John Arena of Metro Pizza and Truly Pizza
What does it mean to keep chasing greatness—even when life throws you its toughest curveballs?
Few people in the pizza world are as widely respected — or as profoundly wise — as John Arena. In this powerful episode, Eidref sits down with the Metro Pizza co-founder and Truly Pizza visionary to talk about life, passion, mentorship, and facing Parkinson’s with courage and purpose.
John shares raw insights about the realities of competing and judging pizza contests, building flavor beyond Instagram appearances, and why the true definition of success changes over time — especially in the face of a degenerative disease.
This is a conversation for anyone striving to be better, in pizza or in life.
Highlights:00:00 - The art of hooking an audience — and why Eidref didn’t want to belabor this conversation
00:36 - John Arena’s interview: one of Eidref’s most memorable sit-downs ever
03:11 - Sound check with John — and a personal revelation about Parkinson’s and voice projection
04:41 - Reflections on visual vs. flavor-driven pizza innovation at Truly Pizza
06:26 - Why flavor and texture matter more than just a beautiful crust
08:18 - The daily discipline of “polishing the mirror” — perfectionism in pizza
10:02 - Bowling, pop-ups, and learning to adapt when things go wrong
12:00 - The concept of “fail forward” — but is there a risk of recklessness?
13:04 - The value of rehearsals, preparation, and knowing your strengths
14:49 - Mentorship styles: why every mentee needs a different approach
17:00 - Expo life: balancing networking, rest, and quality moments
19:00 - The obligation of being visible in the industry — and Eidref’s reflections on his first Expo
23:00 - How to know when to say “no” and avoid burnout while still stretching your limits
25:00 - Learning to define your own “win” — from Big Sean to personal pizza triumphs
28:00 - Inside the world of pizza judging: fairness, palate fatigue, and certification
33:00 - New developments in standardized pizza judging training
35:00 - Why winning isn’t the only point of competition — growth and friendships matter more
37:01 - John’s reflections on Parkinson’s: redefining success when progress means slowing degeneration
40:00 - Treating Parkinson’s as an ingredient in life’s mystery box — and making something beautiful out of it
42:16 - The John Arena Foundation: helping Parkinson’s patients through pizza-making experiences
47:00 - Eidref and John reflect on mentorship, legacy, and paying it forward
50:00 - The joy of helping Parkinson’s patients rediscover cooking and connection through pizza
53:00 - The science of deliciousness: how Truly Pizza designs for sight, sound, taste, and feel
56:00 - From micro-blistering to temperature zones — pizza R&D like never before
59:00 - Why John believes there’s always room to improve — and how Truly Pizza pushes boundaries
Check out John Arena here:
Thank you to our show sponsors:Corto:https://bit.ly/457DNII
Bacio Cheese:
DM @whatsgooddoughhttps://www.instagram.com/whatsgooddough/email me: claire@whatsgooddough.com
Topics:
John Arena, Metro Pizza, Truly Pizza, pizza podcast, pizza competition, pizza judging, Pizza Expo, Bacio Cheese, Corto Olive Oil, Parkinson’s awareness, John Arena Foundation, pizza mentorship, artisan pizza, pizza dough techniques, pizza industry insights, pizza business tips, pizza making, pizza innovation, artisan food, culinary entrepreneurship, pizza R&D, pizza texture, pizza crust, pizza community, pizza events, pizza interviews
