But what is it that we all love so much about pepperoni? We've come to the conclusion that it's the salt, slight spice and even the sweetness that comes from a cooked slice of pepperoni. It's the perfect flavour combination. Paired with the more-ish taste of umami from the mushrooms and we know why this was chosen as the winner.
]]>We are delighted to announce that Ooni is now a Certified B Corp™!
After undertaking a rigorous assessment and verification process, we have joined a community of like-minded companies and leaders using business as a force for good.
“This is huge news for Ooni. We’ve always strongly felt that business should be a force for good and becoming a certified B Corp has been an ambition of ours for a long time. It was an incredibly thorough process that has resulted in best practice across the entirety of the business. These policies and practices are now locked into the way we work at Ooni, which is a massive step on our path to becoming a regenerative business.”
Darina Garland, co-CEO and co-Founder of Ooni
So what is a B Corp?
B stands for Benefit for all.
The world we operate in faces significant challenges, which cannot be solved by governments, non-profits and individuals alone. Businesses today have a greater responsibility than ever to positively impact all stakeholders — workers, communities, customers, and our planet. And that’s where B Corps come in.
B Corporations (or “B Corps”) are companies that have been verified by B Lab™ to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Certified B Corps have all gone through the “B Impact Assessment” - a rigorous assessment with over 200 questions across 5 areas: governance, workers, customers, community and environment. A business must also amend their Articles of Association - embedding a legal commitment to consider the impact of all decisions on all stakeholders, not just shareholders.
The B Corp community spans 89 countries, 159 industries, over 500,000 workers, and now over 6,242 B Corps.
To become certified, a business must achieve a verified score of 80+ points on the assessment - the average score for businesses is around 50.9. We certified with a score of 80.1. We’re thrilled to certify but are conscious there’s still a lot of work to do.
Check out our B Corp profile for our scores across the categories.
We first started using the B Corp framework to shape how we use Ooni as a force for good back in 2017 when we were a team of just 17. A lot has changed since then (we’re now over 350 people sharing the joy of pizza in over 80 countries worldwide), but our values and passion for pizza and the planet has grown even stronger.
The framework led us to implement new projects (such as changing our pensions to an ethical fund, measuring our carbon footprint across our supply chain) and formalised a lot of things we were already doing. Evaluating all aspects of our business deepened our understanding of our impact and what we should be aiming for. In 2022, we pledged to become a regenerative business - to return more to society, the environment and the global economy than we take out. We want to focus on all stakeholders for the good of society and our planet - this aligns with the B Corp movement.
Our vision is to help people around the world make pizza at home in a way that has a positive impact on the planet and its people. As part of this, our strategy is steered by our quadruple bottom line drivers of People, Planet, Profit & Pizza - the 4 Ps!
We submitted our assessment in October 2021 then underwent verification with the B Lab team in autumn 2022. The process was extremely thorough and involved many teams from across the business. It took us around 18 focused months in the end and we certified on 9th January 2023.
Next steps
Our B Corp certification is a big cause for celebration, but it is by no means the destination. We know there is a lot of work to be done and our experience of verification has only galvanised our passion to do better and improve our score year-on-year.
This is just the beginning.
B Corp Certification does not mean that we’re perfect, nor that we have achieved our highest impact. It does show that we have stepped into a framework for continuous improvement - we must meet rising standards for social and environmental performance and will have to recertify again in 3 years’ time - January 2026.
Check out our Impact Page and 2021 Impact Report for some of the initiatives that helped us meet our B Corp certification. A full update with more recent initiatives will be published in the next few months in our 2022 Impact Report.
]]>When Ooni founder Kristian Tapaninaho lit upon the idea for a portable, pro-level pizza oven, he knew immediately where he would spread the word to make his dream into a reality. After prototyping the design, he and co-founder Darina Garland turned to Kickstarter to fund their initial production run. Ten years later, Ooni is a force to reckon with: The world’s biggest home pizza oven brand and one of the fastest-growing companies in the UK, with an ever expanding network of retailers and teams all over the world. And it all began with that one fateful campaign…
Ahead of Ooni’s tenth anniversary celebrations, Kristian and Darina sat down to sound off on the crowdfunding platform and how it set the company on the path to success.
First of all, why Kickstarter?
Kristian: So, I used Kickstarter as a backer; I think the first thing I backed was in 2010. I was really intrigued by the platform itself. It was a completely new way of funding a business, especially when it came to products where there were actual startup costs beyond the time and effort that you put into it. And in the early days of developing the original concept, I knew that I'd want to launch it on Kickstarter.
At the time, Kickstarter was only in the US. But then, in September 2012, I learned that Kickstarter was expanding. We launched on November 15, about two weeks after Kickstarter launched in the UK.
We were one of the first projects to successfully fund here in the UK.
What did you like about crowdfunding versus a more traditional investor model?
Kristian: There's the community that you build immediately with Kickstarter, all these people who are cheering you to be successful and get things off the ground. It really just tested, ‘Are there other people around the world who would want something like this?’ I had no idea what that market would be like; we hadn't launched a product before on any platform.
And then, of course, there’s the initial marketing push: You would get a little bit of attention, especially in the early days, just by the fact that you were getting funded. There was sort of an organic interest in businesses getting started that way, because it was quite a new thing.
How would your confidence in the product have changed if you hadn't had that buy-in from the market?
Kristian: Taking that thing to a bank manager to ask for money or whatnot would’ve been completely different. You'd have maybe spoken to friends and family and raised some funds through that. But either of those, bank or family, they might bring money, but they don't bring the initial sales.
So the difference there, at least with Kickstarter, was every penny that we got for the product wasn't just an investment in the success of it — it was actually sales, which gives you a different type of confidence to invest in the manufacturing.
How did having that built-in community shape your approach to the business early on?
Darina: It was fundamental. Kickstarter backers require a heightened level of care and attention, and people's hearts and minds being won over so early was massively powerful. That’s why customer happiness is so big for us and the business. It’s stayed with us and has been beautifully important as we've scaled that a bit. The community really makes us what we are.
And because we started this e-commerce business on the Kickstarter and Shopify platforms, we were able to be international from day one, even though we were based in London. So many things came out of that early decision to post it there. And the credibility, the buzz of people being willing to talk about [their love of pizza] to each other, let alone to us, was really powerful.
How much of your early marketing was solely Kickstarter?
Kristian: It was all in the back of it, in the press.
We got a massive influx of traffic on the website on the back of WIRED and Coolhunting picking it up in mid-January, after the campaign had already finished. But, they wouldn't have known about the project if it hadn’t been on Kickstarter at that point.
And it helped that you got exponentially more funding than you asked for.
Kristian: This wasn't one of those overnight max successes. We raised £17,000, which is a modest amount in terms of starting a new business.
But I think that was one of the keys to our success, that it didn't become a million dollar project. At that point, you'd have actually sunk the company; the requirements from those customers would’ve been at a completely different level. It's a lot easier to speak with 142 people than it is to speak with 900 or 1,000 people, and it allowed us more time to continue developing the category.
Still, we were absolutely over the moon.
At the time, did you realise what an asset it was to have that level of interest versus something more exponential?
