Is this the origin of London-style pizza? | Tom Vincent's Vincenzo's Pizzeria

Summary

Tom Vincent, owner of Vincenzo's Pizza, shares his passion for pizza-making, from building his own coal oven to creating a unique London-style pizza. He discusses his artistic endeavors, community involvement, and the challenges of mastering dough. Tom also shares insights on managing a bustling pizzeria, offering a glimpse into the art of crafting the perfect pizza.

Takeaways

• 🎨 Tom Vincent is the owner and operator of Vincenzo's Pizza in Bushy, where he is involved in every aspect from creating pizzas to designing branding and training staff.
• 🖌️ Tom has a passion for art, evident in the paintings on the walls of his shop, some of which he created himself, including the frame.
• 🏠 The shop's interior, including the walls and ceiling, was personally renovated by Tom, who even mixed his own plaster using an old recipe.
• 🎬 Tom was asked to make pizzas for a scene in the film 'A Quiet Place', which involved pizzas being blown up, and he has a souvenir from the film set.
• 🍕 He built his own pizza oven in his garden, which was the first thing he made pizzas on, and it is a Coal Oven that he constructed himself.
• 🌐 The shop is community-oriented, sponsoring the local football team and giving back to the community.
• 🍽️ Tom's motivation for opening the shop was his obsession with building an oven and making pizza, which he practiced during lockdown by making pizzas for friends, family, and NHS staff.
• 📈 Tom's pizza style has evolved into what he calls 'London style' pizza, inspired by the adaptation of traditional methods to local conditions and ingredients.
• 👨‍🍳 The dough at Vincenzo's is carefully managed, with a long proofing period and attention to detail in shaping and baking to achieve the perfect pizza.
• 📋 The menu is simple, focusing on a few types of pizza that Tom wants to eat himself, believing that if he makes pizza he likes, and others enjoy it, then he's successful.
• 📈 The shop has been busy from the start, with a constant hustle and bustle, and a menu that is always evolving with sought-after off-menu items.

Q & A

Who is Tom Vincent?

Tom Vincent is the owner and operator of Vincenzo's Pizza located in Bushy.

What is unique about the interior of Vincenzo's Pizza?

The interior of Vincenzo's Pizza is unique because Tom Vincent himself painted the walls and created the branding, including an artwork he made and the frame for it.

What did Tom Vincent do before starting Vincenzo's Pizza?

Before starting Vincenzo's Pizza, Tom Vincent got into painting and even used an old recipe to create the walls and ceilings of the shop.

How did Tom Vincent get involved with the film 'A Quiet Place'?

Tom Vincent was asked by a film studio down the road to make pizzas for a scene in 'A Quiet Place' where pizzas would get blown up.

What is the significance of the souvenir Tom Vincent received from the film set?

The souvenir from the film set is significant as it represents Tom Vincent's involvement in the movie industry through his pizza-making skills.

What is special about the oven Tom Vincent built in his garden?

The oven Tom Vincent built in his garden is special because it was the first thing he made pizza on, and it represents his passion for building things and making pizza.

How did the lockdown affect Tom Vincent's plans for Vincenzo's Pizza?

The lockdown made Tom Vincent more determined to open a shop. He practiced making pizzas in his garden and gave them out to NHS staff and friends and family.

What is Tom Vincent's approach to making pizza?

Tom Vincent's approach to making pizza is to use whatever ingredients and tools are available to create a style that works, which he calls 'London style' pizza.

What is the process for making the dough at Vincenzo's Pizza?

The dough at Vincenzo's Pizza is made by a long bulk fermentation process, where it proofs for about 24 hours, then sits in the fridge for another 20 hours, and is pulled out 4 hours before service.

How does Tom Vincent handle the dough when it's not behaving as expected?

When the dough is not behaving as expected, Tom Vincent suggests giving it a 'timeout' to allow the gluten to relax before returning to it.

What is the significance of the local football team sponsorship by Vincenzo's Pizza?

The sponsorship of the local football team by Vincenzo's Pizza signifies the shop's commitment to giving back to the community.

