Pizza Experts Kelly and Brian Glynn of Columbia Explain The Science (and Art) of New York-Style Pizza for HelloNation

COLUMBIA, S.C., Dec. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- What makes New York-style pizza unique? According to a HelloNation article featuring Pizza Experts Kelly and Brian Glynn of Village Idiot Pizza in Columbia, SC, the answer lies in the connection between science and craftsmanship. The feature explores how deliberate methods such as slow fermentation, hand stretching, and high-temperature baking create the signature balance of flavor and texture that defines authentic New York-style pizza. The Glynns explain that while chemistry plays a key role, the human touch remains the most essential ingredient.

The HelloNation article begins by examining what gives New York pizza its chewy texture and crisp, foldable crust. The foundation of the process starts with dough that rests for hours in cool conditions. This slow technique, known as cold fermentation, allows yeast to work gradually, producing natural sugars that give the crust its subtle sweetness and depth of flavor. A quick-rise dough can look similar, but it lacks the complexity that only time can develop.

The Glynns explain that cold fermentation does more than improve taste. It strengthens the dough and enhances its structure, ensuring that it can stretch thin without tearing. High-gluten flour contributes to this flexibility, while the right level of hydration, or how much water the flour absorbs, controls how crisp or soft the crust becomes. In the HelloNation article, Kelly and Brian Glynn note that these variables must work together for the final product to achieve the distinct texture people associate with true New York-style pizza.

The article then focuses on why handmade pizza dough is important. The Glynns describe how hand-stretching affects pizza crust by preserving the air pockets created during fermentation. When dough is pressed by a machine, those air bubbles are lost, flattening what time and yeast have built. A skilled baker can feel the dough’s tension and adjust the stretch accordingly, ensuring that it keeps its natural lift and tenderness when baked. The result is a crust that bends but does not break, a defining feature of New York-style pizza.

Temperature also plays a crucial role in the process. The HelloNation article explains that New York-style pizza typically bakes at about 550 degrees Fahrenheit in a deck oven. At this temperature, the crust caramelizes quickly, forming a golden surface with a light char underneath. The Glynns emphasize that each oven and dough batch reacts differently to heat, which is why bakers often adjust bake times by seconds to find the right balance. Too long in the oven and the crust becomes dry; too short and it stays soft. This attention to detail highlights the precision needed to achieve consistency.

Kelly and Brian Glynn share that science explains much of what happens in the dough through yeast activity, gluten formation, and heat reactions, but it is art that gives each pizza its identity. The human hand brings instinct and adaptability to the process, qualities that machines cannot replicate. The Glynns believe that pizza making requires both discipline and creativity, as bakers must read the dough, adjust to conditions, and trust their own experience.

The article also discusses how long pizza dough should ferment. The Glynns recommend allowing dough to rest for at least four to eight hours, sometimes longer, to develop its full flavor and texture. This patience allows the dough to mature naturally, proving that great pizza cannot be rushed. Each stage builds upon the next, showing how time and attention to process result in a crust that feels light yet substantial with every bite.

The HelloNation feature highlights that the lasting appeal of New York-style pizza comes from how it connects people. The Glynns explain that each generation of pizza makers learns by watching and practicing, not just by following recipes. The repetition of kneading, waiting, and stretching passes knowledge forward and preserves a craft that relies on both science and intuition. Every baker adds a personal touch, and that touch is what customers taste.

When people ask why New York pizza tastes different, the Glynns point to this balance of science and tradition. Machines can mix, press, and bake quickly, but they cannot feel the dough’s readiness or anticipate how it will respond to heat. That sense of awareness, built through years of practice, is what makes hand-made pizza dough important. The difference is clear in every foldable slice because it carries the weight of patience, care, and precision.

The HelloNation article concludes by noting that New York-style pizza remains a perfect example of how craftsmanship meets science. From small neighborhood shops to landmark pizzerias, bakers who work by hand preserve a tradition that continues to define the style. Each slice reflects both discipline and artistry, showing that even as technology advances, some methods remain timeless because they deliver results that no machine can match.

The Science (and Art) of New York-Style Pizza: Why Hand-Made Still Matters features insights from Kelly and Brian Glynn, Pizza Experts of Columbia, SC, in HelloNation.

About HelloNation
HelloNation is a premier media platform that connects readers with trusted professionals and businesses across various industries. Through its innovative edvertising approach that blends educational content and storytelling, HelloNation delivers expert-driven articles that inform, inspire, and empower. Covering topics from home improvement and health to business strategy and lifestyle, HelloNation highlights leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities.

HelloNation Staff
info@hellonation.com
www.hellonation.com

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Pizza Experts Kelly and Brian Glynn of Columbia Explain The Science (and Art) of New York-Style Pizza for HelloNation

Pizza Experts Kelly and Brian Glynn of Columbia Explain The Science (and Art) of New York-Style Pizza for HelloNation

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