Kristian: Than a hundred times bigger? I appreciated the manageable nature of it. I mean, we didn’t have the product ready nor did we have a manufacturer lined up to produce it. The original plan was for the metal workshop I'd been working with on the prototypes to continue making them for the backers, and they would be only able to make dozens of units. So knowing that, okay, this isn't going to be 5,000 units straight out of the gate, was really helpful.
The first production run ended up being 500, so it was still literally an order of magnitude bigger than expected. But I'm super happy that it wasn't 5,000 or something like that. There's so many campaigns that have failed after being too successful.
Still, it was an enthusiastic crowd. How did Ooni build off that enthusiasm?
Darina: If people were complaining, it definitely would have changed our tone to be apologetic, ‘I'll fix that for you,’ rather than building on more layers and feeding off that energy.
But because of that, we released products — often much faster than other hardware companies — because we realised, okay, we can innovate on this, we can build on this. Kickstarter is obviously not a traditional sales platform. But what they do have is people who are prepared to buy new units and fresh thinking and having fun, and that's a big part of our DNA.
To what extent does feedback from the community actually drive innovation at Ooni?
Kristian: The immediacy of it is a different level than you can even imagine. If you think about your customers as these concentric circles with you and the company in the middle, the backers of a project like this are very much the next circle around that. You don't have a conversation with a customer from an online retailer, or you don't necessarily have a conversation with someone who buys our product from a store, but you inevitably have a conversation with someone who has just backed the project and dropped a comment.
I think that’s inspiring, that sort of immediacy. It's more about understanding your consumer, how close you are emotionally to them and wanting them to be successful. Those were the keys, rather than a customer telling us directly about this idea or how they use that product. It's more about that care and empathy that you have for that consumer.
Where do you think Ooni would be today without that initial campaign?
Darina: We would still absolutely have a product, but it would’ve been slower [to market]. And what Kickstarter allowed us to do was to really test and release sooner.
One of the reasons entrepreneurs with good ideas don't succeed is that they don't release soon enough. Perfection is the enemy of good. And we were, at that point, really able to test and test quickly and get that feedback loop.
Without it, we probably wouldn't have had the same freedom to design the business the way we did. The whole thing was just really fundamental to our culture and how we operate today, so I can imagine it being quite different.
]]>Full Terms and Conditions
Ooni GmbH (hereinafter the “Promoter”) with registered offices at Simrockstraße 11, 53113 Bonn. Registration Number: HRB 98327 is organizing this promotion called “#ooniday Giveaway” (hereinafter “Giveaway” or “Promotion”).
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Winner’s selection on/by 31st May 2022.
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Among all valid entries received during the Promotion Period, one (1) winner and three (3) alternative winners will be selected via a final random Draw.
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One prize: The prize consists in one (1) Ultimate Ooni Bundle including: Ooni Koda 16, Large modular table, 14" perforated pizza peel, turning peel, IR thermometer, Ooni Pizzaiolo apron, Dual Platform Digital Scales, pizza cutter wheel, Ooni pizza oven brush (total ARV $1,163.92 / £ 932.59; 1099,52 €).
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In case the winner is from Canada: The selected user is not considered as an official winner (“Winner”) until (1) he/she correctly answers the skill-testing question, (ii) his/her eligibility has been verified; and (3) he/she has been notified that verification is complete. Before being declared the Winner, the Potential Winner will be required to correctly answer a time-limited, mathematical skill-testing question, without assistance of any kind whether mechanical or otherwise, to be administered at a mutually convenient time by telephone. Sponsor will not accept screen shots or other evidence of winning in lieu of its validations process. If the Instagram application fails or becomes corrupted for any reason, any Entry during that time will be deemed a defective Entry and is void.
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]]>Ooni Co-CEO Darina Garland offers her take on leadership and being a woman in the pizza industry.
]]>Every year, March brings with it not only the beginning of spring but also a global celebration of women. Women's History Month (including International Women’s Day) happens annually in March. So does Women’s Pizza Month — a month dedicated to spotlighting women in the pizza industry.
We may be a little biased, but we really believe that few people personify women in the pizza industry better than Ooni Co-CEO Darina Garland. Recently, we sat down with her to talk about women in business, female representation in the workforce and the pizza industry, and the role of business as a force for good in the world.
Darina has been at the helm since the very beginning of Ooni. She and her partner Kristian are an entrepreneurial power couple who founded their first business, Suklaa, a change-making company that designs education events, back in 2007. When Kristian fell in love with pizza-making, they saw an opportunity for innovation and started Ooni (then Uuni) with a backyard prototype (and a dream) in 2012.
Since its launch on Kickstarter, Ooni has grown into a multi-award-winning business with offices in Edinburgh, Scotland; Austin, Texas; Cologne, Germany, and China. As Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Darina has had an integral role in shaping the future of Ooni and has been instrumental in creating a company that operates with its values of ambition, rigor, innovation, kindness, and passion.
We talked with Darina who shared her experience of sexism in the workplace, how to connect and connecting with potential mentors, as well as a list of some of her favorite female pizza makers. Read on to get the scoop on all of that — and find out which song she just can’t stop listening to (spoiler — it’s awesome).
You’ve created a safe working environment at Ooni. Can you talk about being a woman CEO in the less “safe” — and more male-dominated and male-oriented — pizza and business worlds?That kind of sexism can be even more apparent for people in the sales team, as the outdoor cooking industry is traditionally very male-dominated so I do a fair bit of mentoring about how to navigate it, and how to be taken seriously in general when you are a woman.
The other important thing is to make sure that you have strong allies — both men and women —who understand sexism and who you can talk to about how to overcome it. The men on our executive team are indeed strong allies and take gender inequality very seriously. In fact, Andrew, our CFO, is organizing an event for our Ooni staff for International Women’s Day as he recognizes that it shouldn’t be a glib celebration of women in the team (and how badass they are, which, of course, they truly are!) but, instead it should be an opportunity for all genders to work together to recognize the systemic issues and work on overcoming them to create a level playing field for all.
What advice would you give to women who are trying to succeed, advance their careers or battle sexism in the workplace?
It's about believing in yourself and being yourself. Imposter syndrome is a real issue. I learned in my early-ish thirties to have confidence, care a bit less about what other people thought, and I realized that actually, everyone fakes it until they make it!
Quite often I advise women to talk to themselves the way they would counsel their friends. Usually, it's not me saying, "This is how you should do it." Instead, I encourage them to give themselves advice. And they come up with great answers.
Are there any women who you especially admire in the pizza world?
Several women stand out. Miriam Weiskind is an energetic human being on every level — ultra-marathon runner, business owner, pizza maker — and she’s working on opening her own shop in New York City. She's an absolute pioneer.
Then there’s Shealyn Brand-Coniglio, who brings a unique, female perspective to the pizza world (like running a pizza fashion show at Pizza Expo 2022).
There’s also Christy Alia: She's a New York-based pizza maker and an Ooni Ambassador who started Women’s Pizza Month, a month-long celebration of women in pizza with events, recipes, live streams, and other events.
Nicola Jackson-Jones is fantastic. She had a job in insurance for over 18 years but quit it all to open her own pizza shop and now she’s gone on to win national pizza awards!