Outlines

00:00

🍕 Introduction to Vincenzo's Pizza

Tom Vincent, the owner and operator of Vincenzo's Pizza in Bushy, introduces himself and his pizzeria. He discusses his passion for creating pizzas, branding, and training staff. Tom shares his love for painting and how he personally decorated the shop, including making the frame for one of his paintings and applying an old recipe to the walls himself. He also talks about his involvement in a film where he made pizzas for a scene, and how he has created a unique 'London style' pizza, different from traditional New York or Italian styles. He describes the process of building his own coal oven in his garden and the journey of opening his shop during lockdown, making pizzas for friends, family, and NHS staff.

05:00

👨‍🍳 The Art of Pizza Making

Tom explains the process of making pizza, starting with the dough. He emphasizes the importance of dough management and how it can change throughout the day, with the last pizza often being the best. He shares tips for managing the dough, such as giving it a 'timeout' if it's not behaving as expected. Tom also discusses the importance of hydration levels in the dough, adjusting them based on the season and weather. He talks about the simplicity of his menu, which focuses on pizzas that he personally enjoys eating. He mentions off-menu items like the 'grandma' pizza and shares his thoughts on the inclusion of pineapple on pizza. Tom also describes the process of making a potato, shallot, and pepperoncino pizza, highlighting the use of a mandolin for slicing and the importance of oven spring for a good crust.

10:02

🏠 Future Plans and the Joy of Pizza Making

Tom talks about his future plans for a new, bigger shop and how he's already thinking about the decoration and management. He expresses his passion for making pizza, describing it as one of the most fun jobs despite the business side being draining and tiring. He shares the excitement and inspiration he feels every day in his shop, which is always buzzing with activity. Tom concludes by reiterating his love for the craft and his aspirations for the future of Vincenzo's Pizza.

Keywords

💡Vincenzo's Pizza

Vincenzo's Pizza is the central theme of the video, representing the pizzeria owned and operated by Tom Vincent. It is a place where Tom not only creates pizzas but also focuses on branding and training staff. The pizzeria is described as small but bustling with activities, reflecting Tom's passion for his craft and his dedication to creating a unique dining experience.

💡Branding

Branding in the context of the video refers to the visual and conceptual identity that Tom creates for Vincenzo's Pizza. This includes the artwork on the walls, the unique recipes, and the overall atmosphere of the pizzeria. Tom's involvement in branding is evident when he mentions creating the art along the walls and the effort he puts into making the pizzeria stand out.

💡Coal Oven

A Coal Oven is a key element in the video, representing the traditional method Tom uses to bake his pizzas. He mentions building an oven in his garden and the importance of the coal oven in achieving the authentic pizza flavor. The coal oven is a symbol of Tom's commitment to quality and traditional pizza-making techniques.

💡Dough

Dough is a fundamental component in pizza making and is frequently discussed in the video. Tom talks about the process of making dough, from the initial mixing to the fermentation period, emphasizing the importance of understanding dough behavior. The dough's quality directly impacts the final pizza's texture and taste, making it a critical aspect of Tom's craft.

💡Pizza Style

Pizza Style refers to the unique characteristics of the pizzas made at Vincenzo's, influenced by Tom's personal touch and the tools he uses. He mentions creating a 'London style' pizza, which is a blend of traditional methods and his own innovations, reflecting his desire to put a local spin on a global food.

💡Film Collaboration

Film Collaboration is mentioned when Tom talks about being asked to make pizzas for a scene in a film where they get blown up. This instance shows how his pizzas have gained recognition beyond the local community and have become part of pop culture, adding an interesting dimension to his business.

💡Community

Community is a recurring theme in the video, with Tom mentioning his sponsorship of the local football team and his desire to give back. This reflects his commitment to being an integral part of the neighborhood and contributing to its well-being, which is an important aspect of his business philosophy.

💡Proofing

Proofing is a crucial step in the dough-making process that Tom discusses in detail. It involves allowing the dough to rise and develop flavor over an extended period. Tom's mention of the 24-hour proofing period highlights his attention to detail and the time-intensive nature of crafting high-quality pizza dough.

💡Oven Spring

Oven Spring is a term used to describe the initial rise of the dough in the oven, which contributes to the pizza's texture. Tom talks about achieving good oven spring as a sign of a well-prepared dough, indicating his expertise in controlling the baking process to produce the desired results.

