{"id":31949,"date":"2023-10-10T08:22:05","date_gmt":"2023-10-10T12:22:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gfs.ca\/?p=31949"},"modified":"2025-11-21T14:26:01","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T19:26:01","slug":"rich-ingredients-rich-history-behind-the-world-famous-detroit-style-pizza","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gfs.ca\/en-ca\/ideas\/rich-ingredients-rich-history-behind-the-world-famous-detroit-style-pizza\/","title":{"rendered":"Rich Ingredients, Rich History Behind the World-Famous Detroit-Style Pizza"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The buttery, crispy crust and caramelized cheese corners of a Detroit-style pizza invokes pure
joy for the lucky person noshing on the satisfying square.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The thick layers of bright red sauce and the brick-style Wisconsin cheese set it apart from all the
others that came before it. And the history behind the distinctive pizza is as rich as the pizza
itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Crust on the Famous Pizza Began With a Parts Pan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

The rectangular pan that created the masterpiece dates back nearly 80 years to Detroit\u2019s bustling automotive industry. The year the now-famous pizza emerged was at the start of Detroit\u2019s Golden Age of Automotive Design which ran from 1946-1973.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So it should be no surprise that the first pan Chef August \u201cGus\u201d Guerra, owner of Buddy\u2019s Rendezvous, used to knead that first batch of dough was in a repurposed steel automotive pan. The establishment, later named Buddy\u2019s Pizza, had started out as a tavern experimenting with pizza preparation<\/a> as part of an expansion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guerra was instantly on to something when that first crispy-crusted pizza came out of the oven, said Gordon Food Service\u00ae Corporate Executive Chef Kurt Kwiatkowski.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a hit then and continues to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIts unique texture and flavour profile has contributed to its growing popularity,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Out of Order: Detroit-Style Doesn’t Happen ‘Sauce First’<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pizza emerged as a favorite after World War II. The rectangular-shaped pizza was born in
Michigan out of \u201cingenuity and necessity,\u201d Kwiatkowski explains. The pans were given to
Buddy\u2019s Pizza by a local auto plant that was using them to hold and transport small auto parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Guerra created that first pizza, he chose to sprinkle Wisconsin brick cheese on top of the
dough and doused the sauce as the finish, rather than the base. And that\u2019s what first made it so
unique, Kwiatkowski said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Creating a Detroit-style pizza using that same process is simple once an operator has the steps
down. One thing Kwiatowski suggests to keep in mind, however, is to not to \u201covertop\u201d the pizza.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201dThe centre won’t cook up correctly and you will have a doughy bite that is not very appealing,\u201d
he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also keeping the rest of the steps in order does matter, he said, if you want a true Detroit-style
outcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFlip the order of how the toppings are put on. It starts by first making the dough and letting it
ferment and proof, then stretching the dough into an oiled pan and letting it proof again for a
short period,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Proofing more than once makes the dough \u201clighter and a little more flavourful,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is then restretched if needed and then the toppings are put on, followed by the specialty brick
cheese from Wisconsin and topped with sauce.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dough develops the distinct, crispy crust due to the high-fat content of the Wisconsin
cheese that seeped throughout the pie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe dough is not super heavy either, so it doesn\u2019t sit in your gut like a brick,\u201d Kwiatowski adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Operators can add various toppings to mix things up, but one thing should remain consistent, he
advises:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust make sure the cheese and toppings go all the way to the edge\u2013 that\u2019s a mandatory step.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Detroit-Style Pizza Remains Trendy, Rising in Popularity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The pan-style pizza was voted #1 in the world back in 2012 at the International Pizza Expo in
Las Vegas. And since then there have been numerous chefs at the same expo awarded for their
version of Detroit-style pizza, according to Forbes<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWith the rise of social media and food trends, Detroit-style pizza has experienced a resurgence
in popularity, gaining attention from pizza enthusiasts and chefs around the world,\u201d Kwiatkowski
said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thrillist noted in a 2022 blog post<\/a> that Detroit-style pizza was \u201ceverywhere.\u201d Now nearly two
years later, the love affair with that Detroit-style pie hasn\u2019t fizzled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There has been plenty of buzz about it on the internet which helps word travel fast. Social media
has certainly fueled the trend, Kwiatkowski notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c(It) helped the rise of this style of pizza, even popping up in places like Chicago and New York
where they have a traditional style of pizza already,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s very photo worthy, packs a lot
of flavour and different textures. Once you have the technique down it is easy to reproduce it
consistently.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Create the perfect Motor City-style pizza for your operation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":31951,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[122,68,123,112,69,113],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31949","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-catering-small-business","category-culinary-ideas","category-hotels-hospitality","category-restaurant-bars","category-running-your-business","category-university"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nRich Ingredients, Rich History Behind the World-Famous Detroit-Style Pizza | Gordon Food Service<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover the rich history and essential ingredients behind Detroit style pizza. 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