market stall type tables and cover.

E.g. https://youtu.be/Osfg2JJeZRQ

I think that's a good idea - see the Welsh lads with the one of those tiny three wheeled 'vans'?

Tbh, what's fun at home likely quickly becomes not fun when turned into a business!

[MattS5]

number2 said:

I think that's a good idea - see the Welsh lads with the one of those tiny three wheeled 'vans'?

Tbh, what's fun at home likely quickly becomes not fun when turned into a business!

Haha, quite possibly.
But I've always admired the people who have a job where they say "It's great, I'm enjoying a hobby and getting paid for it"

What is they say, "if you love your job, you never work a day in your life"

Thats never happened to me, but I can't complain at the remuneration its given me.

[number2]

MattS5 said:

Haha, quite possibly.
But I've always admired the people who have a job where they say "It's great, I'm enjoying a hobby and getting paid for it"

What is they say, "if you love your job, you never work a day in your life"

Thats never happened to me, but I can't complain at the remuneration its given me.

It's not your livelihood a stake here (maybe just your sanity) so give it a go. Portable pizza man outside the local pub - can't go wrong - turn up with 20 doughballs, a few toppings and a wfo on a stand and see how it goes!

Might be some licensing/permissions...

[21TonyK]

number2 said:

Might be some licensing/permissions...

And a rather unfriendly landlord if you take any of their food business!

But a mobile setup with regular pitches works well. I know a guy who does curries at various food markets, £2K a day with ease in the summer. Preps on Thursdays and sells on Fridays and Saturdays.

[Bonefish Blues]

kingston12 said:

LeadFarmer said:

From the 'tools' thread...

I have just received this Stihl hand pruner/chainsaw that I will use for cutting up loads of branches I have for burning in my Ooni Karu. Makes easy work of cutting chunks small enough to fit in the Ooni fire basket...

Nice! I've got no need for one, but I really want one.

Edward Pruner Hands.

[Taita]

Is a town of 6k enough to sustain 50 pizzas a night on multiple nights, for multiple weeks.

eg that is 40-50 quid per family. Maybe once every two months for a visit?

[Bonefish Blues]

Taita said:

Is a town of 6k enough to sustain 50 pizzas a night on multiple nights, for multiple weeks.

eg that is 40-50 quid per family. Maybe once every two months for a visit?

I agree, I think 3% of households ordering per week seems pacy - but I don't know, and sure as heck Dominos won't tell you!

[MattS5]

Taita said:

Is a town of 6k enough to sustain 50 pizzas a night on multiple nights, for multiple weeks.

eg that is 40-50 quid per family. Maybe once every two months for a visit?

No idea in reality.

In all honesty, I'd pilot it, as suggested, with my smaller oven once a week, and see what response I get.
Then move to 2 nights a week.

Portable table, gazebo, LED lights etc, run it for 4 hours and see how it went.

[LeadFarmer]

MattS5 said:

Portable table, gazebo, LED lights etc, run it for 4 hours and see how it went.

That's pretty much what the pizza guy had at a wedding function I recently went to. Ooni oven ran on gas, gazebo, lighting, and his wife pressing out the dough.

But he was doing them too quick, not letting the Ooni get back up to temp, and the pizzas were a let down as they were undercooked. I only ate mine so as not to cause offence to the hosts. I could tell they would have been really nice had they had an other minute in the oven, but he had a big queue of people to serve and probably under stress to sere them all within the tine slot he was booked for.

[21TonyK]

MattS5 said:

Taita said:

Is a town of 6k enough to sustain 50 pizzas a night on multiple nights, for multiple weeks.

eg that is 40-50 quid per family. Maybe once every two months for a visit?

No idea in reality.

In all honesty, I'd pilot it, as suggested, with my smaller oven once a week, and see what response I get.
Then move to 2 nights a week.

Portable table, gazebo, LED lights etc, run it for 4 hours and see how it went.

Give it a go, can't hurt. I though that was 6k households. 6k people I think you might find theres less demand. How many of those eat pizza? Under 8's parents will given them something else rather than premium pizza, over a certain age and most would rather buy it for 3.50 from the co-op.

I'm right in the middle of housing estate, some 20K people but only about 10K are potential customers.

Anyway, if you do go for it and it works, get a decent dough mixer!

[Yidwann]

My idea is to probably 4 or 5 nights a month to not overly saturate it, and post up across local socials and groups in advance as to when it’s happening. That’s what a guy with a burger van does around here and it works out well as people get excited when the show comes to town. If I could sell 200 pizzas a month I’d be ecstatic with that. I’m looking at a much simpler operation than what’s mentioned above, it’ll be from my home, just me and maybe a bit of assistance if required or it goes mental.

I submitted the forms today, hopefully Somborne Slice will be an actual company soon

[Sway]

Yidwann said:

My idea is to probably 4 or 5 nights a month to not overly saturate it, and post up across local socials and groups in advance as to when it’s happening. That’s what a guy with a burger van does around here and it works out well as people get excited when the show comes to town. If I could sell 200 pizzas a month I’d be ecstatic with that. I’m looking at a much simpler operation than what’s mentioned above, it’ll be from my home, just me and maybe a bit of assistance if required or it goes mental.

I submitted the forms today, hopefully Somborne Slice will be an actual company soon

I'm in a similar village, we have a fish/burger van and a taco van weekly. They both certainly seem pretty busy.

Thanks to pandemic, I missed out on an opportunity to start a micro pub selling local beers - the ex-One Stop became a weird boutique bridal shop.

Mate lost his job thanks to pandemic, started a satay bike he rides into town and does a 'takeaway in a bag' weekly by delivery/collection for people to reheat at home. He's doing really well out of it - better than his pre-pandemic income with far fewer hours. Much, much more variable income though thanks to the weather. He's planning on leaning into the curry packs over winter to mitigate.