💡Char

Char refers to the desirable browning and slight charring of the pizza crust that occurs in a hot oven. Tom emphasizes the importance of char in achieving a flavorful crust, and he discusses how to manage the oven temperature to get the perfect level of char without burning the pizza.

💡Residual Heat

Residual Heat is the heat that remains in the oven after the flame has been turned off, which Tom uses to his advantage to finish cooking his pizzas. This technique allows for a crispy finish without burning, demonstrating his ingenuity and mastery over the baking process.

Highlights

Tom Vincent, owner of Vincenzo's Pizza, shares his passion for pizza-making and his journey.

Tom's shop is a small space filled with art and personal touches, including his own paintings.

Tom created the branding and trained the staff, reflecting his dedication to the business.

He shares his experience of being asked to make pizzas for a film scene in 'A Quiet Place'.

Tom built his own pizza oven in his garden, showcasing his DIY spirit.

He experimented with an old pizza recipe, creating a unique blend for his pizzas.

Tom's pizza style is influenced by East Coast coal oven pizza, despite using an electric oven.

He discusses the importance of dough management and the variables that affect pizza throughout the day.

Tom's approach to pizza-making is to keep it simple, with a menu focused on quality over quantity.

He shares his process of making a classic Vincenzo's Margherita pizza.

Tom emphasizes the importance of dough proofing and the role it plays in achieving the perfect pizza.

He discusses the challenges of mastering dough and the need for a feel for it.

Tom shares his inspiration from a small shop in Naples and how he adapted the recipe.

He explains the concept of 'London style' pizza, born out of necessity and adaptation.

Tom discusses the importance of temperature control in the oven for achieving the perfect bake.

He shares tips for new pizza makers, including starting with mid-level hydration and giving the dough a timeout.

Tom's shop is always busy, and he attributes success to making pizzas he personally enjoys.

He talks about the off-menu items that are sought after by customers.

Tom demonstrates making a Grandma pizza, a style that's not on the menu but popular with customers.

He shares his experience of adapting traditional pizza-making techniques to his electric oven.

Tom discusses the art of achieving a perfect crust with char and the right amount of crispiness.

He talks about the community aspect of his business, sponsoring the local football team.

Tom shares his vision for a new, larger shop and the inspiration behind it.

Transcripts

yes gney I'm Tom welcome to venzo come

on

[Music]

in

venzo

[Music]

gangster oh I'm Tom Vincent owner

operator of Vincenzo's Pizza here in

bushy I create the pizzas create The

Branding uh training the staff the art

along the wall

venzo this is my little shop it's small

but you know there's a lot going on in

there so just before we started the shop

I was I got really into painting and

this is one of the ones I've done made

the frame for it and everything even the

walls you can see these walls they're uh

found an old recipe and mixed it myself

put it on the walls the ceilings were

were all dilapitated so I like hung a

new ceiling and I wanted to add some

detail on it you know P's in Harlem the

pizzeria there's a film called a quiet

place and and they asked me there's a

film studio down the road and they asked

me to make pizzas for a scene where pis

would get blown up in the film and uh

I've done the pieces for it and this is

one of the souvenirs I got from the film

set got the uh the latest collab parlay

some uh art by a local Artist A Portrait

of me a lot of people think that's a

self-portrait I didn't do that one some

more Sopranos based art people are

always doing paintings and pictures of

the shop which is lovely and people just

send them to me all the time this is the

oven that I built in my Garden the first

thing that I made pizza on real good

pizza this is a Coal Oven that was about

five three or $5 down all this was all

done by me so the only original thing in

this shop is the floor and these tiles

they just had to stay so that's the

local football team bushy and oxy venzo

sponsors the team we like to give back

to the community okay guys you've seen

the shop now let's make some pizza

[Music]

