Jessica Horvath says "a lot of love and care" goes into the house-made dough at G Pizza in Mayfield.
A lot of time, too.
"We always make our dough 48 hours in advance which allows crucial time for it to rise, giving it the perfect flavour and texture," she tells Weekender.
"Our pizza sauce and other sauces are made in-house using our own recipes, and all our chicken wings are cooked in-house with our own spice blends, rubs and marinades.
"We go to the local markets every week to get our fresh produce, and we roast our veggies such as pumpkin, zucchini, sweet potato and eggplant in-house."
Don't believe her? Check it out for yourself.
"At Mayfield, we designed the shop with an open-style kitchen so you can see all our products and pizzas being prepared and cooked right in front of you," she explains.
"We wanted to show off our entire operation, from how the kitchen is run to exactly how your food is made."
Jessica and her husband Vlad opened G Pizza at Mayfield in August, a sister restaurant to G Pizza at Rutherford. They've lived in Newcastle for the past seven years.
"Vlad has worked in hospitality management for over 20 years now. He's run venues of all different kinds, from casual eateries to cafes to fine dining restaurants," Jessica says.
"My background is in hospitality marketing and events. I spent many years in Sydney working as a marketing manager for a hospitality group with multiple pubs and fine dining restaurants. I also worked at the Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, managing group programs and events."
Jessica and Vlad have always wanted to open their own business.
"We purchased Gourmet Pizza Rutherford in October 2021 and we have spent the last two years working hard on refining the product, operation, and building the G Pizza brand," Jessica says.
"We were excited about the prospect of opening another store closer to home in Newcastle and this time we wanted to do it all ourselves: from the location, to the fit-out, to opening and building the business.
"With our hospitality backgrounds, we know that it's not just about offering a top-quality product, it's about the entire experience.
"We also know that a well-run, efficient operation is key to being able to provide consistency in both service and product."
Pizza choices include the Potato Bake (sour cream and garlic base, onion, scalloped potatoes, bacon, parmesan, fresh shallots; The Club (roast chicken, bacon, gourmet tomatoes, Spanish onion, aioli dip); Sweet Potato (roasted sweet potato, pesto, roasted red capsicum, Spanish onion, roasted pine nuts, blue-vein cheese); and the Aegean (garlic prawns, sun-dried tomatoes, brie, scallops, Spanish onion, fresh basil).
There's also a range of calzones to choose from, plus nachos, ribs, wings and dessert.
So, why the decision to open a pizza restaurant?
"We wanted to provide good honest food that becomes part of people's weekly routines, and pizza is the perfect way to achieve that as it caters to such a wide audience," Jessica says.
"We can offer a top-quality product, great value for money and it feeds the whole family. In the current financial climate of rising costs, it's great to be able to provide value without compromise."
Jessica and Vlad are happy to share two of their secrets to making a good pizza. The first is fresh, quality ingredients.
"Nothing beats it," she says.
"From the perfectly fermented dough to the house-made sauce and shredded mozzarella, every ingredient matters and we focus on making sure each and every one of them shines.
"It's also about striking that perfect balance of toppings; too many and your pizza won't cook properly, too little and you're missing out on flavour.
"Even the way the cheese is shredded makes a difference. We shred our cheese in-house to a thickness where we can ensure we get a perfect melt while retaining its moisture, and our fresh herbs and condiment drizzles add a lovely fresh finishing touch."
And the second?
"That passion and energy from our team when we hand over the box. We all genuinely care about each and every order that leaves our shop."
