by Judy Barlow, Citizen Journalist

Peninsula Towing tow-truck driver Rob Heinekey can’t wait for his special Thanksgiving dinner; succulent roasted white and dark meat, sausage stuffing with dried cranberries. And gravy. Lots of gravy.
“You can’t really go wrong with more gravy,” laughs chef Rick Scott. He’s referring, of course, to his wildly popular annual Thanksgiving Pizza at Peninsula Pizza in Saanichton.

Starting as a 13 year old chip boy in his uncle’s restaurant, Brady’s Fish and Chips, Rick now cooks up pizza with plenty of attitude – and some pretty outrageous combos. Which keeps Rob and his tow-truck pals coming back for specialties like the Kickin’ Chicken or the Ballpark Cheeseburger. Or the Reuben, the Eggs Benny, the Pink Cadillac…

“We’ll try anything,” Rick declares. “If you can put it in a sandwich you can put it on a pizza.”

Peninsula isn’t the only place to get a little slice of heaven – pizza heaven. There are any number of local pizza eateries, each with its own well-deserved claim to fame.

Over in Keating, Nicole Lehmann works in the family business, Keating Pizza, started by her dad Adolf in the mall about 25 years ago.
Keating offers pizza by the pie or by the slice as well as a Take and Bake to cook at home. The thick shell is really loaded with your choice of 45 different combinations of toppings. While it may be pricier than some places, Nicole notes, “You get what you pay for. A lot of people get one slice and they’re full – for only $5.”

In Sidney, Kassandra Montgomery serves up the culinary masterpieces emerging from the monstrous wood-fired oven at The Woodshed Pizza. One of their most popular specialties is topped with chicken, mango, and cashews. “How often do you see mango on a pizza?” she asks.
Kitchen manager Sam Nelson makes the pizzas and keeps the fire burning – literally. He’s out back each day cutting wild cherry and alder wood to stoke the fire.

“The authentic wood-fired oven really sets us apart,” says Sam. “… I’ve never experienced anything like this before.”
John Desbiens at The Roost can relate. Pizza is seasonal haute cuisine there, beginning with flour milled from their own wheat and heirloom vegetables grown on their own farm. Anything they don’t grow is sourced locally.

The master chefs are in no hurry – you can’t rush perfection. Pizzas here take longer to build than to bake in the 800°F heat of their wood-fired oven, where 40 seconds will do the trick. “And if you eat in, you can have it with a glass of Highland House wine,” says John.

Chefs at The Roost might take their time, but that doesn’t work for Dale Lamoureux at Domino’s in Royal Oak. Starting as a 16 year old delivery driver, Dale moved up to management before buying his first store at age 21. The only franchise represented, Domino’s is all carry-out or delivery with a 30-minute guarantee. Which leads to Dale’s personal claim to fame; a YouTube video demonstrating his super-speedy pizza box-folding skills. When Domino’s in the US spotted the video, it wasn’t long before Dale was starring in a national advertising campaign.

If you’re at Domino’s right now, waiting for your pizza, reading this article, and thinking, “Hey. Is that the guy who…?” the answer is, “Yes. That’s the guy.” And, “No. They didn’t speed up the film. He’s that fast.” Dale’s flying fingers can also transform a blob of dough into a pizza in about 29 seconds.

But that’s not why Domino’s is on the list. Take it from Les, a loyal customer who leaned in and took over the mike. “Best pizza in town. I eat here all the time… And it’s the best pizza in town. And I like the lava cake.”
In the end, Dale reflects on his 28 year career with Domino’s.
“I often hire young kids, 16 year-olds just like me. I like to give them a chance. Sometimes they’re kids who don’t do as well in school… I just always hope it turns out to be as good for them as it’s been for me. There’s millions of opportunities for young people at Domino’s.”

Dinner and a future! Does it get any better?
One thing is crystal clear. Thin crust, thick crust; balsamic reduction or turkey gravy; duck confit or pepperoni – pizza makers and pizza lovers take their pizza very seriously.

Try a pizza Thanksgiving this year. You’ll thank Rob for the tip.

Buon Appetito!