<p>How do two pizza lovers turn a shared obsession into a thriving, award-winning pizzeria—during a pandemic?</p><p>We’re inside the dough room at Cowabunga to hear how Justin and Andy went from pizza snobs and Instagram mutuals to building one of Canada’s most talked-about slice shops. We break down their hybrid sourdough program, how they scaled without sacrificing quality, why pizza screens aren’t the enemy, and the wild story of winning World’s Best Cheese Slice in Vegas… after losing their dough in transit.</p><p>Highlights:</p><p>0:00 – Making dough for a 72-hour ferment &amp; what makes their dough special</p><p>0:24 – Hybrid sourdough + instant yeast: flavor, reliability, and avoiding purist gatekeeping</p><p>1:31 – Why they call it a “hybrid,” not “sourdough pizza”</p><p>2:56 – Balancing craft &amp; business: consistency over ego</p><p>4:18 – The Instagram DM that sparked their partnership</p><p>5:35 – Early plans, failed farmers market shop attempt, and finding their first location</p><p>9:50 – Signing the lease… then the pandemic hits</p><p>10:54 – Pivoting to IG-only ordering + hype-building during lockdown</p><p>12:58 – Scaling from 50 pizzas → 200/week in weeks</p><p>14:57 – “Pepperoni pays the bills” — product philosophy</p><p>17:48 – Blending culinary creativity with approachability</p><p>19:52 – The Cowabunga pizza: peanuts, pineapple, fried chicken — breaking the rules</p><p>20:53 – Dough ball sizes &amp; why multiple formats matter for guests</p><p>22:19 – Flour blend + Pizza Master setup for hybrid baking</p><p>24:06 –Vegas story: losing the dough, flying a replacement overnight, still taking first place</p><p>27:12 – Press hits, hometown love, and sustaining momentum</p><p>30:30 – Awards = attention, but product = retention</p><p>32:04 – Why they document everything — impact on narrative + community</p><p>40:00 – Using the Equalizer for perfect slice cuts</p><p>42:06 – Pizza screens: scaling tool, not a shortcut</p><p>45:56 – Their cooked sauce profile + cheese approach</p><p>48:52 – Ingredient sourcing &amp; adapting to import changes</p><p>57:05 – What’s next: dialing systems &amp; global expansion</p><p>Check them out:<a href="https://www.cowabungapizzeria.ca/">https://www.cowabungapizzeria.ca/</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/cowabungapizzeria/?hl=en">https://www.instagram.com/cowabungapizzeria/?hl=en</a></p><p>Thank you to our show sponsors:</p><p>Bacio Cheese:</p><p><a href="https://bit.ly/3FmQ3up">https://bit.ly/3FmQ3up</a></p><p>Corto:<a href="https://bit.ly/457DNII">https://bit.ly/457DNII</a></p><p>Join my Instagram Community Channel: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbbWnReTYIlCfO21/">https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbbWnReTYIlCfO21/</a></p><p>Patreon Page: <a href="http://patreon.com/whatsgooddough">patreon.com/whatsgooddough</a></p><p>DM <a href="https://www.instagram.com/whatsgooddough/#">@whatsgooddough</a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/whatsgooddough/">https://www.instagram.com/whatsgooddough/</a>email me: <a href="mailto:claire@whatsgooddough.com">claire@whatsgooddough.com</a></p><p>Edited By Valentine Phelippeau</p><p>Topic:Cowabunga Pizza, hybrid sourdough pizza, pizza dough recipe, 72 hour cold ferment, pizza master oven settings, pizza screens vs wooden peel, how to scale a pizzeria, starting a pizza business, pizza slice shop setup, Canadian pizzerias, pepperoni pizza recipe, cheese slice competition, world’s best cheese slice, pizza expo Vegas, restaurant branding, social media marketing for restaurants, pizza shop workflow, dough fermentation tips, pizza sauce recipe, mozzarella blends, Ardent Mills flour, brick and mortar startup story, pandemic restaurant success story, pizza shop equipment, food entrepreneurship, pizza Instagram marketing, behind the scenes pizza kitchen, pizza dough hydration, pizza toppings ideas, restaurant consistency systems, global pizza expansion, pizza business strategy</p><p></p>

