Meet Alex Kovacs of JerseyBoy Pizza in East Mesa

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Kovacs.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Alex. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I grew up in Freehold, New Jersey. The son of a food-loving Hungarian father with a strong gypsy bloodline. My childhood dinner plate often consisted of homemade meatballs or Hungarian dumplings. On special nights, my father would bring home thin crust pizza in large brown bags from the best family pizzeria in town; Federici’s. This was a fond memory and one that would become the benchmark for pizza throughout my life.

I’ve had a love of cooking since I was six years old. Growing up, I’ve worked in numerous restaurant kitchens and received training from well known chefs along the way. Years later, after moving from New Jersey and not being able to find a classic East Coast pizza anywhere, I began my culinary journey to craft a pizza recipe as good as the one I remembered as a child. Years of trying new sauce recipes and perfecting dough mixtures gave me the experience I needed to create something very special. I finally arrived at a pizza I felt matched my memory of the best pizza I ever had… Maybe even better.

Arriving in AZ in the summer of 2015, I started to dream of becoming a food business owner. I attended a Wood-Fired Pizza University in Denver, CO and honed my wood-fired pizza making skills. In 2018, I purchased a custom built wood-fired oven and began serving up pizza at local events in the Valley. I am so excited and proud to bring authentic Jersey style pizza to Arizona. I take great pride in sharing the taste of my childhood memory with you.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It’s been an interesting ride so far. I’ve enjoyed cooking at a professional level and meeting a lot of really nice people and fellow pizza lovers. The hard part has been getting up and running. The expenses of equipment and hurdles of obtaining permits and proper licensing for a mobile food vendor has been challenging.

Please tell us about your business.
I think JerseyBoy Pizza is unique because it has an authentic East Coast/New Jersey pizza parlor taste that is hard to describe unless you’ve had it. Basically, it’s a well crafted dough with a thin crust that is crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. With a warm old world flavor. I make the dough and sauce fresh each week from my recipes. I use a special combination of two world-class flours to make my dough. I use only the freshest and best toppings. I believe a pizza is only as good as the quality ingredients you use to make it. I’ve been making pizza for over 15 years and I believe this experience comes through in each pizza that comes out of my oven.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
For me, the first feelings of success happened when I realized that I was creating pizza equal to my childhood memory and sharing it with people from all over the country. The expressions on their faces and eyes lighting up when they taste it. Them coming back to me and telling me that was the best pizza they ever had. That’s when I feel that what I’m doing is a success.

A good pizza can mark a celebration or special event. Some of the best times in people’s lives. Not just any old pizza from a mass chain franchise but the best pizza from a loved family pizzeria. Pizza can mark a winning game or that special Friday night you waited for all week. It’s not just something you stuff in your face to fill your stomach. It’s the taste of the good times in your life.

Contact Info:

• Website: jerseyboypizza.net
• Phone: 480-459-8914
• Email: JerseyBoypizzatruck@gmail.com
• Instagram: @jerseyboypizza
• Facebook: JerseyBoy Pizza

Image Credit:
JerseyBoy Pizza/ Alex Kovacs

Suggest a story: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.