Nicole Russell is the amazing, self-taught frozen craft pizza entrepreneur behind Last Dragon Pizza. We’re working with her on First We Feast’s online video series, “Pizza Wars.” Speaking of imposter syndrome, she had a bit of, "I'm just Nicole!" when she started out. But when you watch the show, you see her realize, “No!” — that she's something special and she's made this all happen herself. It’s been a joy to be a tiny part of her rise to the top of the pizza world.
Coming from Italy, Giorgia Caporuscio has genuinely faced a lot of sexism and being told that she’s no good. She is so young and is a total boss. She's absolutely married to the craft and is beautiful to watch.
And there’s the whole Women in Pizza movement, which challenges us to champion women all the time!
Are there any specific books you’ve read or people you’ve gone to for advice, mentorship, or inspiration?I recently read a book called Machiavelli for Women by Stacey Vanek Smith, which talks about how women have to learn how to succeed in the business world now while we also try to overhaul the whole system. To be honest, it’s a pretty tough read because it calls out just how much things have regressed for women during the pandemic. We all have a lot to do to create fair systems for everyone.
I also look up to my mom and the women around me in my business network. One of my skill sets is to reach out to — and make connections with — people I'm impressed by. I love constantly checking in with mentors and peers and that helps me feel like I’m a part of something bigger than myself.
How have you gone about that?
I've done it every way, from LinkedIn cold reach-out to inviting someone to talk at an event I’m hosting. The biggest thing is to do research. Be authentic. Don't be self-serving. Ask yourself: “What is mutually good here?” People are generally flattered if you're authentically interested, but they might be time-poor. So ask yourself, “Is there something I could do for them?” Define your reason for connecting and then design your “ask” properly.
You mentioned education’s importance in building the future. Ooni wants to evolve as a forward-looking company that cares about its environmental impact and the future of the planet. Can you share more about that?
Part of the Ooni DNA is about being environmentally conscious. If you don't have a planet, you don't have much else. I don't even want to use the word “sustainability,” because we don't want to sustain what we've got, we want to regenerate and we need change.
Beyond sustainability and green issues, we think about how Ooni can be a company for good. For example, we give 1% of our global annual revenue to social and environmental causes. We are privileged to be at the helm of a company and that means we have a responsibility to make the world better.
It’s all net positive. If you're genuinely building a company with purpose and making good decisions for your community and your team, people will stay, they’ll be genuinely connected and invested and we can build things together.
Inclusivity is part of that. How can we invite more women into the pizza world? How will Ooni focus on inclusivity going forward?
It’s about putting a spotlight on people who are already demonstrating inclusivity and diversity and giving them a boost with our platform. Having more women on the executive team is important. We’re working on that agenda with new hires and promotions.
In terms of women in pizza, it’s about doing things like supporting Nicole and Miriam (among others), asking them what they need to survive and thrive, and putting in the time to make sure that their unique voices cut through.
We have the privilege of having platforms that people notice. We have to think really carefully about how to use them for good. The pizza community is an incredibly passionate, beautiful, and nurturing world where women absolutely can — and should — thrive more and more.
How about a lightning round?
Sure!
Favorite pizza topping?
Chilies of all kinds. I like it hot.
What book is on your nightstand right now?
The Storyteller by Dave Grohl.
Favorite song to listen to while you cook?
“Crowded Table” by The Highwomen. It's about gathering everyone and connecting over food. I’m so excited to be going to my first SXSW in Austin later this week so it makes sense to be immersing myself in Country music.
Are you watching anything right now?
Succession. Massively obsessed with that. I'm sorry it's over. Darkly comic and so well written. It’s a lesson in how not to do business!
Where's the last place you ate pizza?
In my house. I made pizza topped with kale. I'm obsessing over kale salad at the moment and I mixed it up as a pizza topping and it was amazing.
Darina named some of the women pizza makers she admires, but if you’re hungry for more, follow #womenspizzamonth and @oonihq, or check out @womeninpizza to find even more amazing pizza makers.
]]>We pride ourselves on being forthright with our community, which is why we wanted to let the Ooni community know that as of 1 February 2022, we will be forced to raise the price of the Ooni Koda 16 Pizza Oven. Increasing costs for raw materials and manufacturing, as well as astronomical shipping rates, are the main factors driving this decision.
]]>The past two years have been a time of enormous change, both here at Ooni and throughout the world. We hope you and yours are faring well.
Nearly a decade ago, we created Ooni so our young family could have great pizza at home, which helped turn our garden into an awesome space for friends and family to gather. So much has happened since then, but one thing remains constant: we’re still inspired daily by people all over the world having amazing pizza experiences with their Ooni ovens.
Now, as the pandemic has kept many of us close to home, we’ve been cheered to see the Ooni community grow, creating rituals and connections out of this rare moment in time. Through your social media posts, we’ve watched as your ovens have given you new cause to celebrate the everyday moments that, as it turns out, are worth celebrating just as much as the milestones.
But as we’ve made the most of our new reality, we’ve also been dealing with new challenges. You have no doubt noticed that shipping times for many brands, including ours, have grown lengthier and harder to predict since the pandemic began. Disruptions to the global supply chain have been a major factor in that, and over time, shipping containers have also become few and far between.
We pride ourselves on being forthright with our community, which is why we wanted to let you know ahead of time that as of 1 February 2022, we will be forced to raise the price of the Ooni Koda 16 Pizza Oven from €499 to €599. Increasing costs for raw materials and manufacturing, as well as astronomical shipping rates, are the main factors driving this decision. We have borne these skyrocketing costs as long as we could, but acting responsibly is part of our duty to our employees and partners, and for Ooni, unfortunately, increasing the price of the Koda 16 is the responsible thing to do.
We personally don’t love getting surprised by changes, which is why we’ve built in a grace period for anyone who has been thinking of purchasing a new Ooni oven. Prices will remain at current levels through the end of this month, to allow our EU community time to make any necessary purchases at our longstanding prices. It’s our way of showing appreciation for the support and trust you’ve placed in Ooni.
Here’s to a future filled with togetherness and great pizza,
Kristian & Darina
]]>Through whimsical illustrations by Edith Ault, children and parents can follow the hijinks of Jo and her lively doughy companion, Dough Monster, as they rush to create the ultimate neighbourhood pizza party.
Jo and the Dough includes an exclusive, child-friendly recipe for Neapolitan-style dough. We’ve included a preview of the recipe here, along with pizza and sauce ideas suitable for little hands, so your family can bring the fun home with a pizza party of your own.
Over on the Jo and the Dough page, you’ll also find a link to download a series of colouring templates from the book, perfect for keeping young sous chefs busy while they wait for the dough to do its thing.
This is Jo and her dad’s go-to recipe, exclusively from Jo and the Dough. It requires a little concentration, but magic takes over as it starts to grow! Mix some flour here, a pinch of yeast there, put it together with water and salt, and what do you get? A delicious crust that’s good enough to eat. (Duh!)
Makes 4 x 10” pizzas (190 g each)
Ingredients
Note: Measuring is an important skill for kids to learn, but precision is key! Be on hand to help out and assist when necessary.
Method
Gently whisk the salt and yeast into the warm water.
Fit the mixer with the dough hook and place the flour in the mixer bowl. Turn the machine on at a low speed and gradually add the yeast mixture to the flour. Once combined, leave the dough to keep mixing at the same pace for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the dough is firm and stretchy. Place the dough in a large bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Leave to rise in a warm place for about 2 hours or until it doubles in size.
