iFresh Pizza Brings California Style to Beijing With Their Custom Made-to-Order Pies
Galaxy Soho is the place to be today for the final day of the Beijinger's 2015 Pizza Cup Launch Party, and to get your digestive juices flowing we are profiling some of the best pies in Beijing so that you, our faithful readers, can try as many as possible before we ask you to make your choice for the best. Today we talk to David Li, iFresh Pizza’s owner and CEO just one of the 18 pizza vendors that will be selling their wares from 11am-8pm. Come on down!
What's your style/pizza philosophy?
Our pizza style is based on what’s popular in California. Three to four years ago, several small pizza stores started opening up there, and they set themselves apart by customising customers’ pizzas. Think of it like a Subway sandwich shop, but pizzas were being made instead of sandwiches. That lets the customers get in on the action and make piazza too, it’s more intuitive and exciting because you can choose the toppings you want, and see the pizza being made by the staff on other side of glass.
In a market crowded with over 100 different pizza shops, what do you do to stand out?
Plenty of restaurants say they will customize your pizza for you, but all that means is you see some photos and ingredient lists on the menu, and just tell the waiter what toppings you want. We’re different. Here, you can come to the prep table, pick whatever ingredients you want and how many you want, customise any way you want and watch it being prepared. We have three flavors of crust — original, spinach and wheat. We also have 30 different varieties of meat and veggie toppings, and you can choose as many and as much as you want.
Aside from that we also have standard pizzas with set ingredients, mostly for people who are more new to pizza and might have a hard time deciding what ingredients to choose for the customizable pizzas. Our classic pepperoni is really popular, and so is our California BBQ pizza. We love to use lots of toppings on these pizzas — so many that you can’t hardly see the sauce underneath.
So you would say your pizza style is Californian, right? Tell us more about what that means exactly.
Aside from the pizzas being really customizable, it also means that everything is really healthy. We use extra virgin olive oil, and our pizzas baked, instead of cooking a pizza on a greasy pan.
Thick vs. Thin: What's your take?
In between. California style is not so thin but not so thick. We make is crispy on the outside and soft and gooey on the inside, by using a fresh press machine that we imported from the U.S.
What's the secret to your sauce?
I use my own recipe. I’m not a chef, but I am a good cook. I put in our own herbs and sugar and lime, and mix with the freshest tomatoes, to make a real fusion flavor.
What kind(s) of cheese do you use?
We have mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, and parmesan. The cheddar is all imported from England, and it’s been aged for 12 months.
Tell us about your standard pizza
Its name: Four cheese.
Thick or thin crust? Medium.
Type of sauce: Our own homemade tomato sauce.
Type(s) of cheese: Mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, and parmesan.
How many sizes does it come in? RMB68 for a 12 inch pizza.
Tell us about your most unique pizza.
Its name: California BBQ.
Thick or thin crust? Medium.
Type(s) of cheese: Mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, and parmesan.
What other toppings does it have? Bacon, mixed bell peppers, jalapeño, smoked chicken, and BBQ homemade drizzle on top.
How many sizes does it come in? RMB78 for a 12 inch pizza.
Come sample slices from iFresh Pizza and 18 other pizza makers today on the last day of at our two-day pizza festival at Galaxy Soho. For directions, click here.
Images: iFresh Pizza
