It all started in the buffet line at Saffron Indian Bistro.
That’s where general manager Sam Nalli met David Furmanski in 2023.
Furmanski, a co-owner of , was in line to eat when they struck up a conversation about how was working on creating Indian-style pizzas.
With Furmanski’s expertise on what makes a good slice of pizza and Nalli’s access to authentic Indian food, it was almost like their meeting was fate. Indian-style pizza was coming to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, it was just a matter of working out the details.
With the help of Saffron owner Saurabh Sareen, Furmanski and Nalli ran with their idea that started in the buffet line and created , a new food truck that’s serving up Indian-style flatbreads and rice bowls.
“One of our biggest inspirations was there's so much pizza out there and there's not a lot of pizza out there with all the great Indian toppings such as chicken tikka masala,†Nalli said.
Before they decided to open a food truck, Nalli and Furmanski began making pizzas at Saffron, testing out their idea, which proved to be a big hit. That’s when they started making pizzas for catering events like this year's Gem Show.
After a week at the Gem Show, they sold over 600 pizzas.
“We realized we had something really good,†Furmanski said.
Coming off their successful Gem Show run, they decided it was time to take the next step: open a food truck.
It’s pretty hard to miss it. Swirls of color cover the truck, along with drawings of stars, a moon, the Taj Mahal and their name in big, neon letters.
With the truck ready, it was time to tackle the most important part: the menu. Since they both have brick-and-mortar locations, they were able to test out all their ingredients and flavor combinations in their kitchens.
“We did most of the research and development at Saffron," Furmanski said. “All the staff was super helpful, both with making all the food, adjusting the recipes and taste testing. Everyone had a great time.â€
In addition to flatbread, you can also get rice bowls and salads at the truck.Â
Bollywood Pizza Company has three flatbread toppings customers can choose from: chicken tikka masala, chana masala and paneer tikka. Along with the flatbreads, they offer salads and rice bowls and are working on adding poutine and desserts.
Everything on the pizza is made from scratch at Saffron, so you are getting authentic Indian flavors with each bite.
For Furmanski, the paneer tikka flatbread is his favorite. The paneer, which is homemade Indian cheese, is marinated in a yogurt ginger garlic mix and cooked in a tandoor oven at Saffron.
“I’ve had paneer cheese many times in the past, this is nothing like it,†Furmanski said. “It tastes amazing.â€
Nalli’s favorite topping also seems to be a customer favorite. The chicken tikka masala is made with Saffron’s signature masala sauce along with the chicken tikka that is cooked in house. Nalli described it as a “really high-quality Indian flatbread.â€
Chicken tikka masala is just one of the toppings you can get at Bollywood Pizza Company.
After all their preparation, Bollywood Pizza Company made its debut last week at their first pop-up. Nalli said the turnout was great and they had lots of support, hearing positive feedback from hungry customers that stopped by.
While they are still in their early days, Furmanski and Nalli want to continue to build relationships with the community and host the truck at different locations.
For now, be on the lookout for the colorful truck serving up pizza like you've never had before. It’s time to ditch the pepperonis and bite into chunks of chicken masala instead.
“I think people will be surprised at how flavorful and tasty these flatbreads are,†Nalli said.
Bollywood Pizza Company’s next pop-up will be 5-9 p.m. Friday, July 19 at Tap and Bottle, .