Divide the dough into four equal pieces and gently form each into a ball. If your dough is too sticky to handle, dust it with a bit of flour.
Place each ball in a separate bowl or tray, cover again and leave to rise for another 30 to 60 minutes, or until roughly doubled in size. When you’re ready to stretch the dough, follow the instructions in the Pizza Portraits recipe below!
This no-cook sauce is the perfect warmup to get the pizza party started. Keep it simple, or make it fancy with fresh garlic, basil and dried oregano.
Note: This recipe is perfect for little hands to help out with, but it can get messy, so put your aprons on and roll up those sleeves!
Makes enough sauce for 4 x 10” pizzas
Ingredients
500 grams (18 ounces) canned plum tomatoes
15 grams (1 tablespoon) extra virgin olive oil
Pinch flaked sea salt
Pinch sugar
1 clove garlic, crushed (optional)
3 to 4 leaves basil, freshly torn (optional)
Pinch dried oregano (optional)
Method
Strain the canned plum tomatoes over the sink to get rid of any excess liquid. Transfer the tomatoes to a large bowl.
In the bowl, squeeze and squish the tomatoes with your hands, aiming for a rough sauce texture. If any large chunks remain, mash them into smaller pieces with a fork, potato masher or meat chopper.
Stir in olive oil, salt, and sugar. If using, add the garlic, basil, and oregano and stir well to combine.
Transfer the sauce to a sealed container and set it in the fridge to infuse for at least an hour. Remove any garlic or basil before using. Now, get ready to top your pizza!
This fun recipe lets little ones’ imaginations run wild by using a combination of toppings to create their very own pizza masterpieces. Simply cut veggies, meats, or any ingredient they wish into a range of shapes and sizes. Pepperoni smiley face? Done. Bell pepper monster? Absolutely! The key is to have fun and eat delicious pizza.
Note: Stretching out dough is a great confidence booster! Make sure the peel or surface you’re using during the process is well floured. If the dough sticks, no problemo! Just add a little more flour. Remember, less is more when it comes to toppings (too many can lead to the dreaded sauce avalanche), so make sure the pizza doesn’t get overloaded.
Makes 1 x 10” pizza
Equipment
bamboo/ perforated/ pizza peel
Ingredients
pizza dough ball (see recipe above)
pizza sauce (see recipe above)
extra flour for dusting the peel
Topping ideas
Method
Preheat your oven to its highest setting. If you have an Ooni pizza oven, heat it to 500° C (950° F).
Place a dough ball on a lightly floured surface, flour your hands and, working from the center, use your fingertips to press it into a small, flat disc. Push the dough outwards while spreading your fingers to slightly enlarge the disc.
Pick up the dough and, gently holding the edges, turn it like a steering wheel, allowing gravity to pull it downward. This will help stretch the dough and form the pizza base.
Once the dough is fully stretched to 10”, lightly flour your pizza peel and lay the base on top. If there are any small holes in the dough, don’t worry! A gentle pinch will patch them right up.
Now, here’s the fun part: Arrange your favorite toppings in whatever unique pattern comes to mind — but remember, less is more! When you’re ready to bake, slide and shake the pizza off the peel and into the oven. (If you’re using a domestic oven, your pizza should cook on a preheated baking tray, or a preheated stone or steel if you have one!)
Cook until the crust is lightly charred and the cheese is bubbling. If you’re using an Ooni oven, this will take 60 to 90 seconds, but you’ll need to spin the pizza halfway through to get an even bake on all sides. (Domestic oven users, your pizza will be ready in 6 to 8 minutes.) Enjoy, and don't forget to take pictures! Thanks to Ooni Ambassador Richard Payne and his daughters for these great photos.
Nutella, Strawberry and Whipped Cream Pizza
Note:This pizza requires close watch. Adults may need to move the ice cubes mid-bake to ensure the base cooks evenly. .
Makes 1 x 10” pizza
Ingredients
pizza dough ball (see recipe above)
4 to 5 large ice cubes
80 grams (4 heaped tablespoons) Nutella
5 to 6 strawberries, sliced
2 to 3 tablespoons whipped cream
large sprinkle milk chocolate, grated
Method
Stretch out the dough ball, repeating the shaping steps from the recipe above.
Dot the ice cubes evenly around the pizza base. Slide the pizza off the peel and into the oven. If you’re using a domestic oven, your pizza should cook on a preheated baking tray (or a preheated stone or steel if you have one!).
Cook until the crust is lightly charred, which will take 60 to 90 seconds in an Ooni oven. (For a domestic oven, expect to cook your pie for 6 to 8 minutes.) Keep an eye on the dough, as it may try to rise; if it does, just move the ice around with tongs to redistribute the weight more evenly. Regardless, make sure to rotate the pizza for an even bake.
Remove the pizza and dab any moisture away with a paper towel.
In a small bowl, microwave 4 heaping tablespoons of Nutella for 15 seconds to loosen the consistency. With a large spoon, spread a generous layer of Nutella across the pizza base, starting from the middle and working your way out, stopping just before the crust. Scatter strawberry or other fruit slices evenly over the top, then finish with a large dollop of whipped cream in the centre.
Grate a touch of milk chocolate over the cream, slice, and serve right away.
]]>We put out a call for people spreading kindness, and we’re stoked to report that we’ve found them. Quite a lot of them, really.
As part of our Slice of Kindness competition, we’re rewarding individuals and groups who, through their good deeds, are making the world a better place in ways big and small. (Although no kindness truly feels small when you’re on the receiving end, are we right?) As a result of your tips, we were able to award deluxe Ooni bundles in three different regions – the United States, the UK, and Germany – to those lending their helping hands for the good of the community.
In recognition of their efforts, we surprised our winners with a full suite of Ooni gear just in time to help them continue spreading the goodwill on Ooni Day this 18th September.
We also wanted to thank you for all your nominations! With your help, we were able to revel in the best of humanity from all over the world. From all of the submissions, 21 of the most generous stood out as the clear Slice of Kindness winners.
Now, it’s time to meet them!
USA winners
Battalion Chief Michael Leonard and crew (New London, CT, Fire Department)
Super Dad alert! When newly promoted Battalion Chief Michael Leonard isn’t leading his shift at the fire department with the compassion his wife and crew have come to know and love him for, he’s giving his kids every ounce of energy and attention he’s got. Even when he hasn’t slept much because he’s been out saving his community from fires or health emergencies all night. He’s always stepped up and been there for others in their times of need. Michael’s a natural born leader who carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. He's the kind of person who “works for his guys” even though they technically report to him. We heard he takes the lead on pizza night when he’s on shift. We’re excited to see how his pizza game levels up with his new Ooni oven.
Adrian 2040
When Adrian, a small town in eastern Oregon, lost their only grocery store – Adrian 2040 stepped up to help fight food insecurity by establishing a local food pantry. Operating out of an elementary school basement, this non-profit has been able to serve between 20 to 40 high-risk families a week. They’ve expanded operations and created the Adrian Community Market, an outdoor summer event where they set up their Ooni Pro and sell handmade pizzas. The money made from the market goes into stocking the shelves of the food pantry and gives a little extra budget to buy specialty ingredients like condiments, holiday baking ingredients or pies at Thanksgiving. With an Ooni prize bundle, Adrian 2040 will be able to make more pizzas at their market events and will raise even more money to help stock their food pantry for their community.