What's Good Dough? Pizza

What's Good Dough

Making Canada's Most Famous Pizza With Cowabunga Pizzeria

NOV 9, 202573 MIN
What's Good Dough? Pizza

Making Canada's Most Famous Pizza With Cowabunga Pizzeria

NOV 9, 202573 MIN

Description

<p>How do two pizza lovers turn a shared obsession into a thriving, award-winning pizzeria—during a pandemic?</p><p>We’re inside the dough room at Cowabunga to hear how Justin and Andy went from pizza snobs and Instagram mutuals to building one of Canada’s most talked-about slice shops. We break down their hybrid sourdough program, how they scaled without sacrificing quality, why pizza screens aren’t the enemy, and the wild story of winning World’s Best Cheese Slice in Vegas… after losing their dough in transit.</p><p>Highlights:</p><p>0:00 – Making dough for a 72-hour ferment &amp; what makes their dough special</p><p>0:24 – Hybrid sourdough + instant yeast: flavor, reliability, and avoiding purist gatekeeping</p><p>1:31 – Why they call it a “hybrid,” not “sourdough pizza”</p><p>2:56 – Balancing craft &amp; business: consistency over ego</p><p>4:18 – The Instagram DM that sparked their partnership</p><p>5:35 – Early plans, failed farmers market shop attempt, and finding their first location</p><p>9:50 – Signing the lease… then the pandemic hits</p><p>10:54 – Pivoting to IG-only ordering + hype-building during lockdown</p><p>12:58 – Scaling from 50 pizzas → 200/week in weeks</p><p>14:57 – “Pepperoni pays the bills” — product philosophy</p><p>17:48 – Blending culinary creativity with approachability</p><p>19:52 – The Cowabunga pizza: peanuts, pineapple, fried chicken — breaking the rules</p><p>20:53 – Dough ball sizes &amp; why multiple formats matter for guests</p><p>22:19 – Flour blend + Pizza Master setup for hybrid baking</p><p>24:06 –Vegas story: losing the dough, flying a replacement overnight, still taking first place</p><p>27:12 – Press hits, hometown love, and sustaining momentum</p><p>30:30 – Awards = attention, but product = retention</p><p>32:04 – Why they document everything — impact on narrative + community</p><p>40:00 – Using the Equalizer for perfect slice cuts</p><p>42:06 – Pizza screens: scaling tool, not a shortcut</p><p>45:56 – Their cooked sauce profile + cheese approach</p><p>48:52 – Ingredient sourcing &amp; adapting to import changes</p><p>57:05 – What’s next: dialing systems &amp; global expansion</p><p>Check them out:<a href="https://www.cowabungapizzeria.ca/">https://www.cowabungapizzeria.ca/</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/cowabungapizzeria/?hl=en">https://www.instagram.com/cowabungapizzeria/?hl=en</a></p><p>Thank you to our show sponsors:</p><p>Bacio Cheese:</p><p><a href="https://bit.ly/3FmQ3up">https://bit.ly/3FmQ3up</a></p><p>Corto:<a href="https://bit.ly/457DNII">https://bit.ly/457DNII</a></p><p>Join my Instagram Community Channel: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbbWnReTYIlCfO21/">https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbbWnReTYIlCfO21/</a></p><p>Patreon Page: <a href="http://patreon.com/whatsgooddough">patreon.com/whatsgooddough</a></p><p>DM <a href="https://www.instagram.com/whatsgooddough/#">@whatsgooddough</a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/whatsgooddough/">https://www.instagram.com/whatsgooddough/</a>email me: <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a></p><p>Edited By Valentine Phelippeau</p><p>Topic:Cowabunga Pizza, hybrid sourdough pizza, pizza dough recipe, 72 hour cold ferment, pizza master oven settings, pizza screens vs wooden peel, how to scale a pizzeria, starting a pizza business, pizza slice shop setup, Canadian pizzerias, pepperoni pizza recipe, cheese slice competition, world’s best cheese slice, pizza expo Vegas, restaurant branding, social media marketing for restaurants, pizza shop workflow, dough fermentation tips, pizza sauce recipe, mozzarella blends, Ardent Mills flour, brick and mortar startup story, pandemic restaurant success story, pizza shop equipment, food entrepreneurship, pizza Instagram marketing, behind the scenes pizza kitchen, pizza dough hydration, pizza toppings ideas, restaurant consistency systems, global pizza expansion, pizza business strategy</p><p></p>