More Than Just Gung Ho: Pizza Worth Saving the World For
Ahead of the 2018 Beijing Pizza Festival
on Oct 13-14, 11am-8pm, we take a look at the giants, the classics and
the movers and shakers of the pizza scene right here in the capital.
When Jade Gray says ‘New Wave,’ he’s not talking about Siouxsie and the Banshees or The Cure. As the owner of Gung Ho receives
a piping hot pizza from one of his sharply dressed members of staff,
the New Zealand native unfolds the idea behind this completely
non-musical term.
“There’s more of an artisanal and creative
approach, as opposed to double cheese and double pepperoni,” Gray
explains. “We started Gung Ho in 2010, and there was nothing
groundbreaking around. The only pizza places were just Annies, Kro’s
Nest, fast food joints, and a few traditional Italian places. But nobody
was doing what I call ‘new wave pizza.’” This phrase, often used in
regard to food to reposition a familiar product as refined (think wine
and coffee), describes Gung Ho’s innovative approach to cooking.
We started Gung Ho in 2010, and there was nothing groundbreaking around. The only pizza places were just Annies, Kro's Nest, fast food joints, and a few traditional Italian places. But nobody was doing what I call 'new wave pizza'.
“We
have a healthier and wholesome take on pizza,” Gray says, before
adding, “We really focus on the quality of the ingredients, using
market-fresh, locally-sourced, organic, seasonal products. It’s what
Gung Ho is about: fresh ingredients, leftfield pizzas.”
What exactly constitutes a leftfield pizza? One example would be Gung Ho’s Xinjiang Chuan’r Pizza,
one of the brand’s more playful items, which has since been taken off
the menu. “We’re never afraid to try stuff, even when we get a lot of
grief for some of the things we’ve tried. The Xinjiang Chuan’r Pizza was
pretty meat-heavy with a lot of spices. It wasn’t a big seller, but we
had a few guys that loved it; and that’s the thing with failures, you
still end up with some hardcore fans.” Grade says the team embraces
their failures as much as they do their successes, some of which
recently include their in-house-made vegan mozzarella as well as their keto pizza, likely the only pizza in Beijing, if not all of China, to sport a cauliflower base.
"We have a healthier and wholesome take on pizza," says Gray of Gung Ho's beloved New Zealand style pies
This
brazen and creative spirit has been present in Gung Ho from the off,
including the pizza brand’s most iconic quirk, and one which arguably
boosted their recognition most throughout Beijing during the early days.
“Our deliverymen had ‘Go! Go! Go!’ written on their bright pink
uniforms, so we really were one of the first proper delivery companies
in Beijing before the recent wave of third-party apps.” As anyone that
has witnessed their scooter-straddling fleet take off can tell you, they
are also one of the fiercest, releasing Gung Ho’s battle-cry motto as
they speed out of the gates.
Gray also takes pride in Gung Ho’s
ongoing environmental awareness projects, down to the holistic nature of
the business, saying, “Part of our ethos is how can we create an
awesome brand without f*cking up the environment. We want to be a
business, but we also want to be respectful and acknowledge that we have
a responsibility to take care of our planet.” Such aspirations helped
Gung Ho become the third company ever to achieve B Corp status in China,
awarded to those businesses active in helping to alleviate poverty,
address climate change, build strong local communities, and provide
positive workplaces. These practices are exemplified by their annual
Earth Day and ongoing Great Wall Clean Up events.
In Beijing, people really appreciate substance, they like to keep things simple, and really appreciate authentic experiences. You can't bullsh*t Beijing people.
Another
of the company’s strengths is the customer experience that Gung Ho
strives to provide. “Every part of the experience is fresh. That
includes the box, the decor, the playlist,” Gray says, as bass-heavy Bob
Marley flows out of the speakers above. “Right now we are using the
designs of a local tattoo artist, Wang Ke,
on our pizza boxes, celebrating Beijing through tattoo art.” He adds:
“In Beijing, people really appreciate substance, they like to keep
things simple, and really appreciate authentic experiences. You can’t
bullsh*t Beijing people.”
With that in mind, Gray says he is
confident that he can once again impress Beijingers at this year’s Pizza
Cup: “We’re not going to give much away now, but I think we’re going to
marry the perfect relationship between pizza and craft beer. Our goal
is to keep innovating, which is a big part of our ambition. Always
fresh, always on the edge.”
We're not going to give much away now, but I think we're going to marry the perfect relationship between pizza and craft beer. Our goal is to keep innovating, which is a big part of our ambition. Always fresh, always on the edge.
As
a whiff of the kitchen’s signature lamb pizza wafts through the venue,
we pose one final, simple yet important question to Gray: Why should
people care about Gung Ho Pizza? “Because we give a sh*t about people
and the planet, and we make awesome pizza.” Well, there’s no denying
that.
Scan/Extract the QR code below for all of 2018 Beijing Pizza Fest coverage:
Tickets are now on sale and early bird ticket buyers will receive a complimentary vintage bandana, while group ticket buyers (three tickets and up) will receive a free picnic blanket. Tickets are RMB 20 for early birds or RMB 30 on the door and can be purchased by scanning the QR below via WeChat:
This article originally appeared on the September/October 2018 issue of the Beijinger. Tap on image below to access.
Photos: Uni You
Want to know what awesome events are happening in town? Scan/Extract the QR code above to get the list of our Editors' Picks.
Got something to sell? Looking for a job? Or probably your soulmate? Then scan/extract the QR code above to visit our Classified Ads.
Do you have what it takes to be a True Runner?
Scan/Extract the QR code above to check out our current job openings.
Always something fresh
Scan/Extract the QR code above to follow us!
Tap on the cover to access the latest print issue.