The third annual Pizza Executive Summit kicked off at Chicago’s Sofitel with registration and a food tour on June 26, 2011.
Debra Estes (left), from PizzaMarketplace, visits with Maria Santonato, with Chicago-based agency Noble, and with William Lyle, who represented sponsor SpeedLine Solutions.
Mary Jo Beniger and James Dougala are from Chicago, where they operate Osteria Nonna Maria.
Bobby Renaud, head of events for NetWorld Alliance and Summit producer, stood aboard the trolley taking attendees to Chicago pizzerias. About 35 guests made the trek.
Danielle and Frank Fusco, from Angelo's Pizza, had a good time on the trolley, operated by Chicago Pizza Tours.
Cherryh Butler, editor of PizzaMarketplace, stood at the back of the trolley, basking in the warm Chicago summer sun.
Editor Cherryh Butler visited with Gerry O’Brion, a speaker for the Summit.
The first stop was Pizano’s Pizza and Pasta. Tour guide Jon Porter selected the pizzeria because of its cultural significance and relationship to the neighborhood in Chicago’s Loop area. The owner’s father is credited with inventing the deep dish pizza.
Summit guests filled the cozy downstairs dining room of Pizano’s where they dined on samples of the restaurant's deep dish and thin crust pies.
Pizano’s provided a mix of thin-crust and deep-dish pizzas.
Pizano’s provided a mix of thin-crust and deep-dish pizzas.
Childhood sweethearts Brianna and Jonathan Cowan operate Old Town Pizza company, which has grown to six units in Illinois.
Coalfire Pizza in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood was the second of the tour’s three stops. The site was selected to show that there was more to Chicago pizza then deep dish.
Summit-goers enjoyed some water and beer while waiting for the pies.
From left: Gerry O’Brion, speaker; Tricia Murphy, representing sponsor NEC; Maria Santonato from Noble; and FastCasual.com editor Valerie Killifer shared a table.
Tour guide Jon Porter holds up a Neapolitan-style pizza, hot out of the oven.
The oven at Coalfire Pizza is one of the few coal-burning ones left in the city. Temperatures of 800 degrees crisp the crust while keeping the fillings at just the right temperatures.
Lee Zannoni is responsible for marketing and daily operations for Angelo’s Pizza, which is in the Cleveland area.
The third stop was Bella Bacino’s Italian Bistro and Pizzeria. Having sampled deep dish and Neapolitan, Summit attendees got to try a spinach and cheese stuffed pizza.
One feature of the restaurant is a wall covered in wood from wine crates.
A close, richly colored downstairs dining room provided an intimate setting to fill up on spinach and cheese-stuffed pizza at Bella Bacino's.