For Your Business

From Lockdown Project to Award-Winning Pizza Business: How Stone Bake Company’s Vento Oven Helped Build Pizza 51. Pizza 51 began during lockdown when (Morgan) electrician by trade decided to build a wood-fired pizza oven from scratch with his father-in-law. It was a far bigger task than expected, but it set in motion a chain of events that led to an award-winning pizza business, operating from the back of a family pub in Wales. The challenge. After months spent building a homemade oven, the first pizza was – well, a disaster. Poor dough, bad wood, too many toppings. That failure sparked a decision to master the craft properly. Learning the craft. Advice from Michelin star -level chef brothers was simple but transformative: master the basics, use the best ingredients, let quality lead. Months of dough experiments followed.

While searching for materials, I met Gavin from Stone Bake. We clicked straight away. A charity event using a Stone Bake oven showed what consistent heat and reliable performance felt like. That experience shifted the idea from hobby to business. With support from family and Gavin, Pizza 51 was born, operating from the back of a family pub in rural Wales. Three years later, it continues to serve authentic stone-baked pizza.

On a typical night 60 pizzas in about 90 minutes. Busy services of 100 plus with a record of 150. The Vento oven’s heat retention and even floor temperature allow for consistent quality throughout service. Fuel matters too. Using sustainably sourced, properly seasoned wood improves heat consistency and reduces fuel costs. Just six months after learning to make dough, Pizza 51’s founder Morgan entered the UK’s Best Amateur Pizzaiolo competition and finished runner-up. That moment became a key milestone and confidence boost. What started as a lockdown project became a lessons-driven success story. Quality equipment, quality fuel, and a relentless focus on craft, underpinned by family support and community spirit.