A story that starts with a pizza truck and ends with 9 Vending Machines…
Grégory discovered the world of pizza in 2014 while working from a mobile pizza truck, which he managed alongside his main job as a boilermaker. In 2018, he opened a restaurant that quickly became a huge success. To ease the takeout demand at his restaurant, he decided to venture into automatic pizza distribution and installed five vending machines between July 2019 and 2020: “The day we set up the fifth machine, schools and high schools were closing due to COVID-19. The machine was located in front of a high school, and we were a bit worried, but it turned out to be a huge success. Then, we set up the next three, and the last one not long ago.”
A third place win without pressure…
This was Grégory’s first time participating in the Artisan Pizza Vending Machine Competition. He approached the competition very calmly, without any pressure. While he is pleased to have made it to the podium, he remains humble:
“The pizza we presented at the competition reflects what we do every day. I didn’t try to create a special dough; I simply took what I had in my fridge as a base. I just aimed to use local products for the pizza. Otherwise, I did exactly what I do every day.”
The “LARRIERE” pizza: A gourmet pizza made with 100% regional Ingredients…
At Grégory’s place, all his pizzas are named after local landmarks. The pizza presented at the competition was named “LARRIERE,” a hamlet located between the Vosges and Haute-Saône regions. To prepare for the competition, Grégory wanted to create a pizza made exclusively with regional products found between the Vosges and Haute-Saône:
“I made a base with shallots that I caramelized with Fougerolles cherries, a type of cherry in kirsch (cherry brandy). I added hand-cut smoked sausage from the Vosges, Luxeuil ham, traditional gourmet charcuterie from the Vosges-Saônoises region, wild garlic cream, and fir honey from a local producer.”
A pizza 100% from his home region!
Many tests before finalizing the competition pizza!
Grégory chose to create a rather elaborate pizza and conducted numerous tests:
“I tried it with cheese, but it didn’t work. I tried many other things, even chicken marinated in yellow wine… All these tests helped me come up with new ideas to offer different pizzas in my vending machines. Every time, there were about nine of us. Each of us prepared small portions of pizzas with cream, tomatoes, different mixes, and everyone gave their opinion. With this process, I can gather a wide range of feedback and test on a diverse panel—from my elderly mother to my nearly 15-year-old son so they can critique and help me improve my pizza.”
Innovative pizzas, inspired by the surrounding region…
Grégory doesn’t hesitate to innovate, even in his vending machines:
“We even make pizzas with maple syrup. We’re always looking to innovate using products from my region, not necessarily Italian ones. If I make a pizza with a tomato base, buffalo mozzarella, and Italian ham, it won’t sell here,” he shares. It’s not about regional pride but more about habits:
“Around here, people eat potatoes, cheese it needs to be hearty. I try to offer varied recipes, but they don’t always match my customers’ tastes.”
Grégory finds his inspiration mainly around him, in his region and through local producers who are also not afraid to innovate:
“I have a butcher who is incredible. He thinks outside the box, and I find ways to incorporate his products into my pizzas. Last year, he offered sausages with CBD and rum.”
Grégory’s secrets: His dough and the sincerity of his pizzas…
Grégory’s advice to future competitors:
“Do what you do every day. Make pizzas the way you love them. I don’t make pizzas to win; I make pizzas for those who love to eat. I don’t make pizzas to be a champion; I make them for people, first and foremost. The goal is for people to enjoy what they eat, both in quantity and taste. My pizzas weigh at least 900 grams even I can’t eat a whole one!”
If you want to take on the challenge, head to Grey’s Pizza in the Vosges!
