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LANDON PIETRINI

From a newlywed decision to go all-in on his dad’s pipe dream of opening a pizzeria to making practice dough in his hotel room and ranking fifth in the World Pizza Championship, Landon is a stellar example of the power of learning through action.

NIKKI KAPLAN

When temporarily closing one of your pizzerias for renovations results in memes and palpable heartbreak, you know you’re doing something very, very right. Nikki doesn’t just run 16 beloved shops — she curates three distinct pizza brands across NYC.

SHIN IRVIN & MELISSA LÓPEZ

Sparking warm memories, like a standing pizza night with mom or that first-ever bite of a favorite slice, is at the core of Shins Pizza. Shin and Melissa built their beloved pizzeria on the belief that an experience isn’t just one thing — it’s a combo of all our senses.

NARDO

In just four years, Nardo has built one of the nation’s top indie pizzerias. His secret? Being extremely true to himself and his community. With adventurous pies, live music, arcade games, and a secret menu, we’re not surprised that Nardo’s Pizza is an absolute hit.

MANNY PAPANTONAKIS

Manny and his brother bought their father’s pizzeria and run it together to serve multiple generations of their community. Their proven philosophy: Imagine every order is being prepared for your mom, dad, son, or daughter.

ARTAN KAPXHIU

Artan had already navigated everything from the mafia to washing dishes in order to open pizza shops in two countries, but it was his son’s unexpected hankering for corporate pizza that lit a fire in him to open Florida’s first-ever mobile pizzeria, now a beloved brick-and-mortar destination.

RONNIE VOJKA & GREG KOWALCYZK

When Ronnie and Greg talk about community marketing, they don’t mean flyers — they mean donating pizzas, hosting fundraiser nights, and knowing 90% of their customers by name.  

LUIS PEREZ

Luis ignored all warnings and opened up a mobile pizzeria — more vintage Italian three-wheeled mini truck than food truck — then followed his own map to success. 

HECTOR & GLORIA RODRIGUEZ

From helping out other pizzerias to making every customer feel at home, this shop-owning couple puts it exactly right: “It’s not only a family business: We take care of the community.”

ANTHONY BENINATI

This industrious entrepreneur and owner of New Jersey’s Nino’s Pizza shares the playbook that led to him being honored for his dedication to customers, value to the local community, and commitment to using technology to help his business thrive.

DAVE HOWEY

What started with appetizers on the house turned into 30+ franchise locations of Nancy’s Pizza (and a brand-new kind of pizza).

STEVE GREEN

Now at the helm of PMQ Pizza Magazine — the powerhouse behind the annual Pizza Power Report — Steve gives us a holistic view of everything at the intersection of pizza and technology.

GARY FLEMING

After 30 years in the finance world, Gary took a gamble on himself (and some used bakery equipment) to open a beloved neighborhood pizzeria.

SALLY SLICES

Sal Mandreucci went from running deliveries in a ‘97 Ford Contour to building an audience of over 5M for his family’s pizzeria as TikTok star Sally Slices.

GABRIELE LAMONACA

Gabriele traded chemistry studies for corporate life for Chipotle, but his best trade involves a potato-topped pizza.

ROBYN BORDES

Robyn didn't just buy the restaurant where she waitressed — she doubled its sales and opened another shop.

HOSIE THURMOND

“We pretty much opened the doors and shook the dice.” Hosie Thurmond, one half of the unstoppable team behind Minneapolis’s pizzeria Slice, tells their story of persevering through start-up challenges, arson, and store expansion, all while remaining true to their community roots.

VICTORIA TISO

Victoria Tiso, operator of world-famous Louie and Ernie’s Pizza, is our guest this week. It’s a family story. The pies are the same as when her dad took over, but Victoria is launching their shop to the next level.

MIKE KURTZ

Our guest this time is Mike Kurtz, the founder of Mike’s Hot Honey. If you haven’t heard of his chili-infused honey, you should get to eating. From his dorm room to his break room and at Paulie Gee’s counter to in your stomach, Mike’s Hot Honey just keeps growing.

JOE BRIGNONI

Our guest is Joe Brignoni, the owner of Joe’s Rotisseria in Asbury Park and Roselle Park, New Jersey. He’s famous for blending a pizza, calzone, and garlic knots into one delicious Frankenstein. In this episode, he’ll tell you how it saved his business (and reveal the composition of a Thunder Stick).

NICOLE RUSSELL

This week’s guest is Nicole Russell, owner of Last Dragon Pizza in Rockaway, NYC, and host of First We Feast’s Pizza Wars. From shipping made-to-order pies to working nonstop on her goals, she’s carving her own path in pizza. Hit play for inspiration. Nicole tells you how her shop got its name, why she hits so many flavors on her menu, and what “The Glo!!!” is all about. Follow Nicole @lastdragonpizza.

SCOTT SOKOLOFF

Our guest this time is Scott Sokoloff, the former head of analytics at Domino's. He’s a big believer in data-driven decisions, building customer relationships, and using both to succeed in food.

MIRIAM WEISKIND

There are fewer than seven women running pizzerias in New York City, and there’s only one who started hers as a speakeasy out of her apartment. Miriam Weiskind has gone from creative director to pop-up pizzaiola over the last two years. In this episode, Ilir and Miriam cover the most important part of the pizza-making process, how she got her start during the pandemic, and pizza’s gender gap.

JOHNNY PAVLIK

This episode is more of a conversation between two old friends than it is an interview! Johnny Pavlik sits down with Ilir from his home in North Carolina to talk about growing his business from one Johnny’s Pizzeria to four, with a food truck pulling in soon. From his struggle with addiction to his community-focused social media presence, Johnny shares his secrets to double average orders and more…

BRANDON GRAY

In an epic conversation about chasing authenticity in expression and products, Ilir sits down with LA’s pizza renaissance man: Brandon Gray, of Brandoni Pepperoni. From his time cheffing in the Navy to starting his own business in 2020, Brandon is about dedication to craft, learning by trying, and the Clippers.

HAKKI AKDENIZ

Hakki Akdeniz is more than a world championship pizza acrobat — he’s independent pizza’s most inspiring person. He came to the United States from Turkey with nothing but suitcases, and now has a slew of pizzerias and extraordinary dedication to his community. Ilir and Hakki sit down in our studio to talk about business and pizza but end up covering what it means to never give up.

SCOTT WIENER

For our first-ever episode of How You Slice It, Ilir meets with Scott Wiener, founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours and Slice Out Hunger. In our very own pizzeria booth, they discuss starting a business inside a school bus, uncover the connection between taste and location, and celebrate pizza’s power for good through programs like Slice Out Hunger.

THE TRAILER