As residents of Connecticut, there’s a certain sense of pride in the state’s iconic New Haven-style pizza. The thin, crispy crust, charred in coal-fired ovens, speaks to Connecticut’s heritage and food culture. From Pepe’s to Modern Apizza, New Haven pizzerias have defined the culinary scene in Connecticut and become synonymous with the state across the country. There’s just something special about the local tradition of gathering with friends and family to share piping hot pies laden with mozzarella and minced garlic. Now more and more home chefs are trying to mimic the magic of a professional pizza kitchen in their own homes. With the right high-heat oven and some practice with dough and toppings, you can re-create the quintessential Connecticut pizzeria experience right in your own home.
Key Elements of a Pizza Kitchen
Transforming your home kitchen into an artisanal pizza kitchen requires careful planning and essential elements like a powerful commercial range, proper ventilation, durable surfaces, pizza making tools, and refrigeration. Here’s a few critical pieces of your remodel to plan right away:
High BTU Commercial Range
A powerful professional-grade range with at least 30,000 BTUs provides the ultra-high heat needed to quickly cook pizzas above 700°F.
While options for home pizza ovens are available from online retailers like Amazon, and tend to range from $400-$2,000, commercial grade ovens tend to run between $15,000 and $40,000 depending on the build quality and capacity. Finding a comfortable medium between performance and budget is critical to keeping your pizza kitchen remodel affordable and focused on your needs.
Other options to consider include portable ovens that are available at much lower prices., as well as outdoor pizza ovens. Traditionally styled, bespoke stone stoves are extremely popular options which are very customizable depending on your contractor or handyman’s level of skill.
For recommendations on Pizza ovens and commercial ranges, check out this full article from Food and Wine Magazine.
Ventilation and Hood Systems
Proper ventilation with a high-powered hood system and ductwork venting outside is critical for handling heat and smoke from the pizza oven.
Mixers and Prep Tools
Investing in a heavy-duty stand mixer and quality hand tools will make pizza dough prep much easier. Look for a mixer that can knead stiff doughs. Durable stainless steel bowls, pizza cutters, and bench scrapers are essential. Popular brands include KitchenAid and Cuisinart.
Stone Baking Surfaces
Using baking stones is crucial for evenly crisping up pizza crusts in home ovens. Round stones emulate the decks of pizza ovens. Perforated stones allow excess flour to fall through for a crisper result.
Refrigeration for Dough and Ingredients
Plan for extra refrigeration space for storing dough, cheeses, and toppings. An undercounter fridge or beverage center is perfect for prepped ingredients.
Design Considerations for Pizza Kitchens
Optimizing the layout and flow of your pizza kitchen takes forethought. Focus on these key aspects:
Integrating the Pizza Oven
The heart of your pizza kitchen will be the pizza oven itself. Consider these common setups:
Costs of a Pizza Kitchen Remodel in Connecticut
What can you expect to budget for upgrades like these? Here’s an example estimate of costs for a full kitchen remodel, including gutting the existing room and completely replacing all features.
Costs
Appliances and Equipment
Expect to budget $15,000 to $25,000 for high-end pro-style range, hood, refrigerator, plus pizza oven, peels, and accessories.
Labor and Construction
Around $40,000 to $80,000 for cabinetry, countertops, flooring, lighting, ventilation, and finishes. Higher if structural changes needed.
Estimated Total Budget
In general, plan on spending $75,000 to $100,000+ for a full pizza kitchen remodel. Higher costs possible for extensive layout changes or luxury finishes.
Making the Most of Your Pizza Kitchen
Once your kitchen is complete, it’s time to start experimenting with doughs, sauces, cheeses, and toppings or take a pizza-making class to learn techniques and recipes from the pros. These kitchens are perfect for fun hosting pizza parties for events like kids’ birthdays or a pizza and wine night with friends.
Our culinary culture in Connecticut is so aligned with the New Haven Pizza scene, and it’s no surprise that home pizza parties are an increasingly popular way both to celebrate and relax. If you’re looking at turning your kitchen into the center of entertainment for your social circle, or just hoping to ramp up your pizza game, Fine Home Contracting is happy to talk over the details of transforming your kitchen!Â
