AIB's "Practical Pizza Production Technology"

[BIG Daddy]

Hello to all...
Just wanted to share my excitement.  I will be attending AIB's week long seminar on Practical Pizza Production Technology in Manhattan, Kansas Oct 10-14.  It covers dough technology, sauce, cheeses, various toppings, equipment, types of methods used in forming doughs, various types of equipment, many featured speakers, etc, etc, etc.  As I am opening my own shop within the next 3 to 6 months, I believe this seminar could not have come along at a better time.  I will definitely report on it when I complete it. 
BIG Daddy

[chiguy]

 Hi, Big Daddy
 That sounds excellent, i have taken a class taught by an AIB instructor at The Pizza  Expo. Im sure these courses will be well worth the money. Please let me know how the classes are whan you get back. What kind of pizzas do you intend on selling in your shop?
           Chiguy

[Pete-zza]

Big Daddy,

That's great news!!

Pray tell, what prompted a grandpa who makes pizzas for grateful and adoring grandkids to decide to go into the pizza business?

Peter

[BIG Daddy]

Hi Peter;
Yeah, it looks like I am "advancing" through the ranks from grandkids to general public.  I'm not worried though, if my grandkids love my pizza (and they are honest enough to tell me if they didn't) I am sure the public will enjoy my creations.  I have cooked as a hobby for years and specialized in pizza for about the last two years and thoroughly enjoy it.  With a small pizzeria I figure I will not only get to do what I enjoy, but will hopefully make many friends and  happy customers along the way.  My two grandkids were up for a one week visit this last month and I fed them twelve of my pizza creations during that time and the only complaint they had was that they wanted more!!!!!!!!! 
BIG Daddy

[BIG Daddy]

Hello Chiguy:
Yes, I believe these will be excellent classes and the money will be well spent.  I make a variety of pizzas with my grandkids as "critics of choice".  Their favorites are perrperoni, chicken alfredo (white sauce), and canadian bacon/pineapple.  They really get a kick out of watching grandpa put on a show by tossing the pizza dough in the air.  Thanks for the kind words and I will definitely post my input on the seminar after I complete it.
BIG Daddy

[Snowman]

I wish above all that I had the money to attend the class. 

PLEASE tell us how you liked it.  On one hand, "experts" on certain sites (I'm NOT picking on any particular site, it goes on in every sector) can do no wrong, so there can be literally un-deserving praise by a chorus of people who have no first-hand experience.  Being an "expert" just seems to give people an instant following.  I see this on fishing sites I'm on -- you'd think some folks got paid for the praise they hand out.  Again, I'm NOT questioning Tom's integrity or any such thing, just curious what the class gives you.  Like I've said, I'd LOVE to be there with you.  I've gone through the encyclopizza and learned a lot.  I'm wondering how much further the class can take me. 

(I can come off rude, cranky, and otherwise unfriendly at times -- mostly because I REFUSE to re-read what I type.  Therefore, I want to reiterate that there is ZERO ill-will and nothing above should be taken to question anyone's integrity, ability, etc.)

[BIG Daddy]

Good Morning Snowman;
I couldn't agree with you more.  To me an expert must prove his/her ability and knowledge plus be able to teach it to others.  Titles mean nothing to me and I always reserve my judgement until I am convinced, one way or the other, of a person's expertise.  I am not swayed by fancy titles or tall tales - You will get a true, in depth, report from me on the pizza seminar.
BIG Daddy

[BIG Daddy]

Hello All;
Well, I survived my week long training seminar of Pizza Production Technology at AIB in Manhattan, Kansas.  One word describes the seminar - GREAT -  We had hour upon hour of theory as well as hour upon hour of Lab where we were able to "put to the test" the theory we had learned with regard to crusts, sauces, toppings and such.  AIB is very well equipped with a variety of pizza equipment (different types of ovens, presses, sheeters, etc) that all students were able to use and to get the "feel" for.  Tom Lehman (the dough doctor) really knows his stuff - both in theory and in practice - and is more than willing to share his years of training, knowledge and expertise.  Jeff Zeak, an AIB person, worked with us a lot in the lab and why this person doesn't open his own pizzeria is beyond me, he has excellent knowledge and ability.  There were many good speakers from the industry, but one (Evelyne Slomon) worked with us both in theory and in the lab and I go on record as stating that if you ever have the opportunity to attend any class or seminar relating to pizza that she is involved in - GO!  This worman is extremely talented.  Her pizza knowledge is impressive.  She is a published author with a book relating to pizza,
"The Pizza Book, Everything There Is To Know About The World's Greatest Pie".  She also readily share her knowledge of pizza with regard to recipes, troubleshooting as well as any other question on pizza you might think of.  I could go on forever, but I'm sure you folks get the point - The class was well worth the time and money and I can't recommend it highly enough.  If there are any questions, I will do my best to answer them.
MONEY WELL SPENT - TIME WELL INVESTED! 
BIG Daddy

[Pete-zza]

Big Daddy,

I'm curious to know what you learned that really surprised you, including things that you thought to be good practice but weren't, and vice versa. Also, what did you learn that you think should be embodied in our pizza making at this forum, or that you will certainly incorporate in your business when you get it started?

Peter

[BIG Daddy]

Peter;
Very good questions.  They really got me to thinking about my seminar experience.
[i]WHAT REALLY SURPRISED ME:  [/i] What really surprised me was the true "academic nature" of pizza.  Simply stated "What is a great pizza to some is average, or less, to others".  What is a great mouth feel, or flavor, to many can be just average to many others.  And with 30 +- students and 8 + pizza formulas that were made, cooked and eaten by the students; the academic nature of pizza truly hit home.
WHAT I THOUGHT TO BE GOOD BUT WAS NOT:[/u]I was a firm believer in "the more the better".  Good suace - put more on.  Good toppings - put more on.  Wrong, wrong, wrong.  "Less Is Best" - Flavors come through more distinctly.  You can actually taste all flavors and you eliminate that combined and indescribeable flavor.
[i]WHAT I THOUGHT TO BE BAD BUT WAS NOT:[/i]I thought a person could over experiment in their quest for new types of pizza.  While I did believe in the occassional tweaking of the old reliable pizza formulas, I believed  the quest for the "new and improved" pizza to be a waste of time.  Again - WRONG!  I was introduced to several pizzas that had come about through experimentation, that I had never had (or heard of) that were absolutely fantastic and would have been denied to the people if the inventor had the same outlook of limited experimentation that I originally had.
TO SHARE WITH THE FORUM: I have learned a very important point that I wish to pass on to all that read this forum.  There is no failure in pizza making - just the continued striving for a better pizza.  Do not hesitate to experiment.  If there were never any experiments, not only would there not be any of the great pizza we enjoy today, there simply would be no pizza.
I have a few formulas I will be posting in the, hopefully not too distant future, that I hope all will enjoy as much as I have.
BIG Daddy

[Daniel]

Hi Big daddy!

thanks for sharing your learning, this will be very good for us.

Now a wish to this forum.
I read a lot here that some (or a lot) of user of this forum has or will have a pizzaria/store/shop..etc. Would be nice if his website
has a page like an address book to record where the users from this forum has your business. So, when someone make a trip, who knows, can visit a friends.

Bests,
Daniel Zilli