Pizza Today - July 2024 - 35

Jillana Miller
and Ahmad Butler
RISING
STARS
OF THE
PIZZA
INDUSTRY
Ages: 37 and 47
Titles: Owners & Chefs
Pizza Concept name: Miller Butler
Location: San Pedro, CA
Instagram handle(s):
@millerbutler_sp
@chefjillananadine
@mrbutler_aka_doughboi
PT: What has been key to building
up steam as a caterer and pop-up
pizzeria, especially in the LA market?
JM: There are several key elements.
The driving forces that come to mind are
consistency, authenticity and a reverence
for quality. Building a business from
scratch on a shoestring budget definitely
requires unwavering commitment. You
have to keep going, no matter what,
and that's not always easy. As a mobile
business, circumstances affecting our
operations can change in the blink of an
eye; it's an unfixed variable. Therefore, our
consistency becomes the stabilizing fixed
variable. Weather is a significant factor-on
many occasions, we have worked through
windstorms that blew away even weighted
tents, not to mention pizza boxes, signs,
and literally whole pizzas. Rain presents
another challenge. It's tough, exhausting,
but it cannot be defeating. Honoring the
grit as part of the process is a helpful
mindset.
Consistency is imperative, not just in
showing up, but also in how you show up.
We aim to create a welcoming space at
every event, where both our customers
and our team feel comfortable. This
authenticity is important to us, and we
believe people can feel that.
Being a mobile business also demands
a certain level of DIY marketing and selfpromotion.
We're not in a static location
where people can just drive by. If we don't
actively share our location and activities,
people won't find us. Social media,
especially Instagram, has been invaluable
in communicating with our followers and
sharing our journey.
Besides just showing up, the quality of
our pizza is paramount. We strive to deliver
our best work, which should continually
evolve. We enjoy creating unique pizzas
with unexpected flavor profiles, but our
dough, especially with high-quality flour
like Le 5 Stagioni, is probably the star of
the show.
PT: You've gained notoriety for
your culinary creativity. What are you
aiming for with your pizza?
JM: First and foremost, quality and
attention to detail are crucial, whether it's
a simple classic pepperoni or one of our
latest inventive creations-it must be top
shelf and memorable. Expressing culture
through our food is important to us. The
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INTERVIEW
at
PIZZATODAY.COM
Photo: John Mattera / John Mattera Photography
tradition of Italian pizza serves as a great
vehicle for celebrating various cultures.
We've created Jamaican jerk pizza, a
variety of Mexican pizzas, Japaneseinspired
pizzas, Vietnamese-inspired
pizzas, and classic French concepts. Our
goal is to create pizzas that are intriguing
and exciting for the palate without
compromising the integrity of classic
techniques.
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