Somerset Hills Learning Institute
Meet PJ. He’s a boy with Autism who LOVES, and we seriously mean loves, making and eating pizzas with his dad in their Ooni oven. He does well with processes that have a start and finish, which is why he loves the process of making pizza. It’s his favorite thing to do – making dough, adding his favorite toppings, supervising the cooking of his pizza and of course, eating it. He’s been able to build speech and social skills through the fun of making pizza and wants to use his Ooni bundle to help his classmates. That’s why his family will be donating their Ooni bundle to his school, so they can auction it during their fall fundraiser and use the money to help PJ and all his peers.
Paul Kendall
Paul Kendall lives by the mantra of kindness. He’s always gathering neighbours together for meals (which was put on pause during lockdown but started right back up again when it was safe to do so), dropping off surprise donuts on neighbour’s front patios and making pizzas and handing out slices to people as they walk by in front of his house. He also volunteers with a local group who feed, encourage and give supplies to the unhoused population in his area, and he can even be spotted from time to time playing encouraging music and cheering on runners as they compete in races since the finish line is usually set up in the park at the end of his street. You go Paul, King of Kindness, we’re cheering you on from Ooni HQ.
Franklin Fire Department
Most of the firefighters in the Franklin Fire Department work on a volunteer basis. Even though they have families and lives outside of the firehouse, they selflessly give up their time to continuously answer the call of their community in their times of greatest need. They put the wellbeing of strangers above their own, daily, and train for countless hours each year so they can be ready for any situation that might present itself. We admire these first responders for their dedication to keeping their communities safe. We hope their Ooni bundle gives them back even the smallest bit of comfort that they give to their community, every day.
Karen Blomenkamp
As a private person, Karen Blomenkamp performs her good deeds for her community. And she does so without expecting praise or recognition in return. She volunteers in construction, focusing primarily on helping people with special needs by, for example, building ramps and doing free remodelling. Or she simply takes on free home repairs for neighbours who can't afford them themselves. She also runs Stewardship Gardens, whose mission is to provide fresh food to families in need. Each year, her team of volunteers plants and gathers a total of 10.000 pounds of fruits and vegetables from their own gardens and from local gardeners, which they donate to local food banks and directly to families in need. Karen hosts barbecues and pizza parties for her team to thank them for their hard work - we hope her Ooni bundle takes their celebrations to the next level!
Ben Cirrillo
Ben Cirrillo has stepped up for the people in his townhouse community time and time again. When the move to digitising bills, bylaws and general community management was too much for the elderly owners and board members, Ben offered to educate them all to smooth the transition. He was always patient, always kind. Members of the townhouse community were worried about hiring a new management company since it would increase their monthly payments and they weren’t sure they would be able to afford it. Instead of letting them suffer financially, Ben’s become the go-to person behind the scenes that supports the board with tenant management to keep costs down for these families. And when one of his neighbours who’s a single mother and a nurse got sick with COVID-19, he and his wife took care of her children while she had to quarantine without a second thought. Ben always does whatever it takes to care for the people around him, so we’re happy to award him an Ooni bundle so that he can have a little time to take care of himself.
UK Winners
Madoch Centre
Throughout the various UK lockdowns, the team at the Madoch Centre went above and beyond the usual services they provide to St Madoes to make sure that no one was in need of anything. They opened a community food pantry and delivered hot food to elderly and vulnerable villagers like shepherd's pie and pizza. They were so dedicated to helping those around them, they even made deliveries on skis when the snow was particularly high. In normal times, the center provides a safe and friendly space for exercise classes, teas and coffees, support groups and transport to hospital appointments or other places for people with mobility issues. Armed with an Ooni bundle, who knows what they’ll be capable of doing for their village!
Neston Nomad Girls
The Neston Nomads Girl’s team is more than just a football club. These highly passionate players, coaches and parents have instilled a strong sense of community in their team culture, raising money for hospice care for local child and adult hospice centers. At their matches, you’ll see a pop up tea shop where they raise their money, no matter the weather. The footballers credit their coach, Rob Lawton, with sparking their drive for community service. We can only imagine the creative fundraising opportunities the team will be able to achieve with an Ooni bundle and we look forward to seeing the good they continue to do.
Crowsmill Craft Centre C.I.C.
Crowsmill Craft Centre C.I.C. opens their doors to people with differing needs, those with physical and mental challenges, adults with mental health issues, those who have been out of work for lengthy periods and disaffected young people who struggle with mainstream schooling. The non-profit offers training programs to these individuals where they can learn skills like woodworking, craft work, metal work, horticulture and animal care – with the goal of improving their life chances and giving them the confidence and life skills to obtain a permanent job. They were nominated by a volunteer in their program who praised the small but dedicated and caring staff. With an Ooni bundle, they’ll be able to incorporate pizza parties and cooking classes into their programming, benefiting their clients, volunteers and staff, alike.
Nicole’s House
Let us virtually invite you to Nicole’s House – a home where Nicole and Cameron, two adults with severe disabilities and complex health needs live, supported around the clock by their team of healthcare workers. The past year and a half have been incredibly tough for the team, as a whole. The new restrictions, like having to wear full PPE at all times, have presented new challenges. But, the team has been able to keep everyone healthy despite huge logistical hurdles. With their Ooni bundle, we heard about plans for a massive pizza party to thank the staff for all their hard work and extra effort. A big pizza party would be a chance for everyone to have some fun, eat great food and be shown how much they are valued for all the work they do for Nicole and Cameron – we have to say, that’s an Ooni approved cause if we’ve ever heard one!
Diana Dennis
Diana Dennis is a pillar of support for the elderly and vulnerable residents of her small neighbourhood. During the UK lockdown, she mobilised a team of volunteers to run groceries or other essential errands and make sure everyone felt supported. Even when the lockdown was lifted, she continues to visit residents to maintain social interaction and preserve the friendships formed during that time. Outside of her work in the community, she enjoys cooking and has honed her skills as a pizza maker. We are pleased to be able to give her the Ooni Bundle of her dreams so that she can continue her journey to becoming the neighbourhood's master pizzaiola.
Pippa Wright
Secondary school teacher Pippa Wright continued going into school, putting her own health at risk during the pandemic to make sure others could stay safe. Outside of school, she runs a local youth group for kids aged 11-18 and is a leader for Brownie and Rainbow Guides in Girlguiding. She’s challenged herself to keep activities fun and exciting, even after having to transition to zoom – and went above and beyond to keep in contact with each child to make sure they were doing well, keeping active and staying healthy, both mentally and physically. Her daughter described her as making a huge difference to everyone that she knows because she’s full of joy, and we can sure see it!
Nancy Mannix
Nine-year-old Nancy was upset by the amount of used face masks she saw littering the ground outside her local GP surgery. She decided to write them a letter suggesting they set up a bin with a sign outside the building encouraging people to dispose of their masks properly. The doctors agreed and got it set up the next week. The littering of masks reduced greatly and Nancy is very proud of her work. In addition to receiving a nature award locally, we thought Nancy deserved an Ooni bundle for not only showing kindness to her community, but for showing kindness to our Earth. You’re our hero, Nancy.
