Comparing the Maine event with the one Joseph does is like comparing an apple to a horse. They are two very different seminars.
I just returned from this seminar. I was somewhat skeptical about how much my wife and I would learn as I already have a trailer from Joseph, his business manual, had done a cratering gig and a festival event where I sold about 150 pizzas.
I was very pleased with the content, delivery and attention to detail in this seminar. This was not a "how to use a wood fired oven" or "how to make pizza" class, it was a "How to start your own portable wood-fired oven catering business" class and it was spot on.
You are not going to get into soil production potential, sharpening mill stones, the economics of growing grains or how to make all sorts of bread. What you are going to get is a very targeted two days of how to start a successful mobile WFO catering/concession business. One of the things I really like is Joseph's approach in instructing. He didn't say, "this is how you HAVE to do it, it's the only way". What he did do is gave you everything you needed regardless of whether you wanted to do catering, fixed concession, mobile concession or a combo of all. He said it's your business, run it the way you want and here is what I know works and doesn't.
We started with a meet and greet Fri. night at Antonio Laudisio's restaurant. This was a great time to meet all of the folks who were attending the seminar and find out their backgrounds, reason they wanted to be there and just general shop talk. Joseph had invited 3 current operators who have experience doing this business as well as the guest chefs Antonio Laudisio and Billy Manzo.
Sat. we dove right in on everything you need to know to start this type of business. From the equipment needed, insurance, health regulations and food safety, type of events, marketing, cost structure, price points, menus, contracts, how to pack equipment, wood, firing the oven and of course pizza and other food prep and cooking. We worked with chef Billy Manzo in the afternoon making dough cooking up pizzas.
On Sunday we met with chef Antonio making breakfast items and how he works farmers market and catering events. He showed us what works and doesn't, how not to waste product and being creative with your items on hand and showmanship. In the afternoon we went to a farm and catered a 40+person event with 3 ovens. All of the food cooked was VERY well received.
There were 12 people attending plus the 3 current operators, so it was very personable and everyone got all their questions answered.
You may think it's a lot of dough but it was tax deductible and well worth every bit of dough I spent on it. You will NOT get everything on this forum that was covered in this class. I can only imagine that these seminars will get better as Joseph does more of them. I highly recommended this seminar if you want to know how to do this kind of business.
