A pizza pop-up has been appearing at different Wirral venues, serving a variety of delicious Neapolitan style pizza.
Dough Bros is the creation of Jack Cooke and Matthew McAndrew, friends and chefs who make and sell their own pizzas.
The duo have weekly pop-ups across Wirral, including Claremont Farm in Bebington, The Black Toad in Hoylake and The Wild Inn in West Kirby.
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Speaking to the ECHO, Jack said: “I’ve been a pizza chef for about five years and I’ve always really wanted to open my own pizza place. I’ve worked in Liverpool at the prestigious Little Furnace and also managed the Elephant Lounge pizza kitchen.
“Seeing all these thriving independents with amazing management and fantastic staff really motivated me to take the step to set up my own indie. Matt has also had a similar path, working at Forza in West Kirby, Proove in Manchester and also at Elephant Lounge.
“When we started working together we clicked immediately and were straight on the same page, all we needed was Graeme the Gozney Roccbox (one of our pizza ovens) to kick things off! Dough Bros came about from our passion for pizzas and the thriving independent scene that we’ve had the pleasure to grow up around here in the North West.”
Yes, the Dough Bros aren’t actually brothers, but it feels like they are. Jack continued: “It’s starting to become a bit of a running joke that sadly we aren’t actually brothers - we are blagging the name a bit!
“We are really close friends and we’ve known each other for over a year now and we’ve pretty much been inseparable which really plays into the enjoyment and excitement of running a business together. We always have a laugh and a joke, so it’s a belter working environment.
“It’s not really a working relationship because it feels like too much fun to just be ‘work’. It also helps that we both love our craft and want to make the best pizzas we physically can, so it creates some healthy competition as well, which is always good for the banter in the kitchen environment.”
Dough Bros have five core flavours - Margherita, Pepperoni, The Greek (spinach, feta and sundried tomatoes), Marinara (a classic and staple vegan option), and The Spaniard (garlic base with fresh mozzarella, grilled chorizo and garlic mushrooms).
Jack added: “At each venue, we also have a special pizza which is unique to that place. For Claremont Farm, we have a breakfast pizza menu too. And before you turn your nose up at breakfast pizzas, they are actually insanely tasty! My personal favourite though is The Spaniard, and Matt’s is the classic Margherita.”
People can also hire Dough Bros for their private parties and events. Jack said: “We enjoy giving a more personal and tailored experience, because at the end of the day, if you are hosting a private event, you’d much rather have a more intimate and personal vibe to it.
“We enjoy the challenge of really making that important day that little bit more special, offering more personalised choices to the pizzas that you would get at our locals. For us, it’s all about being the best at what we do, so catering to the private events really makes us feel that way.”
The support for Dough Bros has been incredible so far, and the duo have big plans for the future, including more Wirral pop-ups, events and festivals. Jack explained: “It all seemed like a dream just a few months ago. We’ve been so blessed to have the support of so many local independents and food lovers who have really kicked off our business.
“We wouldn’t be able to do it without that love and support, especially the management team and owners at the Elephant Collective. They provided us with Graeme the Gozney and helped us get started. Also, the owners of The Black Toad, The Wild Inn and Claremont Farm who have given us this platform to be able to shine.
“We are absolutely blown away by the positive reception we’ve had from the customers, everyone seems to love them, whether it be family, friends or people who are experiencing our pizzas for the first time, and that for us is just incredible - it’s the reason we get out of bed in the morning.
“Equally, we are so grateful for all the feedback and support we get from the customers, as well as the advice and new connections and friends we have made. We can’t wait to get out there more and give back to the people who have supported us.”
You can follow Dough Bros on Instagram here to keep up to date with their latest pop-up events and to contact them. Alternatively, you can email doughbrosltd@gmail.com.
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