Comercial Ovens

[dougv]

I am in the throws of starting up a pizzaria & want to use a wood fired oven. What are peoples opinions of using the Pompei oven or the arch type for comercial applications? What dia. would you think? Can anyone see any problems with heat loss for sustained use?

[james]

Hi Doug,

I think I am the first to say welcome to the group -- and that you have a great Avatar. Very nice.

Of course we sell commerical ovens in the states, so I can't really comment on you desire to build vs. buy, but I can give you some ideas on size.

A 43" oven would be considered a small restaurant oven -- to support either a small number of tables, or to compliment other food. On the large end, you see 72" ovens supporting large restaurants and pizzerias in Italy. They're great -- you could take a nap inside one of them. You actually see a lot of the really big ovens because most Italian restuarants with a brick oven do take out, along with the tables. You find yourself waiting for your pizza, and seeing scores of pizzas going out the front door.

In Naples, where the ovens have to hold 900F all day, there are only three certified sizes: 42", 48" and 54". Any larger than that, and the oven just won't hold its heat. The sizes are based on the size of the builder's hand, from thumb to little finger -- which I like.

Food for thought. Regardless, I think there is a great market for real pizza anywhere in the world, and you can't make a real pizza without a brick oven.

James