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World Pizza Champion, Leah Scurto joins Pie2Pie to share her incredible journey from college dropout to 22-year Pizza My Heart veteran to opening her own award-winning pizzeria, PizzaLeah, in Sonoma County. We discuss the realities of restaurant ownership, the importance of paying staff well, competing in Italy, teaching at Pizza University, and why she believes your employees just want to get paid at the end of the day. Plus stories about the wild '90s pizza scene, third-party delivery drivers, and why she's sworn off tequila.

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On this episode of Pie2Pie, we sit down with Mike Hauke, the creative force behind Tony Boloney's pizza shops and the innovative Mad Mutz mozzarella stick company. Fresh off his successful Shark Tank appearance where he landed a deal with Lori Greiner, Mike shares his entrepreneurial journey from restaurant owner to food manufacturer.

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On this episode, join us at Tony's Baltimore Grill in Atlantic City, a legendary pizza institution approaching its 100th anniversary in 2027. Alex sits down with Joey Palumbo, the manager who's been running this iconic spot for the past four years, to explore what makes this place so special.

From surviving Atlantic City's ups and downs to maintaining authentic recipes while navigating modern challenges like third-party delivery apps, Joey shares insights into running a restaurant and managing staff who some have been there way longer than he has. The conversation covers everything from stolen patio furniture that became national news to the "Don't Be Ted" roast beef sandwich campaign that turned a negative review into a marketing goldmine.

Discover why Tony's isn't for everyone (and why they're okay with that), hear stories about celebrity visits from Pink to Sinatra, and learn about the delicate balance of preserving tradition while adapting to change. Plus, Joey opens up about his journey from teaching to restaurant management, his pickle business with his son, and why empowering staff to stand up to difficult customers is part of their philosophy.

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Welcome to Tony's

00:01:31 - First Impressions

00:02:57 - Joey's Kitchen Journey

00:04:45 - Managing the Veteran Staff

00:08:25 - Atlantic City Through the Decades

00:12:17 - The Secret to 50-Year Survival

00:16:28 - Pizza Production and Weather Wars

00:20:06 - Stolen Chairs and Viral Fame

00:24:03 - The Customer Isn't Always Right

00:27:17 - Third-Party Delivery Disasters

00:32:05 - Late Night Hours and Characters

00:36:06 - From White House Subs to Teaching

00:42:08 - Eagles Victory and Philly Pride

00:44:16 - Managing 60 Staff Members

00:48:54 - Food vs Booze Balance

00:50:46 - Celebrity Visits and Famous Faces

00:52:23 - Restoring the Original Aesthetic

00:57:33 - Not for Everyone and That's OK

01:00:20 - Generations and Community Fabric

01:02:24 - Accountability and Final Recommendations

This Episode’s Sponsors→

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In this raw and inspiring episode, we sit down with Mike Fitzick, owner of Bakeria 1010, a beloved pizzeria and small batch bakery in Ocean City, on the Jersey Shore. This is a story of passion, and the relentless pursuit of pizza perfection. This episode showcases the gritty reality of running a high-quality pizza operation while maintaining work-life balance in a demanding seasonal market. It's a testament to how passion, persistence, and authentic storytelling can build a successful business from the ground up.

Featured Topics: • Detroit-style square pizza technique • Sourdough starter maintenance and fermentation • Seasonal restaurant operations • Instagram marketing for restaurants • Addiction recovery in the food industry • Italian pizza culture vs. American adaptation • Equipment: Gozney ovens, King Arthur flour blends • Shore town business dynamics

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

3:20 75 days straight working - the seasonal grind

7:44 Early pizza career and addiction struggles

16:12 Mike’s recovery journey

20:24 Learning Neapolitan pizza and falling out with partners

24:09 One of the first Gozney influencers in North America

27:11 The pop-up era and building a following

35:15 Smuggling sourdough starter from Naples

42:17 The science of square pizza dough and hydration

58:00 Organic flour and the weevil problem

1:03:16 The neighbor pizzeria situation

1:17:02 Customer education and the Jersey Shore pizza scene