PASADENA, CA--(Marketwired - Aug 28, 2013) - Blaze Fast-Fire'd Pizza, the leader in the fast casual built-to order pizza category, today announced that it will soon be opening a new location near the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB). Scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2013, the new 50-seat restaurant, which features an outdoor patio for afternoon and evening dining, will be located at 6546 Pardall Road Isla Vista, CA (UCSB) immediately next to Freebirds World Burrito and near The Habit Burger Grill.
Blaze Pizza uses an assembly line format (similar to Chipotle Mexican Grill®), that lets guests customize one of the menu's signature pizzas or create one of their own, choosing from a wide selection of fresh, artisanal toppings -- all for about $7. The generously sized personal pizzas are then sent to a blazing hot open-hearth oven -- the centerpiece of the restaurant -- where dedicated pizzasmiths ensure that the thin-crust pies are "fast-fire'd" in less than 180 seconds.
Blaze Pizza makes its own dough from scratch using a recipe developed by critically-acclaimed Executive Chef Brad Kent ("The Pizza Whisperer"), which requires a 24-hour fermentation period to produce his signature light-as-air, crisp crust. Blaze's menu of pizzas and salads uses fresh ingredients ranging from inventive to classic and accommodates a range of dietary needs, with a gluten-free dough and vegan cheese option. The restaurant will also offer online ordering.
"I am thrilled to have this opportunity to take the years I've spent developing my dough recipe and now bring it to a broader audience," says Chef Kent. "For me, a good pizza begins and ends with the crust. I am really looking forward to introducing the Isla Vista community and all the students at UCSB to Blaze."
To create its "comfortably hip" interior and exterior, Blaze Pizza teamed with principal designer Ana Henton of Los Angeles' MASS Architecture and Design (Intellegentsia, Lukshon, Breadbar). Designed to be both casual and current, Henton used urban architectural notes inspired by fire and foundries. Additionally, the restaurant has gone to great lengths to see that its packaging is eco-friendly -- made in the USA from post-consumer recycled and/or sustainable materials.
The Isla Vista Blaze Pizza will be operated by Isla Vista BP, LLC, a franchise group led by Joel Heller, Richard Heller and Karen Rudnai.
About Blaze Pizza
A creation of Elise and Rick Wetzel (founder of Wetzel's Pretzels), the concept is backed by investors including Maria Shriver, movie producer John Davis and Boston Red Sox co-owner Tom Werner, and includes the talents of highly acclaimed Executive Chef Bradford Kent, owner of Los Angeles' top rated Olio Pizzeria & Cafe (Zagat's #2 pizza in Los Angeles). The company, which Forbes.com named a "Hot New Restaurant Chain from an Established Brand," is currently accepting applications to develop franchise stores across the country. For more information, please visit www.blazepizza.com or www.facebook.com/blazepizza.
Blaze Pizza - Isla Vista
6546 Pardall Rd
Isla Vista, CA 93117
Blaze Pizza, LLC
530 S. Lake Ave, Suite 280
Pasadena, CA 91101
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