Pizza King Podcast: Real Talk for Pizzeria Owners & Operators

Learn how to cut costs in your pizzeria without cutting quality. In this episode, Tyrell Reed shares three proven strategies every operator can use: portion control to keep food costs in line, smart ordering to avoid waste, and efficient scheduling to save on labor. These steps can add up to thousands of dollars in savings each month while keeping your pizzas, service, and customer experience consistent. If you’re serious about pro...

Cheese is the biggest cost in your shop, and if you’re not tracking it, you’re losing money. In this Takeout Tip I show you how just one extra ounce per pizza can cost nearly $6,000 a year. 

Today’s episode is sponsored by Tyrell Reed—download your free New Store Opening Checklist 

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In this episode of The Pizza King Podcast, I sit down with Matthew Zeiss, better known online as @swedza, the creator of Holy Hot Honey. Matt shares his journey from growing up on Long Island to moving to Sweden, where he discovered a completely different pizza culture. One where kebab pizza reigns supreme and Friday night means tacos, not pizza.

We talk about his deep dive into making authentic New York–style pizza at home, how tha...

In this Takeout Tip, Tyrell Reed explains how clear expectations on day one improve pizza shop training and team performance. Learn a simple way to set non-negotiables with new hires and build a stronger restaurant culture.

Takeout Tips are quick bites of restaurant leadership and pizza business advice from the Pizza King Podcast.

For more tools and full episodes, follow the Pizza King Podcast. 

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Most restaurants don’t fail because of bad food. They fail because of poor leadership. In this episode, Tyrell Reed shares lessons from his California Restaurant Show session Lead the Shift, including how to train managers who lead, not babysit, and why systems, not goals, drive success. Plus, news on his upcoming book Lead the Shift.

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The California Restaurant Show 2025 brought pizzeria owners, restaurant operators, and the pizza industry together under one roof. Hear my highlights from the event, leadership lessons from the stage, and visits to some of the best pizza shops in California. 

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What can a pizza operator learn from a guy who's built and scaled 12 online brands to over $10 million in sales — without a warehouse, storefront, or full-time staff? 

In this episode, I sit down with Neil Twa, Amazon FBA expert and co-author of Almost-Automated Income, to unpack the systems, mindset, and data-driven strategy behind his success. 

We cover: 

• How Neil finds profitable products in minutes
• Why volume doesn’t matt...

In this episode of The Pizza King Podcast, I break down what it’s really like to sell your pizza shop after 23 years in the business. From running seven Westshore Pizza locations to navigating the emotional ups and downs of exiting the business, I share the behind-the-scenes story of my final days as a restaurant owner.

Whether you're thinking about selling your pizzeria, planning your exit strategy, or just curious about what ...

I used to think Gen Z was just entitled and lazy—until I realized I needed to shift how I lead. In this episode, I’m breaking down what’s actually working inside my pizzeria to lead and connect with Gen Z employees.

From coaching in the moment to celebrating small wins and using the tools they actually prefer, I share real-life strategies that have helped me go from frustrated to fired up about this new generation. If you're st...

In this episode, I sit down with Ryan Giffin, founder of Commercial Kitchen Stop, to talk shop — literally. Ryan and I dig into everything from smart kitchen design to saving real money when you're building out a new pizzeria.

He shares how he went from side hustling and cutting bold purchase orders during COVID to becoming one of the top 100 kitchen dealers in the country. We talk about his recent acquisition of a competitor, ...

In this episode of The Pizza King Podcast, I’m joined by Eddie LeBon and Joel from Thrive POS — not to sell you on their system, but to pull back the curtain on what it’s really like choosing the right point of sale for your pizza shop.

These two bring a rare mix of tech-side knowledge and real restaurant experience. We talk through what operators get wrong when picking a POS, the mistakes they’ve seen firsthand, what questions you ...

What do you do when you buy all the pizza equipment, start your buildout… and the guy who promised to train you ghosts you? If you're Brian Nittayo, you hit the Pizza Expo, meet Tony Gemignani, hustle your way to a crash course in New York—and never look back.

In this episode, Brian from Rose City Pizza joins me to share how he turned a rocky start into a viral pizza brand, known for creative pies like birria, elote, and al pas...

Think opening a pizzeria requires half a million dollars in the bank? Think again. In this episode, I'm breaking down what it really costs to start a pizza shop from scratch—whether you're hustling on a $50K budget or building something bold with $500K+. 

We cover every stage of the journey, from choosing your location to buying equipment, budgeting for marketing, and navigating the hidden costs that most new owners overl...

What’s up, fam. It’s just me on the mic today—and I want to talk about something that’s got a lot of operators stuck. 

Systems. 

Not the clipboard, corporate kind. I’m talkin’ real systems that give you your time back, build up your people, and let the business run without you being in the building 24/7. 

Last week, Paul from Pie Trap said something that hit hard—he realized avoiding systems was the reason he stayed stuck. And I’ve be...

Paul Cody, owner of Pie Trap Pizza in Covina, CA, joins the show for a no-filter conversation on leadership, culture, and turning passion into purpose. From sneaking a fryer into a 400 sq ft kitchen to curating a hip-hop-inspired menu with explosive pies, Paul shares how he built a loyal fanbase by keeping it real and putting quality first. We talk team dynamics, rising food costs, TikTok-fueled growth, and why systems—not vibes—se...

How Pizza Magnets Took Over the Internet (with Todd from Popp’s Trophies)

What started as a small-town trophy shop turned into one of the pizza industry’s most viral success stories. In this episode, I chop it up with Todd from Popp’s Trophies—creator of the famous pizza peel magnets.

We talk about his wild leap from landscaping to laser engraving, how a Wu-Tang slice blew up on Instagram, and why investing in yourself always pays o...

What’s up, Pizza Fam!

This episode’s a little different—I took it all the way back to the beginning. Why? Because the question keeps coming up: “T, how’d you get started in this pizza game?” And with so many new listeners joining the family, I figured now’s the perfect time to tell the real story—my origin story.

Let me be clear: I shouldn’t be here. I should’ve been fired. I should’ve been broke for good. I should’ve quit. But ...

In this episode of The Pizza King Podcast, Tyrell Reed sits down with the energetic and inspiring Joey Karvelas, co-founder of Karvelas Pizza Company. Joey shares the story of how he turned a $19,000 investment into a growing pizza empire across Georgia.

From humble beginnings in a run-down pizza shop to running six locations and planning more, Joey’s story is packed with hard-earned wisdom, personal growth, and real-life lessons fo...

In this episode, I’m giving you my full recap of the 2025 Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. From my 4 a.m. flight out of Tampa to the non-stop action on the show floor, this trip was packed with energy, connection, and plenty of pizza talk.

I share what stood out to me the most—from reconnecting with pizza friends to seeing the latest in equipment and tech. I dive into the topic of automation in our industry—some of it I’m here for (hello, d...