Ep 1. Pizza Wars

The Food That Built America is a fascinating docuseries that recounts the epic story of how our favorite foods transformed America and shaped our culture. The second season of this award-winning show explores the great culinary wars that have defined American history and the innovators who fought tooth and nail to build empires out of scratch. Season 2 episode 1, Pizza Wars, takes us on a whirlwind tour of the fierce competition that pitted some of the most iconic pizza brands against each other.

At the heart of this episode is the story of two New Yorkers, Ray Kroc and Tom Monaghan, who revolutionized the pizza industry as we know it. Ray was the founder of McDonald's, whose fast-food empire took the world by storm in the 1950s and 60s. Tom, on the other hand, was a young entrepreneur who inherited a struggling pizza parlor called Dominick's in Ypsilanti, Michigan. These two men had a vision for pizza that would change the game forever.

As the episode dives into the history of pizza in America, we learn that the origins of this beloved dish are far from Italy. In fact, pizza as we know it was invented in New York by Italian immigrant families who adapted their traditional focaccia bread to the American palate. In the early 20th century, pizza was largely a regional food in the Northeast, but as the century progressed, it began to spread across the country.

The rise of pizza in America coincided with the post-war boom and the growing popularity of fast food. Ray Kroc, who had made a fortune selling burgers and fries, saw an opportunity to add pizza to the McDonald's menu. However, he quickly realized that the pizza-making process was too complex and time-consuming for his fast-food model. Undeterred, he hired a team of food scientists to create a frozen pizza that could be cooked in minutes. This innovation paved the way for the frozen pizza industry, which is now a multi-billion dollar business.

Meanwhile, Tom Monaghan had his own vision for pizza. He wanted to create a pizza chain that could rival McDonald's in size and scale. He renamed his struggling pizza parlor to Domino's and set out to create a delivery model that would revolutionize the industry. He created a unique system that guaranteed customers their pizza in 30 minutes or less, using a fleet of delivery drivers and a centralized kitchen. This model was so successful that it became the template for every pizza chain that followed.

As the episode traces the rise of McDonald's and Domino's, we see how these two giants clashed and competed for dominance. Pizza Wars takes us behind the scenes of the marketing strategies, product innovations, and legal battles that defined this era. We hear from pizza insiders, food historians, and cultural commentators who help us understand the significance of this pizza rivalry. We learn about the challenges that both companies faced, including food safety scares, changing consumer tastes, and public relations disasters.

Along the way, we also get a glimpse of the diverse pizza landscape that exists today, with styles ranging from Neapolitan to Chicago deep dish to California gourmet. We see how pizza has become a cultural icon that reflects the unique tastes and traditions of different regions and ethnic groups in America.

In conclusion, Pizza Wars is an engaging and informative episode that highlights the ingenuity, competition, and innovation that have shaped the pizza industry. It offers a fascinating glimpse into a pivotal moment in American culinary history and reminds us of the power that food has to shape our culture and economy.