German Slice of Kindness Winners
Nandini International
Nandini International is a small non-profit organisation that started the Nandini Flood Relief. Their name comes from Indian and means BRINGING JOY! Isn't that glorious? Because that is exactly what they do! Nandini International is committed to all kinds of charitable causes. With the support of influencers and their outreach, they help environmental projects, schools, the homeless, and people living below the poverty line. Most currently, they are tirelessly helping flood victims in North Rhine-Westphalia on a daily basis. They organise daily shuttles with volunteers to the affected areas to help with the cleanup. On weekends, they have managed to get 50 people to volunteer! With #NANDINI flood relief, they also collected and distributed needed donations, such as money or clothes. This is joy (literally) and kindness in its purest form. We are happy to donate an Ooni Bundle to Nandini International. Every volunteer deserves a slice of pizza!
Kevin Liebl
Kevin Liebl rolled up his sleeves and made it happen during the flooding in his region! He collected donations for a flooded kindergarten in the Salm Valley so that it could quickly reopen. He also used the money collected to buy 500 liters of water and ingredients to bake pizza on his Ooni Fyra and feed the helpers. Then he collected hygiene products, baby food and all sorts of things for the village of Odendorf and distributed them there himself. He is a kindergarten teacher and a passionate cook. Go Kevin! You´re a legend, you gave Pizza a place in heaven!
MAR Warmbach
The MAR Warmbach is a local church parish that organises the yearly “Solawano” (summer camp Warmbach-Nollingen) for about 59-70 children, all on a voluntary basis. Many of the volunteers have to take their private vacation for it. They also bear part of the costs. Just now during Covid-19 everything was very difficult to plan but they still did with great effort. At the end, they managed it and made it possible for the children to participate in the summer camp again. A bright light at the end of Covid-lockdown-tunnel. Even if their parents couldn't afford it, with the “Solawano” they can include almost everyone interested. It benefits children and their families and gives them much needed recreation! And what is recreation without pizza? Exactly. Pizza feeds those hungry children's mouths and hearts. Your Ooni Bundle is on the way!
Andreas Herz für Kinder
Not all heroes wear capes? True. Sometimes they wear aprons. Just like Andreas Weiß. He cooked pizza in his front garden with his Ooni and sold it for a donation to the neighbourhood. In doing so, he made everyone very happy, and at the same time he was able to raise and donate quite some money to the registered association "Ein Herz für Kinder" (A Heart for Children), an internationally active aid organisation concerned with the most vulnerable members of society, the children. He made every pizza count, quite literally. Andreas, you made our hearts beat faster. Thank you!
Klaus Dieter Schmitt
Klaus Dieter is the chairman of the village and is therefore committed to the common good. He organises environmental days, takes care of the community's senior citizens and also drives to the flood victims on Saturdays to help them. And that's not all. He is also involved in refugee support, where he has helped one one family in particular.We are also very proud to announce that Klaus Dieter and Ooni have an important date in common! His birthday falls on Ooni Day, September 18! Real soul mates, if you will.
Isa from “SolidAHRität”
Isa has founded the group "SolidAHRität" to help the victims of the flood disaster in Ahrweiler. Since day 1, they have been providing unbureaucratic help to the local people and supporting them with (wo)manpower and emergency supplies from collected donations. They try to be a support for the local people even after the end of the state support. They are also planning a party soon, especially for the helpers and volunteers on the ground. Go SolidAHRität! How couldn´t we not support this cause?! These heroes deserve their own festival. After feeding the volunteers with their Ooni Bundle and celebrating their kindness at the festival, they even plan to give it away to those in need afterwards. With all the worries they currently have, this will be a wonderful distraction and moment of joy! Thank you, Isa, for sharing love, joy and pizza!
Veedelgarten
Sometimes all we need is just to take a breath of fresh air in the open nature. Just a break from built-up areas and some distraction from our routine. This can sometimes get difficult in most cities, where noise and pollution pull people down. The Veedelgarten is a great urban gardening project in the middle of Cologne, one of Germany's bigger cities. It gives nature and the suburb a great support in times of climate change. As we know, greenery, plants and nature benefit not only the environment but also the community by offering a great place to gather friends and neighbours. Since you have created such a beautiful space, we want to complement it with great pizza. Which makes it even more perfect.
Everyone’s invited to this pizza party.
This year’s Ooni Day couldn’t have come at a better time. The end of summer means it’s time for one final summer bash — so let’s do some good while we’re at it.
We’ve been so inspired by our community out there making and sharing pizzas to get one another through tough times and triumphs, and we want to channel that community spirit into a single day to see just how great a positive impact we can have when we all work together.
Will you join us?
All you have to do is invite your neighbours over (safely, responsibly) and fire some great pizzas for everyone to share – and you could win a prize for doing it. (Hint: It has three legs and gets blazing hot.)
We’re also putting our money where our mouths are (or technically, where others’ mouths are). For every pizza you make, we’ll donate 1€ to local hunger charities across the world.
This means we’re counting on you to help make as much pizza — and feed as many people in need — as possible.
Join us for our biggest global cookout yet this Ooni Day on 18th September.
Did you say prizes?
Yeah, we did.
We’re giving away an Ooni Karu 16 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven * to the person who shares the best Ooni Day setup on social media using #OoniDay. May the best-prepared pizzaiolo/a win!
So, are you as excited as we are for the 18th?
See you on Ooni Day.
* Read full Terms and Conditions here.
]]>Just mentioning the word immediately snaps you back to a specific place and time.
Maybe it’s the way the cheese pulls as you take your first bite. Or the way the flavours dance across every taste bud, celebrating the contrasting textures of gooey, melted cheese and crispy crust.
Or maybe it’s not the pizza itself, but the way it makes us feel. Giddy. Gleeful. Content.
If you can’t tell, we’re really into pizza. And we’re on a mission to share that with the world.
Everyone’s invited to the cookout this Ooni Day.
Consider this your official invitation. This year’s celebration will be on 18th September, so mark your diary.
One of the best things about cooking is connecting with folks and sharing great food – at least, our Ooni community sure seems to think so! We’re so inspired by the way you all come together and cook outdoors, using your imaginations to make incredible, flame-cooked creations year-round.
That’s what inspired Ooni Day. We want our Ooni community to come together to make and share great pizza – safely, of course. Take a pizza to a neighbour or have a small pizza party in the backyard. Get creative and get cooking; in return, we’ll donate 1€ to hunger charities for each pizza you make in your Ooni oven.
However you pull it off, sharing that goodness is the order of the day.
Share your pizza joy online.
Our online community is strong, and we want to make it even stronger.
Tag any of your pizza-related photos and videos with #JoyOfPizza to spread the love! The more we share, the more community we build.
]]>The Joy of Pizza
Ooni Pizza Ovens has been a proud supporter of the New York Pizza Festival since it began in 2018. Unfortunately the 2020 event was cancelled due to COVID-19 and the ongoing pandemic has set the organisers a challenge for 2021. We are thrilled to support the pivot to a virtual New York Pizza Festival.
The New York Pizza Festival: Home Edition is the first virtual version of the event. The two day pizza celebration happening on the weekend of April 24th and 25th has a star-studded program showcasing the talents of the most renowned US pizzaioli, culinary personalities, and respected producers. Like the live event, the festival is proud to support the non-profit Slice Out Hunger. Slice Out Hunger produces pizza-related events and campaigns to target hunger relief and has so far raised over $780K.
