The Hot Slice
The Hot Slice brings you inspiring stories, strategies and lessons learned from successful pizzeria professionals and top experts. This podcast is hosted by the team at Pizza Today, the premier network for pizzeria professionals. We’re bringing our award-winning interviewing and 37 years as a trusted pizza restaurant partner to the airwaves with real, in-depth conversations with pizzeria owners, champion pizza makers, industry pros and others to help make your business better.
The Hot Slice
320. Timber Pizza Co., Building the Biz from Food Trucks to 10 Locations
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Twelve years ago, two guys in a baby blue 1967 Chevy truck were blasting 90s hip-hop at a D.C. farmers market and slinging wood-fired pizza to anyone who'd listen. Today, that operation is closing in on 10 locations and building a national franchise.
In this episode, we sit down with Chris Brady, co-founder and president of Timber Pizza Co. Chris and his partner Andrew Dana traded tech sales careers for a pizza oven in 2014, opened their first brick-and-mortar in D.C.'s Petworth neighborhood in 2016 and have since expanded across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. Now he's focused on franchising the right way: slow, intentional and rooted in the same community-first values that started it all.
Here's what Chris gets into:
· The origin story: Why he and Andrew walked away from tech sales, and how a Charlottesville pizza truck sparked the whole thing
· Timber's pizza style: Marrying New York-style crunch and hold with Neapolitan wood-fired chew, plus why provolone earns a spot in the cheese blend
· The 85/15 model: Keeping 85% of every Timber consistent while leaving 15% for local flair like regional craft beer and neighborhood decor
· The dough non-negotiable: Scratch-made recipe with a strict 48-hour proof at every single location, no exceptions
· Vetting franchise partners: Why integrity, a real operational plan and the right market matter more than the check that clears
· Building employee culture: Tip pooling across the house, wages above the tipped minimum and a "we've got your back" approach that's driven five to six year average tenure
· Advice for growing operators: Pay the pros, delegate your weaknesses early and be honest about where you're not the A player
· The road ahead: Staying committed to the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, with a goal of five to six new stores in 2026 to reach the 15 to 16 unit range
Show Notes:
