Chef D of Chef D TV and owner of Chef D Pizza in Kitchener, Ont. has spent decades perfecting his pizza-making skills. Here are his thoughts on what Hormel’s ROSA GRANDE® Cup + Char Pepperoni brings to the pizza experience.
When did you first try Hormel’s ROSA GRANDE® Cup + Char Pepperoni?
I was introduced to it in May of 2021. Once I tried it, I knew it was the flavour I was looking for. Right away I saw it could be a differentiator for my pizzas and did a complete switch over to the product a couple of months later.
What do you like about it?
Typically, when you see pepperoni on pizza, it lays flat. Cup + Char Pepperoni curls beautifully and has a bit of extra spice to it. Everyone who tries it loves the flavour and the crunchiness. Because the edges raise up while cooking, the heat gets to it faster for charring. And you don’t get that layer of grease on the surface of your pizza that you do with flat pepperoni.
What did your customers have to say?
When people enter the dining-room and smell the pizza, they’re hit with the wonderful smell of cheese and tomato and that waft of spiciness from the pepperoni. When they tasted it, they immediately noticed a big difference and definitely preferred the Cup + Char Pepperoni over regular pepperoni, especially the crunchy part.
It’s so popular, now I use Cup + Char Pepperoni in all my operations.
What is your favourite topping combination?
I love doing combinations with ROSA GRANDE® Cup + Char Pepperoni, charred onions, sun-dried tomatoes and kalamata olives. But there are times when you can’t beat a plain pizza with a great pepperoni topping.