Ooni Pizza Ovens will be hosting two demos over the weekend, one with World Pizza Champion Tony Gemignani, and the other with Ooni Ambassador and top woman-in-pizza, Giorgia Caporuscio.
Join the event, support local pizzerias participating, and connect with passionate pizza people!
The weekend will be packed with top-quality pizza education, entertaining content and most importantly - a lot of delicious pizza!
]]>To enter, it's simple:
1 - Tag a friend on the MOB x Ooni image over on Instagram. Tag as many friends as you like, each tag counts as an entry!
2 - Follow @mobkitchen
3 - Follow @oonihq
4 - Follow @whatwillycook
Terms and Conditions
1. The promoter is: MOB Kitchen Ltd (Company No. 10731253) whose registered office is at 33 Northmoor Road, Oxford, United Kingdom, OX2 6UR.
2. The competition is open to residents of the UK, EU and mainland US except employees of MOB Kitchen and Ooni and their close relatives and anyone otherwise connected with the organisation or judging of the competition. Winners of prizes containing age restricted items MUST provide valid forms of ID.
3. There is no entry fee and no purchase necessary to enter this competition.
4. By entering this competition, an entrant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions.
5. Route to entry for the competition and details of how to enter are via Facebook/Twitter/Instagram.
6. Entrants are allowed to tag as many friends as Instagram allows.
7. Closing date for entry will be 09:00 am GMT Monday 8th February 2021. After this date the no further entries to the competition will be permitted.
8. No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason.
9. The rules of the competition and how to enter are as follows: 1. Tag a friend as many times as Instagram allows them / however many they want 2. Follow @mobkitchen 3. Follow @oonihq 4. Follow @whatwillycook.
10. The promoter reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition and these terms and conditions without notice in the event of a catastrophe, war, civil or military disturbance, act of God or any actual or anticipated breach of any applicable law or regulation or any other event outside of the promoter’s control. Any changes to the competition will be notified to entrants as soon as possible by the promoter.
11. The promoter is not responsible for inaccurate prize details supplied to any entrant by any third party connected with this competition.
12. The prize is as follows: 1x Ooni Koda 12 Pizza Oven, 1x Ooni Koda 12 Carry Case, 1x Ooni 12" Bamboo Peel, 1x Ooni 12" Perforated Peel, 1x Ooni Cooking With Fire Cookbook, 1x Ooni IR Thermometer and 1x Ooni Pizza Cutter Wheel. The complete prize drop date must be by the end of February.
13. Winners will be chosen: We use an outsourced website - Export Comments [www.exportcomments.com] and a random number generator to select the winner.
14. The winner will be notified by DM on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram and/or letter within 28 days of the closing date. If the winner cannot be contacted or does not claim the prize within 14 days of notification, we reserve the right to withdraw it from the winner and pick a replacement winner.
15. The promoter will notify the winner when and where the prize can be collected / delivered.
16. The promoter’s decision in respect of all matters to do with the competition will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
17. The competition and these terms and conditions will be governed by English law and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England.
18. The winner agrees to the use of his/her name and image in any publicity material, as well as their entry. Any personal data relating to the winner or any other entrants will be used solely in accordance with current UK data protection legislation and will not be disclosed to a third party without the entrant’s prior consent.
19. The winner’s name will be available 28 days after closing date by emailing the following address: alice@mobkitchen.co.uk.
20. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter or any other Social Network.
21. The promoter reserves the right to cancel the competition for any reason they see fit.
Improve any roast meat or vegetable dish with these fool-proof spiced flatbreads from James Gibson, AKA @butterwouldntmelt. Crushing the seeds whole creates an extra-special punch of flavour, infusing your breads with North African spiced deliciousness. Why not try them with James’ recipe for Harissa Spiced Lamb Neck, it’s a winning combo!
Equipment
Pestle and Mortar
Ingredients
Makes 10-12 flatbreads
400g (14.1oz) plain flour
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
200g water (plus extra if required)
Pinch of salt
Method
In a dry frying pan toast the cumin, coriander, caraway and cinnamon over a medium heat until fragrant. Tip into a pestle and mortar and grind.
In a large bowl, mix the ground spices with the flour. Adding a little at a time, hydrate the flour with water and mix with your hands until a firm dough has formed. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in for 15 minutes in the fridge.
Divide your dough into 10 – 12 flatbreads, rolling out thinly into whatever shape you prefer.
Fire up your Ooni pizza oven. Aim for 300˚C (572˚F) on the stone baking board inside. You can check the temperature inside your Ooni quickly and easily using the Ooni Infrared Thermometer.
Using a small amount of flour, dust your Ooni pizza peel. Lay over 1-2 flatbreads and launch into your Ooni pizza oven. Cook for roughly 1 minute, making sure to flip and turn the flatbreads every 20 seconds or so.
Once browned, remove the cooked flatbreads and set aside while you cook the rest. Serve warm, stuffed with whatever toppings you choose. We recommend James’ recipe for Harissa-spiced Lamb neck and fresh tzatziki!
]]>This year we promised our community that for every pizza they made for their neighbours on Ooni Day (9th May), we'd donate $1 to hunger relief charities. The final tally was a whopping 1573 pizzas. That's not just $1573 which will be donated to hunger-fighting charities, but 1573 smiles from neighbours who were fed delicious pizza!
Thank you all so much.
Our Ooni Day GoFundMe page was also a success and happy pizza recipients said THANK YOU by paying it forward and donating! We received $3610 in donations, which added to our $1573 matched donation, makes a total donation of $5183 to be divided between our four chosen charities:
- Feeding America (USA)
- Food Banks Canada/Banques Alimentaires Canada (Canada)
- The Trussell Trust (United Kingdom)
- European Food Banks Federation (EU)
As is now tradition, we also ran our "Best Photos of Ooni Day" competition, there were so many beauties to choose from and these were the amazing winners:
Best picture of a pizza for this gorgeously leoparded pie and bonus points for having fed 30 neighbors! @bun_club will get a $500 gift card to spend on the ooni.com website.
Best picture of an Ooni pizza oven! Pictured here Ooni 3 in action in a socially-distant party over the fence. @iain_100 will also receive a $500 gift card to spend on ooni.com.
They made over 30 pizzas for neighbours, and are pictured here feeding the homeless through the streets of Los Angeles. @quarentinospizza_la is our overall winner and will receive a $500 ooni.com gift card, plus a $1000 donation to charity on their behalf!
Thank you so very much for taking part this year. We were so humbled and thrilled to see that the #ooniday hashtag was used by thousands of you on Ooni Day this year. That, plus your neighbourly pizzas and charitable donations, have made this Ooni Day a complete success!
Can't wait to see what Ooni Day holds for next year 🥳
]]>It’s usually a day to throw awesome pizza parties and celebrate the joy of pizza bringing people together! Right now, throwing big get-togethers isn’t possible. But what’s still possible is spreading a little kindness through pizza.
We’ve been SO inspired by the amount of people in the Ooni Community making pizzas for their neighbours during this tough time. And that’s precisely what this Ooni Day is all about: Showing a little slice of kindness and delivering some pizzas to those neighbours around you that deserve them!