I love classical music yeah my main

motivation was to build an oven really

like I was obsessed with building things

and I always I wanted to make pizza the

building the oven took about 3 years of

like research thinking about it lying in

bed thinking how will it work and I was

more obsessed with that really and once

I got the oven down then I started

making pizza at home for like friends

friends and family and then when

lockdown hit I was obsessed with now

thinking I need to open a shop I found

somewhere local where I could do a popup

there practicing the pizza in the garden

giving them out to NHS staff giving them

out to friends and family and I was

doing it in the Woodfire oven I decided

I was going to start buy an electric

oven whatever pizza came out of it was

what what what I made by necessity a bit

like but the one the the guys that came

over from Italy to New York in like the

turn of the century they were using

Woodfire ovens but then they came over

there and they found coal ovens they

didn't have double zero flour they have

bread flour they didn't have fresh

mozzarella they made well they made

their own mozzarella and uh you know the

pizza came out differently and that's

basically what happened with my pizza it

was like whatever happens I know what I

want to make but whatever however it

comes out is how it comes out and and

and it's sort of like birthed style of

pizza I would say you know which is now

known as London style

pizza so this is just a classic

Vincenzo's Margarita so we've got some

uh

oregano three types of cheese bit of

olive oil I want every piece to be

perfect but when it does annoy me when

when when there's so many going through

and the oven starting to drop

temperature got a whole range of colors

on that see you got the

Char you got some deep tan you got some

nice sort of wheaty bready colors that's

exactly what we're after some gr padana

Char is important Char is important but

it's a fine line you know the dough is

the hardest part to master cuz you're

always learning you're never and you're

never really happy you're always trying

to tweak it and stuff like that to make

pizza you got to have a you got to have

a good feeling for the dough you got to

know where to put your hands you got to

know how much pre pressure to apply to

it and stuff like that so it's not a job

for everyone you know Jo I was watching

how he did his shop you know he had that

little shop uh he was only making 40

pizzas a night he was doing it himself

and I loved that I like the way his

pizza looked and I had a go making his

recipe that was in his book I used it as

a base but you know I brought it it just

become My Own Thing by changing the time

the temperature you know the amount of

yeast if you find a recipe you think you

like you can dial it in and scale it up

you

know so this dough here this has been

it's been proofing for about 24 hours

it's going to get bowled up and then

it's going to sit in the fridge for

another maybe 20 hours and we'll pull it

out about 4 hours before service it's

got some nice strength to it looks good

if you want to get the results that I'm

getting you can you can use poolish you

can use beer what I've always done is

just relied on a strong on a long bulk

if I cut through it here look you can

see it's nice and proofy it's got loads

of air in it it's still strong it's got

a nice charge to it and that's what you

want give it a rough ball up and then

later on once I've done a bunch of them

they'll get a nice Shuffle and uh I

think everyone who makes pizza knows

that bough management can be tricky and

you know there's variables to it so

Pizza can change throughout the day so

for us usually the last pizza of the

night is the best one and that's the one

like the guys want to eat you know

that's the one the lads one got to pinch

these up make sure it's sealed nice bit

of spring to it yeah I always say don't

needs a timeout if you're teaching

someone to make pizza and they're

getting it wrong and it's going all

funny shapes the more you agitate it the

worse it'll be but I would say just

leave it just leave give it a timeout

you come back to it and then they're

surprised how easy it is to manage cuz

the CU the gluten needs to relax a

little bit you can make your dough

behave differently if it's a really

humid day it's going to act like a a wet

a dough you know so we might fluctuate a

little bit you know we might take the

hydration down a bit in the summer

summer and up a bit in the winter so for

new people starting out with pizza I

would probably tell them to start the

hydration at a mid level and either go

up or down depending on the direction

they want to go in also I would

encourage them to ball up quite far in

advance you know people come in here and

they say Tom I'm making pizza we bowled

Up 3 hours before and the dough keeps

stringing back just give the dough a

timeout if it's not doing what you want

it to do give it a time out you know

sometimes I see people making a pizza

and it's a funny shape and they're just

fighting against the uh the gluten work

you know if you leave it for 2 minutes

come back you're going to easily be able

to just pull it around or just put or

just sauce it top it it might look funny

once you get on that pill it's it's by

default it's had it's time to relax and

you can just yeah so just be calm don't

do anything silly and just take your

time give it a timeout yeah the shop has

been busy from day one we're always up

against it it's always the service is

