Pizzology, the dream of an air hostess!

When it comes to pizza in Bengaluru, people have strong opinions because of the various options available. And, when it comes to Electronic City, there are a few options but Pizzology is an oasis. The thin crust fully loaded pizzas are a treat to the eyes too. Well, my favorite pick other than the pizzas is definitely the Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. It can easily be deemed one of the best in and around Electronic City. Pizzology was started by Prajakta Mahale, an ex-air hostess, from Mumbai. Below are a few excerpts from the interview with Prajakta.

Tell us about your journey from Mumbai to Bangalore.

It has been really a tale of two cities. I was and will always remain an Aamchi Mumbai girl, but Bangalore has a special place in my heart.

I was told you are an Air Hostess. That’s true?

Yes, flying is my first passion. I started off my aviation career in Mumbai with Indigo airlines and then became a Cabin Crew Incharge at Vistara. I have around 8 years of experience in safety, operations, and hospitality.

What is Pizzology all about?

Pizzology is all about revolutionizing the pizza experience in India. We think it’s about time India has its fair share of delicious wood-fired style pizzas. It is also about providing people quality along with a unique experience.

From an Air Hostess to a foodpreneur, how did that come about?

During a trip to Italy, I and my husband stumbled across an ally that had multiple small hole-in-the-wall wood fire ovens and people were queuing up. Once we tasted the thin crust, wood-fired flavor, we instantly knew what we were missing all years back in India. The light bulb went off and we realized we had to bring this revolution to India.

Why Pizza?

Well, Why not pizza! Pizzas today in India are perceived as unhealthy, junk food. That’s because almost all the ingredients are frozen, baked in electric ovens for convenience, and recipes created for better margins. We want to change that and introduce pizzas which are made with fresh daily ingredients, baked in a traditional wood fire oven. We are focused on a great product which has lost its way in the junk food market.

How tough was it to start a business in Bangalore, a new town totally?

It was hard, but we were familiar with Bangalore and we were convinced that if we could succeed in Bangalore, we could succeed anywhere.

Setting up a menu is the toughest job according to a restaurateur, is that true? Did you face a challenge too?  

Yes, we did multiple food trials and also we got invited to the most prestigious events like Bangalore Night Market, Soul Sante, etc. We got amazing feedback about our product and we also understood what people really wanted in the product. That helped us to nail the menu and we are constantly doing R&D and listening to our customers for improvements.

If you want to go on a food tour, where would that be? Italy?

Tough question. We have a long list of places on our radar for a food tour. I would say our top destinations would be France and Italy.

What are the most popular items on Pizzology menu?

In Veg pizzas, people love the Mexican Wave and Paneer Deluxe. Ultimate Chicken Delight and Pepperoni are the bestselling for Non-Veg pizzas. Apart from pizzas, a lot of customers love our pasta and danish pancakes.

Presently you are located at Electronic City. Do you plan to expand?

Yes, we are already expanding to a couple of cloud kitchens in Bangalore. Also, express stores are opening up in Nashik and Mysore soon. We are also getting a few franchise enquiries from cities like Cochin and Coimbatore. We have an ambitious plan of expanding to 15 stores by the mid of next year.

Being an Air Hostess is easy or is being a foodpreneur easy?

Both are very different lives and both are extremely tough. I would if you love your work, work is no longer taxing. That’s what happened to me when I was an Air Hostess and it is happening to me again.

What’s your goal for Pizzology?

Our vision is simple. We want to revolutionize the pizza industry in India and give people a choice of authentic wood-fired pizzas with Indian options.