CPK hosts 1st National Pizza Day

Pizza lovers unite as California Pizza Kitchen (CPK), a leader in authentic California-style cuisine, gives away a free pizza for every pizza ordered on Aug. 15 as it hosts the first National Pizza Day in the country.

Incidentally, the date coincides with the opening of the first CPK restaurant in the Philippines by the Global Restaurant Concepts Inc. (GRCI), the local franchisee of CPK.

For every regular pizza ordered dine-in on Aug. 15, CPK will provide another pizza free from among the best-selling choices: BBQ chicken, pepperoni, five-cheese and fresh tomato, Hawaiian bacon pizza or traditional cheese.

“Hosting a National Pizza Day is our way of reclaiming our pizza authority. When CPK started in the US, the reason why they became popular was because of the innovative pizzas they were serving. This year, we want to once again set the trend by introducing pizzas that are out of the ordinary,” enthuses GRCI president and CEO Archie Rodriguez.

In a bid to reinvent itself, CPK is introducing some 20 new items on the menu including “pizzas that stand above the rest.”

Made with Italian prosciutto with fresh arugula and topped with shaved Parmesan and sliced tomatoes on caramelized thin pizza crust, the prosciutto pizza tastes so fresh with the right tinge of saltiness. It’s light, crunchy, and satisfying.

Vegetarian diners aren’t left out as they, too, can indulge in a pizza that’s especially made for them: vegetarian pizza. The marinara sauce-covered dough is topped with grilled eggplant, fresh button mushrooms, red onions, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted corn, broccoli, goat cheese, and pine nuts. The crisp broccoli slices add texture to the delectable dish.

“In the past, our menu had as much as 120 items. We’re now going down to 85 so we can really focus on the quality of our products by using the freshest quality ingredients,” notes Archie.

At CPK, the pizzas and all of the dishes are made to order. They don’t pre-cook the food, there’s nothing that’s made beforehand. “Everything is made fresh so you can really taste the difference. We want our clients to understand that we deliver quality,” he adds.

A Rollercoaster Ride

Whenever CPK launches new products, R&D takes around six to eight months before the new items are introduced.

It really is a long process. CPK in the US has a database of recipes. So Archie and his team check the database to look for food items that would appeal to the Filipino market, and interpreted them accordingly.

“When it comes to food, I’m a big believer of texture. Whenever I bite, I want it to be a rollercoaster ride in my mouth. I want it to be a funhouse,” says Archie, who’s such a passionate foodie.

Some of the interesting new items on the menu — which are big on both texture and flavor — are the fried mozzarella sticks and quesadilla.

CPK tweaked the recipes to appeal more to the Filipino palate. Instead of covering the cheese sticks with breadcrumbs, CPK wrapped it in lumpia wrapper for that added crunch. As for the quesadilla, Archie applies his “funhouse” ethics and adds crispy wonton strips, making each bite explode in your mouth.

Also check out the spinach salad with grilled spicy sausage links on the side, the seafood pomodoro with Tagliatelle Nero, lasagna Milanese, Mu Shu Chicken Calzone, the Asian chicken wrap with wasabi dressing, and the cheese steak sandwich with homemade fries.

With all these new offerings, regular diners are assured that their all-time favorites aren’t nixed. Fast-moving products such as the BBQ chicken pizza and BBQ chopped salad still top the menu.

Now in its 15th year of satisfying the premium pizza cravings of Pinoy diners, more changes are forthcoming even in the CPK kitchen. “We’re givng our pizza chefs the recognition they deserve as they will now be our operating partner,” shares Archie. This means that each of the seven CPK outlets will highlight its own pizza chef. “They’re on hand to give diners a personalized experience. Just tell them how you want your pizza done and they’d gladly do it.”

According to Archie, when CPK started 15 years ago here in the country, they have a tagline that goes, “Be adventurous, try something new. If you don’t like it, we’ll replace it.”

“The objective there is that we want them to be adventurous with their food. We want diners to try our innovative menu, because that’s the heart and soul of CPK,” Archie adds.

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Celebrate National Pizza Day on Aug. 15 at CPK restaurants in Glorietta 3, Alabang Town Center, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Greenhills Promenade, TriNoma, Power Plant Mall, and Greenbelt 3.