The Founder Nick Bogacz
Caliente Pizza & Draft House puts Pittsburgh on the map for Best Pizza in America
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/pittsburgh-based-pizza-restaurant-travels-164900678.html?guccounter=1
CONTACT:
Robin Rectenwald WordWrite 412-246-0340
robin.rectenwald@wordwritepr.com
Pittsburgh-based pizza restaurant travels globe to win industry accolades
Caliente Pizza & Draft House puts Pittsburgh on the map for Best Pizza in America
PITTSBURGH (December, 2019) – Caliente Pizza & Draft House, a Pittsburgh-based restaurant known for its internationally acclaimed pies and extensive craft beer list, is rapidly growing in global recognition after collecting numerous accolades in 2019.
Locally owned and operated by founders Nick and Angie Bogacz, Caliente sent its team across the United States and Europe this year to participate in the industry’s biggest competitions.
Best Pizza in America
According to Italy, Pittsburgh has the Best Pizza in America. In April, Caliente’s Regional Chef Eric Von Hansen traveled to Parma, Italy, to compete against 42 countries in “Campionato Mondiale Della Pizza,” widely known as the World Pizza Championship, and won.
His creation? The Mee-Maw — a pie named after his mother and grandmother. Von Hansen used a five-day fermented dough spread into a pan and topped with olive oil, five-year aged parmesan, market local rapini cooked with peppered bacon, shallots, garlic, onion, crushed plum tomato, porchetta, shaved black truffle pecorino Romano, salt, pepper and more aged parmesan. He wowed the judges with an overall score of 772 out of 900 and was the only American competitor to take home any prize.
World Pizza Team
Caliente’s international pizza crew caught the attention of 13-time World Champion and pizza entrepreneur Tony Gemignani, who invited Bogacz and Von Hansen to join an “all-star” team of internationally well-known pizza chefs.
The World Pizza Champions team, founded in 2005 by Gemignani, is an international group of elite pizzaioli who represent the craft through competition, education and community service. Inclusion on the team is by invitation only, and Bogacz and Von Hansen are the only representatives from Pittsburgh.
“Nick and Eric are dedicated to the craft of pizza in every way, from their development of innovative recipes to their commitment to community service,” said Gemignani. “The World Pizza Champions are the best of the best, and that’s what these guys are.”
2019 Travels and Awards
“One team. One dream.” That’s the motto of the Caliente team, who traveled domestically and internationally this year to six competitions.
Complete list of Caliente’s 2019 awards:
Best Pizza in America 2019 (World Pizza Championship)
New York Style – Third place (Trofeo Caputo)
Non-Traditional division – Top 10 (International Pizza Expo)
Pan division – Top 10 (International Pizza Expo)
Largest Dough Stretch – Bronze medal (International Pizza Expo)
Freestyle Acrobatic Pizza Tossing – Top 10 (International Pizza Expo)
Fastest Dough Stretch – Top 10 (International Pizza Expo)
Pizza Triathlon – Top 10 (International Pizza Expo)
Growth of the company
Caliente Pizza & Draft House was founded in 2012 and has since expanded its $8 million operation to five locations in the Pittsburgh region. In 2019, founder Nick Bogacz published his first book, “The Pizza Equation: Slicing Up How to Run a Successful Pizza Enterprise,” and launched his first podcast, “The Business Equation” to share the highs and lows of building a multi-million dollar business in seven years.
With the success of his book and podcast, Bogacz continues to grow in notoriety for his marketing, business and team-building prowess and is frequently invited to speak at top industry events. This past year, he gave the keynote speech at the 2019 Pizza and Pasta Expo. He also spoke at the Mid-America Restaurant Expo and the International Pizza Expo.
ABOUT CALIENTE PIZZA & DRAFT HOUSE
Caliente Pizza & Draft House is an award-winning, locally owned and operated pizza restaurant known for its roster of gourmet pizzas and craft beers. With five locations in the Pittsburgh area, Caliente is also known internationally as three-time World Pizza Champions and represents Pittsburgh on the World Pizza Champions Team. In 2019, Caliente Pizza & Draft House earned the title of Best Pizza in America. For locations and more information, visit www.pizzadrafthouse.com.
The best American pizza is in Pittsburgh at Caliente Pizza & Draft House
America’s best pizza is not in New York, New Haven, Conn., Chicago or California, but right here in Pittsburgh.
Eric von Hansen, the regional chef of Caliente Pizza & Draft House and a three-time champion at the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas, has put the city on the world pizza map by winning the best pizza in America title at the 28th edition of the Campionato Mondiale Della Pizza, widely known as the World Pizza Championship, in Parma, Italy. Read the full Article here
What to Know Before Expanding Your Operations
As success comes, the notion of expanding becomes more and more prominent. If you are in the process of growing your bar, restaurant, or brewery beyond the original four walls that put your brand on the map, it’s important to make sure the timing is right and it makes sense to move forward. To provide insight on this topic, we will tap Nick Bogacz, owner of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh, PA, a brand on the verge of opening their 5th location in just over six years. Read the full story and press release by Jason Cercone here.