To help support those hit hardest during this time you could set up a charitable donation system so folks receiving pizza from you can give a little to a charity of your choice in lieu of payment.
Here’s our guide to help you if you’d like to do the same, safely, during this pandemic period. And what's more, for every pizza you make for your neighbours, we'll donate $1 to charity!
BEFORE YOU PROCEED: PLEASE ADHERE TO GOVERNMENT ADVICE IN YOUR COUNTRY AND ONLY PARTICIPATE IN COOKING FOR THOSE OUTSIDE YOUR HOUSEHOLD IF IT’S SAFE FOR YOU TO DO SO.
Consider how you’ll get the pizza to your neighbours or community - either:
Make sure you’ve got the basics in. Order nice and early, and get them delivered to you if possible. Make sure you are covering the basics:
Let your neighbours know! If you’re already on a community group on social or a messenger service send a message there. If not you can prepare a super simple leaflet / order form, and drop through mailboxes. Get them to let you know if they’d like a slice of the action in advance, so you know how many you are prepping for!
To make life easier for yourself, stick to a small selection of pizza options: Margherita, Pepperoni, your speciality and maybe one other.
When you promote your event, make sure to tell people they can donate to our Ooni Day fundraiser, here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ooni-day, which will go to charities fighting hunger in the US, Canada, UK and Europe. You could take donations in lieu of payment, for example!
Get people to let you know at least 3 days in advance if they want pizza and which kind. Then, you can plan how to cook and deliver to each household.
If you can, spread out the deliveries over a few hours, so you can keep a nice rhythm of cooking them for fresh delivery to each person at a designated time.
And of course, don’t forget to make the dough ahead of showtime…!
Don’t break the law! If there is a rule in place preventing you from leaving your home at all, you have to follow that.
Always follow your government’s recommendations for food handling during the Covid-19 pandemic.
We recommend you read your country’s relevant materials in full as if you were operating a food business (even if all proceeds are going to charity). At a minimum, this would include:
Here’s a list of useful resources:
Fire up your Ooni, Cook up some awesome pizzas, get them to your neighbours and share pizza love!
And don't forget to take some pictures and share them with us on social media by tagging @OoniHQ and adding #sliceofkindness. Tell us how many pizzas you made and we will match every pizza with a $1 donation!
Happy Ooniing!
Here are some top tips from our friend Tommy B from LA Sorted's Pizza, who has been doing weekend pizza popup events from his front porch in California during the lockdown.
Here at Ooni we’ve always been committed to being a company for good. One percent of our annual turnover goes straight to a fund for social and environmental clauses.
Here’s some of the impact we’ve made recently.
We’ve partnered with 1% for the Planet and Eden Projects to sponsor a reforestation site in Madagascar.
It covers 1,720 hectares of depleted mangroves -- home to a vibrant but endangered coastal ecosystem.
We are in our second year of partnership, and so far…
Did you know..? By purchasing an Ooni Pro on ooni.com you help plant 59 new trees in Madagascar!
The Ooni Planting Site in Madagascar, spanning 1,720 hectares of mangrove forest. People from the local community are given steady employment planting and protecting trees.
At the end of 2018 we made a decision to move away from single-use plastic.
Since then, we’ve designed and implemented new packaging on all our ovens, most of which is now made of recyclable materials like corrugated fibreboard, pulp trays (made from recycled recycled newspapers) and biodegradable bags made from plant-based materials.
We’re proud to say that all of our oven packaging is at the very least 96% recyclable.
That has translated into saving over 50 tonnes of single use plastic from going to landfill in 2019 alone. That's the weight of 176,667 12" pizzas!
Our goal for the coming years is to get to 100% recyclable packaging, and to increase the percentage of recycled material we use to protect your ovens while they make their way to you.
We have pledged 1% of the turnover for all accessories we sell to social causes helping feed people in our local communities: Social Bite in Scotland, and Slice Out Hunger in the US.
Social Bite is a charity that runs a network of social cafes and delivery services feeding vulnerable people across Scotland. They have recently transformed their whole operations to help during the Covid-19 epidemic by preparing and delivering 3,000 meals and other essentials around the country.
Making pizza with our friends at Social Bite
Slice Out Hunger is a non-profit that runs pizza events where all proceeds go to hunger relief and prevention initiatives in the United States. Late last year we collaborated with them to organise the annual New York City $1 Pizza Party, where 100% of proceeds went to Citymeals on Wheels.
Additionally, we have pledged to match each and every pound, euro or dollar our employees raise for charity. So far, this has translated to supporting hundreds of different charities around the world.
Some of the amazing Oonites who completed the 'Run 5, Donate 5, Nominate 5'
When Covid-19 restrictions hit, our minds turned to the rest of the food community. We knew independent restaurants would struggle if forced to close or reduce their operations for the long term. In response to it, we gifted each of our employees money to spend now on a gift certificate for their favourite local restaurants.
As part of our Slice of Kindness campaign, we also introduced the Everyday Heroes competition. People around the world shared their stories and nominated their closest heroes -- people in the frontlines, from volunteers to healthcare workers to above-and-beyond moms and dads. We selected nominees from each continent and sent them an Ooni pizza oven and accessories gift as a small way of thanking them for their incredible courage.
Actually, make that two missions. Yes, we want to get great pizza into the hands of every person on the planet (because EVERYONE deserves great pizza), but we also want to do it in a way that helps the planet and our communities. Thank you for supporting Ooni and allowing us to build a company that has purpose.
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What’s even better than going out to a pizzeria? Cooking jaw-dropping, pizzeria-quality pizza in the comfort of your own home!
If you own an Ooni pizza oven, then you already know all about just how awesome Oonified pizza truly is. If you don’t have one yet, it’s time to order your new pizza oven now because Ooni Day is coming up on May 9th and we’ve got a slew of awesome prizes up for grabs!
Mark your calendars and get set to fire up your Ooni to cook awesome pizza and so much more on the very same day as other Ooni users and pizza lovers around the world.
So what about those prizes?
Simply host an Ooni Day party and share your photos/videos from the day on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter tagged with #OoniDay and #Oonified, and you’ll automatically go into the running to win one of the following prize categories and get $500 to spend on eu.ooni.com:
We’ll be looking for outstanding crusts and mouthwatering toppings! Extra points for creativity, originality and presentation, of course.
At Ooni, two of our core values are passion and kindness. We're passionate about great pizza and connecting people through exceptional food experiences, as well as being a company for good – we believe that businesses have a responsibility to have a positive impact on the world. Our Ooni Impact Fund donates 1% of our annual global turnover to social and environmental causes.
Through our membership with 1% for the Planet, we have an ongoing tree-planting partnership with Eden Reforestation Projects in Madagascar, and have previously supported a range of projects and organisations through the fund including the National Forest Foundation, Social Bite, the American Red Cross’ California wildfire relief appeal, the World Food Programme’s Yemen emergency appeal, and ongoing with on fundraiser events in NYC with Slice Out Hunger.
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The Best Photo of Ooni Ever - Børge
Ooni Day is almost here! Be sure to register your pizza party event, then get your friends and family ‘round for jaw-droppingly fantastic pizza this Saturday… So, what’s next?! Cook a tonne of pizza, of course!
Here are our top ten tips for setting your pizza party on fire.