Ever the thoughtful event host, Ellen DeGeneres thought that some guests may be hungry during the long Academy Awards ceremony on March 2. So she hosted a spontaneous pizza party. The gesture went over well with guests such as Julia Roberts and Martin Scorsese, who both eagerly reached for a slice of pie, so why not offer your guests the same tasty amenity? From a mobile pizza oven to a pizza-theme teambuilding activity—and a giant pie from the Hollywood company that catered Ellen's Shrine Auditorium bash—here are ideas for bringing pizza to your next meeting or event.
There are also teambuilding events that center on pizza. For example, groups can show off their pizza-making skills during private classes at the Pizza a Casa Pizza School on New York's Lower East Side. The four-hour teambuilding activity begins with founder Mark Bello teaching students how to make their own dough from scratch. As it rises, Bello lectures on pizza-making techniques. Participants spend the latter part of the class making (and eating) their own creations. Guests leave with leftovers, extra dough, and instruction booklets.
This is the Los Angeles company that Ellen DeGeneres called to deliver those now-famous pizzas at the Oscars. The Hollywood location of Big Mama’s and Papa’s Pizzeria delivers what it bills as the world’s largest deliverable pizza: a 2,916-square-inch pie that yields more than 200 slices. The pizza, which is big enough to serve as many as 70 people, is a good option for outdoor picnics (and definitely packs a "wow" factor). Orders require 24-hour notice for delivery anywhere in Los Angeles County.
Brands have used pizza to grab attention in crowded public places. For the Times Square launch of Super Mario 3D Land in 2011, Nintendo parked a "Mushroom Kingdom" pizza truck on 44th Street. The colorful vehicle doled out free free slices of mushroom pizza to those who tweeted using the #SuperMario3D hashtag.
Pizza's also a safe (and nicely greasy) bet for helping guests soak up alcohol at a boozy event. For a 2011 event in New York, Bacardi served pizza from an on-brand truck. The brand's campaign signage also bedecked the boxes, which held the Sicilian-style slices.
For something a little fancier than a food truck, consider bringing a mobile pizza oven to your meeting or event. One company that has the offering: New York's Pizza Luca. The mobile pizza company has a wood-burning-oven-equipped 1952 Chevy flatbed truck in its fleet. It features mahogany and marble trim; windows that hinge on hydraulic pistons for the support of canopies; and a full-service kitchen with a refrigerated prep table, freezer, sink, and dough mixer. The truck is available for events in the tristate area, and the simple menu of authentic Neapolitan pies is made using all-natural, non-processed ingredients such as San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, mozzarella di bufala, basil, and Sicilian sea salt.
Consider renting out a high-end pizza joint to host an event. Stella Barra Pizzeria in Chicago is available for private events of as many as 175 guests. Alfresco pizza bashes can take place on its patio, which is tented and heated during the wintertime and seats 50 guests or holds 60 for receptions. The restaurant, which also has locations in California, serves artisanal pizzas with toppings such as shaved fennel, fresh burrata, and organic pork sausage.
Pizza doesn't have to be the main course—you can add it to the menu via creative hors d'oeuvres. In Beverly Hills, California, Cory Martin Events is now serving an array of bite-size pies made with seasonal ingredients. Think fresh burrata caprese, organic enoki mushroom and truffle, and roasted fingerling potatoes with caviar.
