This dough room cost $$$$ to develop. But it was built in such a smart and intentional way that it might be worth it....

In this episode, Thomas McNaughton, Ryan Pollnow, and Elliot Armstrong of Flour + Water Pizzeria take us behind the glass into their dough room — a space designed for precision, consistency, and volume. They break down their four-day dough process, the tech they use to control fermentation, and how they’ve turned the room into both a production hub and a revenue-generating private dining space.

Highlights:
00:00 – Dough Room Basics – The space isn’t just eye candy—it’s mission-critical to the operation.
00:27 – Multi-Day Dough Timeline – From pre-ferment to portioning to proofing to bake day.
01:43 – Proofing with Precision – Using controlled tech to manage humidity, temp, and fermentation speed.
03:33 – Controlled Chaos – Balancing automation with human intuition to hit dough perfection.
05:16 – Glass Walls, Real Talk – Why their dough room is on full display for guests to see.
06:46 – Electric and Upcycled – Sustainability choices from oven fuel to table material.
07:53 – What It Actually Costs – How much it takes to build a room like this—and why you don’t need to.
09:16 – Production Powerhouse – Cranking out up to 2,800 dough balls a week
11:53 – Why This Team Works – Culture, collaboration, and a love for feeding people.
15:41 – Nostalgia vs. Innovation – Bone marrow pizza meets childhood faves on one menu.
16:43 – Monetizing the Dough Room – Turning a back-of-house space into a high-end private dining experience.
18:02 – Origin of the Concept – How their first dough room evolved into a flagship idea.
19:31 – Beyond Pizza – Hosting classes, team builds, and events to deepen community ties.

Check out Flour + Water Pizzeria here:
https://www.fwpizzeria.com/
https://www.fwpizzeria.com/home
https://www.instagram.com/flourandwaterpizzeria/?hl=en

Shot By Tristan Marr + Alexia Refil

Topics:
Dough Room, Pizza Dough Production, Dough Room Design, How to Build a Dough Room, Multi-Use Dough Room, Dough Room Private Dining, Pizza Dough Fermentation Process, Four Day Dough Fermentation, Pizza Dough Workflow, Commercial Dough Room Setup, Proofing Dough at Scale, Pizza Dough Temperature Control, Dough Room Humidity Control, Revent Proofer Retarder, How to Scale Dough Production, Dough Room Private Events, Pizza Dough Room Event Space, Pizza Dough Class, How to Host Pizza Classes, Turning Kitchen Into Dining Space, Flour and Water Pizzeria, San Francisco Pizza Scene, Pizza Dough Consistency Tips, How to Make Artisan Pizza Dough, Pizza Dough Room Equipment, Glass Dough Room Design, Pizza Dough Room ROI, Sustainable Pizza Shop Design, All-Electric Pizza Kitchen, High Hydration Dough, How to Ferment Dough Properly, Pizza Dough Room Revenue Model