Who’s ready to experience the Pizza of Champions
Who’s ready to experience the Pizza of Champions?!
May is going to be a hot month at Caliente Pizza & Draft House as we are loaded up with special events revolving around our two greatest passions: pizza and beer.
Back in March, our crew traveled to Las Vegas for the International Pizza Expo and came back to Pittsburgh with multiple honors. Among those honors were #1 and #2 Best Pizzas in the World spanning two separate categories, once again showcasing the talent of our pizza-making crew and proving there’s a phoenix rising from the City of Champions regarding handcrafted pies. And throughout May, we are giving you a chance to give both creations a try at all four of our Caliente locations throughout Pittsburgh!
Each full week of May will see the Wagyu Beef Truffle Fromage created by Regional Pizza Chef Eric Von Hansen and Oz Turcan’s Turkish-inspired pizza born from a 76-year old family recipe featuring delicious ricotta cheese hit our menu at each location. These limited edition pizzas will be for dine-in only. Here’s where you can experience these award-winning pizzas at your favorite Caliente spot:
Tuesday, May 8th thru Thursday, May 10th – Hampton Township
Tuesday, May 15th thru Thursday, May 17th – Aspinwall
Tuesday, May 22nd thru Thursday, May 24th – Mount Lebanon
Tuesday, May 29th thru Thursday, May 31st – Bloomfield
We also have a great month of beer-centric events on the calendar for you to enjoy, including a launch party for Cigar City as they hit the Pittsburgh market, an evening in Aspinwall with brewery representatives from one of our favorite breweries, and a formerly pub exclusive beer that found its way to our tap rotation.
On May 24th, we are doing our next collaboration beer with Southern Tier Brewing Company. But this time, we are adding a special bonus. We want to know why YOUshould brew with us! Submit a 60-second video pleading your case and one lucky entrant will get to participate in the creation of Caliente’s next collaboration. This contest coincides with a glass giveaway and contest kickoff party going down across all locations on Friday, May 11th.
Here’s the full schedule of beer events this month:
Bloomfield
Friday, May 4th at 7:00pm – Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale Draft Release and Glass Giveaway
Sunday, May 6th – Pittsburgh Marathon Special! All Day – $5 22oz. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale Drafts
Friday, May 11th at 7:00pm – Southern Tier Glass Giveaway and Video Contest Kickoff Party
Friday, May 18th at 7:00pm – Cigar City Brewing Launch Party
Friday, May 25th at 7:00pm – SPECIAL TAPPING: Deschutes Fruit Boots NE IPA – a pub exclusive that made its way to Caliente! This special tapping will also include a Deschutes glass giveaway.
Hampton Township
Friday, May 4th at 6:00pm – Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale Draft Release and Glass Giveaway
Friday, May 11th at 6:00pm – Southern Tier Glass Giveaway and Video Contest Kickoff Party
Friday, May 18th at 6:00pm – Cigar City Brewing Launch Party
Friday, May 25th at 6:00pm – SPECIAL TAPPING: Deschutes Fruit Boots NE IPA – a pub exclusive that made its way to Caliente! This special tapping will also include a Deschutes glass giveaway.
Mount Lebanon
Friday, May 4th at 7:00pm – Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale Draft Release and Glass Giveaway
Friday, May 11th at 7:00pm – Southern Tier Glass Giveaway and Video Contest Kickoff Party
Friday, May 18th at 7:00pm – Cigar City Brewing Launch Party
Friday, May 25th at 7:00pm – SPECIAL TAPPING: Deschutes Fruit Boots NE IPA – a pub exclusive that made its way to Caliente! This special tapping will also include a Deschutes glass giveaway.
Aspinwall
Friday, May 4th at 7:00pm – Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale Draft Release and Glass Giveaway
Friday, May 11th at 7:00pm – Southern Tier Glass Giveaway and Video Contest Kickoff Party
Friday, May 15th at 7:00pm – Meet the Brewery Rep from Hoppin’ Frog Draft Event
Friday, May 18th at 7:00pm – Cigar City Brewing Launch Party
Friday, May 25th at 7:00pm – SPECIAL TAPPING: Deschutes Fruit Boots NE IPA – a pub exclusive that made its way to Caliente! This special tapping will also include a Deschutes glass giveaway.
See you this May at Caliente!