always crazy it's always crammed in the

menu is Just Pizza that I want to eat I

always say if you make pizza that you

want to eat and people like it then

you're on to something something you

know and uh I like to keep it simple but

we've got seven pieces on the menu

there's not many and then there's a few

off menu items as well which are sought

after whenever I do the vodka sauce you

know people are asking for it and I'll

say like it's just one day within it

today but then the rest of the week

everyone's asking you got any left you

know we do grandmas every day but we

don't put it on the menu because we

we've only got a few tins it slows us

down

so you could call it a sicilian you

could call it a pan pizza my customers

know it's a grandma so I'm going to

adopt the a little bit so just put a few

holes in it when it rises it's going to

it's going to fill the pan so if you

don't get it in the corners it doesn't

really matter this ain't this ain't a

slice shot where it needs to be perfect

this is more of a you know it's going to

go on a pan it's going to go out to the

customer and they're going to eat the

whole thing so not a lot of sauce just

enough just to smear so it don't dry out

there's a few off menu items here that

everyone wants actually put pineapple on

a pizza recently said I'd never do

it like everyone loves it right look at

that that's got a nice par bake on it

bottom should be starting to get a

little bit

crisp this will stop the cheese from

burning because it's a longer bake this

is like maybe 10 12 minutes bake that

can really destroy cheese so you know

this is how they used to do it in the

old school coold oven places like tonos

John blea cuz those coold ovens got like

a hot dry heat so you would uh you w

want that cheese to burn goes back in

for another however long it takes

that's nearly done I'm going to go a

little bit little bit

[Music]

darker oh that's done

perfect if we leave it on the tray for a

minute you know the

bottom will stay nice and crispy well

everyone knows the best part is the

corner isn't it because you know you got

the crunch from all the way around so

I'm going to go for this one it's light

as a feather look at that can you see

those

bubbles nice crispy

crust the real inspiration was uh Co

oven pizza from the east coast of

America you know places like uh in New

York New Jersey New Haven those places

by default you know you we don't have Co

ovens I've got an electric oven you know

we have different ingredients it's all

crispy pizza it's all nice light and

Airy they're all using great ingredients

but everyone's is slightly different and

I think you know londoners is is giving

everyone else a run for their money in

pizza for this pizza we're doing potato

shalot mozzarella and we're going to

finish it with the pepperoncino always

be careful when using a mandolin right

I'm going to hit that with some salt and

pepper some oil get them all coated and

they're dressed and ready got some nice

Lively dough today if your dough is not

very Lively and you're going to stick it

in oven this when you're turning the

heat down you're never going to get that

oven spring but there's plenty of gas in

these bubbles which is just going to

react and open it up to about 14 15 in

give it a final stretch on the pill got

the

potatoes and the shots dressed just a

bit of olive oil salt and pepper cook

they're nice and thin they should cook

perfectly right the oven's on full flame

going to take it down a bit going to

take it all the way down so it doesn't

burn because we're cooking this a lot

longer than you would a neapolitan

[Music]

pizza pretty much got all the oven

spring we're going to get it's it's got

the rise on it all we really want is the

color and for it to firm up now so I'm

just going to keep an eye and make sure

it doesn't get too burnt on one Edge cuz

it is a big pizza but this Arc will

definitely take a 16in pizza no problem

I'm really happy with how that's come

out but if I wanted to like cook it even

longer without burning it what you could

do you could just turn it off and just

let it sit in there a couple of minutes

so you just turn it all the way down to

zero now there's no flame but the

residual heat will just keep it cooking

and and crisp it up and you can just

it's it's like a safe way of cooking it

without burning it you'll get a much

harder bake on it with the residual Heat

[Music]

pepperoncino with some olive oil I'm

just going to drizzle it on to finish

off here with some Granite

[Music]

[Applause]

padana so this is my pizza with potato

shalots and pepperoncino in the gni

[Music]

AR right so cooking it in the ark and

dropping the temperature on it will

create the same sort of effect that you

get at venzo in the shop as you can

see it's crispy as anything beautiful

bottom and uh just cooked all the way

through lovely making pizza is is one of

the most fun jobs ever you know there's

the business side of it no you know it's

it's really draining it's really tiring

but when you're here you're making pizza

people are coming in the shop and

there's a b there's always a buzz in

this shop you know it's it's ins it's

inspiring every day and uh um I'm hoping

to get a new shop you know soon so a

bigger one so I'm already thinking about

how I'm going to decorate it what I'm

going to do you know what sort of like d

management are we going to have you know

what will it be like and uh yeah yeah

I'm Keen to like yes it's it's inspiring

every day yeah it really is

[Music]