Get ready for a truly unique episode of the Pizza Story Podcast 🍕 as Erica sits down with the incredibly creative and outspoken Mike Hauke, the mastermind behind the legendary Tony Boloney's and the innovative Madd Mutz! 

Based in New Jersey, Mike shares the wild and unconventional journey of building two distinct yet equally boundary-pushing food brands.

In this no-holds-barred interview, you'll hear:

✅ The Accidental Birth of Tony Boloney's: Discover how a seemingly simple real estate venture in Atlantic City unexpectedly morphed into the iconic pizzeria known for its outrageous and delicious creations. Mike recounts the early days of serving frozen food to construction workers and the pivotal moment he decided to take control of the kitchen and create something truly different.

✅ Finding His Own Way: Hear the hilarious story of Mike's frustration with pre-made ingredients and the bold move to fire his entire kitchen staff to develop his own recipes from scratch – including their signature dough and even fresh mozzarella!

✅ The "Tony Boloney's" Philosophy : Understand the meaning behind the name and the brand's ethos of "naughty" Italian-inspired food with global influences. Mike discusses his diverse culinary inspirations, from Indian food to Jewish traditions, and how they manifest in Tony Boloney's unique menu.

✅ Pushing Culinary Boundaries: Explore the mindset behind Tony Boloney's unconventional menu items, like the Tikka Masala Sub and the "Bestiality" pizza. Mike explains his philosophy of creating food that's exciting, flavorful, and unlike anything else you'll find.

✅ The Genesis of Madd Mutz: Learn about the organic evolution of Madd Mutz from Tony Boloney's fresh mozzarella program. Mike shares his experimentation with flavored mozzarella and the seven-year journey to perfect a proprietary process for making fryable fresh mozzarella sticks in incredible flavors.

✅ Revolutionizing Mozzarella Sticks: Hear about the challenges of frying fresh mozzarella and how Madd Mutz overcame them to create unique flavors like the “The Hottie” and the “The Truffler” mozzarella sticks, all without artificial colors or preservatives.

✅ Taking Madd Mutz National & SHARK TANK!: Get the exciting details on Madd Mutz's rapid expansion, including partnerships with ShopRite and Driscoll Foods, and the HUGE news: Madd Mutz will be appearing on SHARK TANK on APRIL 18th at 8 PM on ABC! Tune in to see if they can land a deal!

✅ The Future of Tony Boloney's & Madd Mutz : Mike shares his vision for both brands, including Tony Boloney's commitment to quality and the national and direct-to-consumer growth plans for Madd Mutz.

✅ The Importance of Authenticity & Hard Work: Get insights into the dedication and thought process behind every menu item and the commitment to using high-quality, often locally sourced ingredients.

✅ Finding Tony Boloney's & Madd Mutz: Learn how to find Tony Boloney's locations in New Jersey and Madd Mutz products online and in select stores.

This episode is packed with laughs, inspiring entrepreneurial stories, and a deep dive into the creative mind behind two truly original food brands. Whether you're a pizza fanatic, a food innovator, or just love a great story, you won't want to miss this interview with Mike Hawk!

🎙Don't forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE for more pizza stories!

Follow Tony Boloney's: https://www.instagram.com/tonyboloneys/ 

Find Madd Mutz: https://www.instagram.com/madmutz/ 

Tune in to SHARK TANK on ABC, April 18th at 8 PM to see Madd Mutz!

Full Episode:

YouTube: ⁠https://youtu.be/sEUiaML7dRI⁠ 

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