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Looking for a fast pizza maker

T

Tony397

New member
Hey Everyone,

I didn’t know where else to post something, but I am in the need of a fast pizza maker that can use bulk sausage and a deck oven. We are located in the NW suburbs of Chicago. I guess if there was such a person, he is employed already and no one here wants to let him go, but I thought I would try anyway.

Thank you,

Tony
 
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Hi,

Thanks for the info. I will give it a try. Trying to find someone that can learn applying bulk sausage has become an art form I think. Hopefully I will have some luck on Craigslist.

Thanks again,

Tony
 
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I’ll have to try wet fingers - do you keep a bowl of water nearby? How often do you change it? We do the pinch and flick method. This helps insure the pieces are small enough to cook thoroughly since our thins are only in for 6 minutes.

You need to find a good worker and let them learn. I’ve been stunned by the number of guys who start really slow only to have it click all of the sudden. I think it’s harder to find a GOOD EMPLOYEE than it is a FAST PIZZA MAKER because I can usually teach the latter.

Patrick Cuezze
 
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I cant agree more! A good worker may not be the fastest or the best but what I have learned is that there is a point where they get comfortable and the speed will come, I started last year in looking for good employees around town and offering a little more pay, I have 2 real good employees that started out part time and came aboard full time.
 
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I agree- the defination of a good manager is :
Not being better than your staff but training your staff to be better than you. Find a good employee and you can create an oven master

We have better luck finding people when we are patient. We ask other employees if they know someone and would they put their name on them.
 
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pcuezze:
I’ll have to try wet fingers - do you keep a bowl of water nearby?
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Our guys just wet their fingertips with sauce from the pizza or a little bit out of the line. Get the fingertips wet and also smear it on the sausage.
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pcuezze:
This helps insure the pieces are small enough to cook thoroughly since our thins are only in for 6 minutes.
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I train cooks to be flattening with the left hand that is holding the bulk while applying with their right hand (assuming they’re right handed.) Every time they pinch a piece off, they flatten the bulk with their left hand between the thumb and first two fingers. That piece is the next to be taken off, and repeat.

It takes some coordination and practice, but my trained guys can generally get sausage applied to a 16" in about 45 seconds, and we do a solid layer of sausage - the pieces are almost touching.
 
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I agree with using Craigslist. Best response I’ve had. My advice would be to advertise a "job fair’. Put a specific day and time frame and do all the interviews on the spot. Sifting through a few hundred online resumes is a waste of time imo. A lot of the people who will email you resumes are just sending out resumes to every ad. They may live an hour away, etc. . . .
 
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We do not accept online resumes nor do we look at them if sent. Our ads say “Apply in person between 10AM and 4PM, no calls or emails please”. If someone sends a resume by email, we respond politely to “please apply in person as requested in the ad”. If the email asks whether the position is still available we do respond with the truth as I think that is a reasonable question before going to the trouble to come in.

If they do not care enough to come in person (or can not follow simple instructions) we don’t want them.
 
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bodegahwy:
We do not accept online resumes nor do we look at them if sent. Our ads say “Apply in person between 10AM and 4PM, no calls or emails please”. I someone sends a resume by email, we respond politely to “please apply in person as requested in the ad”. If the email asks whether the position is still available we do respond with the truth as I think that is a reasonable question before going to the trouble to come in.

If they do not care enough to come in person (or can not follow simple instructions) we don’t want them.
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I agree with this philosophy though we take the opposite approach. I ask them to draft an e-mail with their work history and send it to me. You’d be surprised how many give up at that point. The number of people that just can’t fathom we don’t have an application is kind of staggering. They are so trained to fill out an application and turn it in, they can’t imagine there isn’t another way. I’ve actually had people who are mad at me because I don’t have an application. These are the people that think inside the box. We don’t want them.

Of those that do e-mail, we learn who takes it serious and who doesn’t. Then we have them in for a look. Same principle as Bodge, we just implement it a bit different.
 
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pcuezze:
The number of people that just can’t fathom we don’t have an application is kind of staggering. They are so trained to fill out an application and turn it in, they can’t imagine there isn’t another way. I’ve actually had people who are mad at me because I don’t have an application. These are the people that think inside the box. We don’t want them.
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I had this opinion until I attended a session on hiring. I have included questions on availability, wage expectations, referral source and if they can legally work. These are rarely covered in a resume. A resume is the applicant’s shot at selling themselves and has a place in the hiring process. I just need to know if we are on common ground before I spend time interviewing.

I am still amazed at the number of applications that are only partially filled in. Those are an automatic no.
 
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If I did not hire applicants with unimpressive resume/application skills… well, we would always be hiring. We are talking pizza makers here. I am more interested in whether they look me in the eye and seem “on the ball” than I am with correct spelling on a resume. We do, however, check references.

Our best source of employees is a combination of our reputation as a place to work and referrals from current employees. It can amaze you how oblivious your staff is. Be sure to tell them you are looking! You might also consider a “bounty”. Offer $100 to an employee that refers an applicant that you hire who. Two suggested rules: 1. They have to tell you the name BEFORE the applicant comes in to apply. 2. Payment is after 120 days successful employment at some number of hours per week that works for you.
 
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