Our guest in this episode is long-time world pizza champion, Joe Carlucci. So, you might ask, how did a nice New York area kid end up running an iconic, destination pizzeria, Valentina’s Pizzeria and Wine Bar, in Madison, Alabama? It’s a long story, and one best told by Joe himself, including the many life lessons that allowed him to crash and burn (and rise from the ashes) many times. On his journey, he finally found the right work/life balance while dialing in on the formula that has established Valentina’s as a role model for the next generation of pizzeria operators. Joe explains it all in this fun conversation with Peter, here on Pizza Quest.
The Quest for the Best Rock Band Singers of All Time
November 23, 2025
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Welcome Back to Pizza Quest!
This conversation is bound to tick off some folks, and everyone's entitled to his or her own opinion, but our music Yoda, Peter Scott Ruben, is definitely not shy about his Mt. Rushmore of top rock band singers. During his last visit we did the same for solo singers, from Frank Sinatra and down, but this time ...
Team Rose Bread: The Little Cottage Bakery That Could
November 16, 2025
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Welcome back to Pizza Quest!
The cottage bakery movement is a global phenomenon and we have here, in my hometown of Charlotte, NC, a shining example of a rising star of this movement. Doug and Kaitlin Rose, along with their "team" of four kids (ages 9-16), are cranking out amazing 100% sourdough breads and bagels (and other inventive ...
Welcome back to Pizza Quest!
This episode is a case study on how to create and bring a new product to market. The product is called Pizza Freak, and the team members behind it are Brad Daniels, Brad Kilgore, and Matt McKenney or, as I like to call them, two chefs and a marketing guru. What you will learn in this episode is how a ...
Slicehaus is Taking on the Mecca of Pizza – Agostino Cangiano and Tatiana Revox
November 2, 2025
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Welcome back to Pizza Quest!
Somehow, New York City never has too many great pizzerias, and they all seem to push their competitors to keep raising the bar. In the midst of one of the most competitive marketplaces on earth, a new player better have some game if he or she wants to thrive, especially in the intense pizza playground known as ...
Ten years ago, Sarah Owens decided to parlay her success as a successful cottage baker and curator of roses at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, and write a book, "Sourdough: Recipes for Rustic Fermented Breads, Sweets, Savories, and More." The book went on to win a coveted James Beard Award and Sarah was off and running into the next stage of ...
Tasting The Mt. Rushmore of Cheeses, with Mark Todd, The Cheese Dude
October 18, 2025
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Mark Todd, aka "The Cheese Dude" returns to take us on the ultimate cheese tasting to die for -- or, more accurately, a "Before You Die" tour. Mark has previously guided us through the pasta filata category (aka, mozzarella-like "pulled" cheeses), the cheddar category, the world of hard aged cheeses, and Alpine and smelly cheeses -- he has ...
The artist known as Meathead is back, hard on the heels of his newest book, The Meathead Method: A BBQ Hall of Famer's Secrets and Science on BBQ, Grilling, and Outdoor Cooking with 114 Recipes. His website and newsletter, AmazingRibs.com, is followed by millions of people worldwide, where we all can get everything we need to know, free of ...
An Upcoming Pizza Documentary and a Potential Vampire Movie? – Blaine And Honey Parker
October 5, 2025
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Welcome back to Pizza Quest.
You may remember Blaine Parker from an earlier episode, awhile back, in which we discussed his book and website, Free the Pizza, which is a humorous, step by step manual for how to make restaurant quality pizzas in a home oven. Well, Blaine is back, along with his talented wife and writing/producing ...
