You may have previously heard the phrase ‘clean cut pizza’ when you have been in your local pizzeria, and you could be asking yourself what that means. Well, that’s why I have written this guide – to help explain what is clean cut pizza, and why it matters.
Read on to discover!
What is clean cut pizza?
As we’ve discussed previously in my article on how to cut pizza, there are typically three different tools used in cutting a pizza. They are;
There are three types of cutting instruments you can use. They are;
- Rocker pizza cutter
- Rolling pizza cutter
- Large kitchen knife
Why am I explaining this? Well, put simply, a clean cut pizza is a pizza that has been sliced with fresh, clean equipment.
Instead of just picking up the nearest rolling pizza cutter (which may have residue or toppings from the last pizza they cut with the same tool) and using it on your pizza, the chef or kitchen hand will either select a clean pizza cutter, or clean the one they are currently using.
So what does clean cut pizza mean? It literally just means a pizza that has been cut with clean equipment. Simple!
Why would you want a clean cut pizza?
Perhaps you are vegetarian or gluten intolerant? You could be allergic to specific ingredients. You may need Halal or Kosher ingredients only. There are a number of very valid reasons why some people may request a clean cut pizza.
Further, some people will request that your pizza peel or even the entire pizza preparation area be wiped down. A good pizzeria or pizza takeaway store will regularly wipe down and clean all preparation areas anyway, however if your customer requests this, you may wish to politely just give the area a quick wipe down, or show the customer your cleaning records and the condition of the pizza preparation area.
Whatever you do, don’t become defensive or annoyed – there are very valid reasons some customers may ask for this, and being rude will ensure you lose that customer in the future.
There are a number of very valid reasons why some people may request a clean cut pizza.
Best ways to clean a pizza cutter
So let’s discuss the best ways to clean a pizza cutter. If you are frequently rinsing your cutter between pizzas, then it could be as simple as holding the pizza cutter blades under free flowing boiling water for 20-40 seconds, before wiping down with a wet sponge.
However, to do a proper food standard clean of your pizza cutter, here is what is involved;
Wash your cutter in a sink or clean container filled with hot water with a food grade antibacterial detergent.
When cleaning any food utensils, always ensure that you use either boiling water or a solution of bleach and water.
Store your pizza cutter in a regularly cleaned metal or plastic container that is sealed to keep any airborne germs away.
Ideally you should check with your local food licensing agency about any specific rules or laws you may have in your city or state.
Best ways to clean a food preparation bench
There are a number of ways to clean a pizza preparation area, including the kitchen bench, however let’s look at the most widely accepted method within the restaurant industry.
The six steps for effective cleaning and sanitising are:
Start with a pre-clean: you should wipe away or scrape any food scraps and other matter and rinse with hot water.
Wash stage: You should use very hot water and food grade detergent to take off any grease and dirt. Soak longer if required.
Rinse stage: You should rinse off any lingering detergent and any loosened residue.
Sanitise: use a sanitiser to destroy any remaining bacteria.
Final Rinse: wash off sanitiser if necessary.
Dry: allow to drip dry or dry using single use towels. Do not use any multi use cloth, unless they get sent to the laundry immediately after one use.
If doing a thorough kitchen clean, you may need to dismantle some of your equipment that have sections which are difficult to reach, such as meat slicers, blenders, stick mixers and food processors.
In Summary
There you have it – next time you hear someone ask what is a clean cut pizza, you can let them know the answer yourself.
If you’ve always been hesitant to ask your pizzeria for a clean cut pizza, don’t feel afraid to speak up. Most pizza cooks and stores are used to customers asking, and will understand your needs.