Pair of Caliente Pizza pies voted best in world
CALIENTE PIZZA & DRAFT HOUSE
PRESS RELEASE
Pair of Caliente Pizza pies voted best in world
Caliente Pizza chef Von Hansen wins ‘best non-traditional’ pie; general manager Oz Turcan runner-up for ‘best traditional’ at International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV, March 22, 2018: Caliente Pizza and Draft House, with four Pittsburgh area locations at 4624 Liberty Ave in Bloomfield, and 4706 William Flynn Hwy in Allison Park, 329 Castle Shannon Blvd in Mount Lebanon, and 225 Commercial Ave. in Aspinwall, had two of its chefs win top honors at the 2018 International Pizza Expo.
Chef Eric Von Hansen’s pizza “Wagyu Beef Truffle Fromage” won first place in the Best Non-Traditional division. His fine-dining inspired pie featured black truffles, roasted shallots, fingerling potato hash, white cheddar, a simple syrup made with bing cherries marinated in vanilla beans and bourbon, and $88 per pound brown Wagyu beef. Von Hansen previously won first place in the Pan division at the 2016 expo with “Quack Attack,” but finished in second last year in the Non-Traditional.
“I wanted a little redemption,” Von Hansen said. “Deep down inside I knew I could win it. That hunger just grew and I wanted to prove it to myself that I could do it.”
There are no limitations on ingredients in the Non Traditional division. He said his inspiration for the pie stemmed from his experiences working in fine dining. Those higher-end dishes, he said, exemplified everything you could want in a food dish and he tried to bring that same style, presentation and flavor to life with a pizza.
Von Hansen was proud of his pizza but more excited by the recognition it brought to Pittsburgh, a city unfortunately an afterthought when lists of great pizza towns are compiled.
“People should take notice of what Pittsburgh is doing,” he said. “[The city] doesn’t really get a lot of respect when it comes to making pizza. You hear New York, New Jersey, Chicago but Pittsburgh doesn’t fall on the spectrum for pizza. So when I go up there I’m representing the city not just myself.”
FOR RELEASE 9 A.M. EST, MARCH 27, 2018 MORE
CALIENTE PIZZA CHEF WINS TOP PRIZE FOR PAN PIZZA CREATION PAGE 2
Caliente Pizza and Draft House owner Nick Bogacz agrees. He and his wife recently opened their fourth store in Aspinwall, and says the honors are proof that locally sourced ingredients and daily made-from- scratch dough put them on the map.
“I am so proud of our team for winning a world championship three years in a row,” Bogacz said. His chef Matt Hickey bested 30 international competitors to claim the World Pizza Games Gold Medal for “largest dough stretch” in 2017. “It feels great bringing it back to the City of Champions.”
The competition side of the International Pizza Expo, now in its 33rd year, is the largest pizza-making competition in the U.S. and includes bake-offs before judges in five divisions. The winners of each division qualify for Pizza Maker of the Year, essentially the “best in show” award. The five divisions include Traditional, Non-Traditional, Pan, Pizza Napoletana and Gluten-Free. Pizza taste is judged on crust, toppings, overall taste, and creativity; Presentation is marked by bake and visual appearance.
Also representing Caliente was general manager Oz Turcan who placed second among 65 competitors in the Traditional division. Originally from Turkey, “Ozzie” baked a pizza as homage to his country and featured ricotta cheese made from a 76 year-old Turkish family recipe.
“It was a great experience for me,” Turcan said. “It was very tough competition and felt great to finish so high.”
Finishing strong for Caliente was chef Nick Fink who finished fourth in the Pan Division; Hickey finished in the top 10 for longest dough stretch.
About Caliente
Caliente Pizza and Draft House is Pittsburgh’s premier spot for award winning pizza and wings. Caliente is proud to support the craft beer revolution in Pittsburgh and features local and hard to find beer from around the world. Caliente prides itself on using fresh and locally sourced ingredients “Fresh From Pittsburgh’s Little Italy.” Caliente’s pizza dough and sauce is prepared daily from scratch. All meats and vegetables are hand-sliced. More information about Caliente Pizza and Draft House can be found by visiting PizzaDraftHouse.com.
About the 2018 International Pizza Expo
The expo started in 1985 and has grown to welcome more than 7,400 attendees representing nearly 520 companies from around the world. Features business-to-business trade show that puts buyers who are owners and managers of independent and chain pizza restaurants in touch with manufacturers and service providers to the industry. Annual competitions at Pizza Expo include: International Pizza Challenge (bake-offs before judges in five divisions, with Pizza Maker of the Year finals); World Pizza Games (skills competition in five divisions).
Approximately 90 keynote addresses, seminars, panel discussions and pizzeria menu demonstrations take place during the event. More information: PizzaExpo.com. ###
FOR RELEASE 9 A.M. EST, MARCH 27, 2018