LAFAYETTE, LA--(Marketwired - Mar 21, 2016) - Lafayette is heating up with the opening of Blaze Fast-Fire'd Pizza. The fast-casual artisanal pizza concept known for its chef-driven menu and casually hip restaurants will officially open its doors in Lafayette's new Ambassador Town Center (111 Meadow Farm Rd.) on Friday, March 25. To celebrate the grand opening, the restaurant will offer FREE build-your-own artisanal pizzas on Saturday, March 26 from 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m. to anyone who follows Blaze on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or Snapchat. During the "Free Pizza Day" celebration, guests will enjoy prize giveaways and musical entertainment by Casey Courville and Rareluth.
Blaze Pizza is a modern day "pizza joint" serving up high-quality pizzas that are both fast and affordable. Since its inception in 2012, Blaze has quickly become one of the nation's hottest restaurant concepts, with fans lining up each day for the custom-built pizzas, freshly made salads, blood orange lemonade and s'more pies. Each restaurant features an interactive open-kitchen format that allows guests to customize one of the menu's signature pizzas or create their own, choosing from a wide array of artisanal toppings -- all for around $8. The generously-sized 11-inch personal pizzas are then sent to a blazing hot open-flame oven -- the centerpiece of the restaurant -- where dedicated pizzasmiths ensure that the thin-crust pies are fast-fire'd and ready to eat in just 180 seconds.
Each Blaze restaurant makes its own pizza dough from scratch daily using a recipe developed by Blaze Pizza's Executive Chef Bradford Kent ("The Pizza Whisperer"), which requires a 24-hour fermentation period to produce his signature light-as-air, crisp crust. For pizza fans with specific dietary needs, Blaze Pizza offers gluten-free dough and vegan cheese. Blaze Lafayette will also feature specialty toppings such as alligator sausage and a muffuletta spread.
"Great pizza starts with great dough," said Chef Kent. "That's why we make our dough from scratch in-house daily. No frozen dough, preservatives or dough conditioners -- EVER. Just a few simple ingredients and a mixer."
Blaze will offer local craft beers on tap, including Saison D'Ecrevisses, LA-31 Biere Pale and Ragin' Cajuns™ Ale from Bayou Teche Brewing and Canebrake and Ghost in the Machine from Parish Brewing Company.
In support of the company's commitment to "Intelligent Choices for Our Pizzas, People & Planet," the new restaurant is constructed with recycled and sustainable materials, uses energy-efficient LED lighting, and features eco-friendly, compostable packaging. Blaze Pizza will partner with local schools, sports clubs, nonprofits and other community organizations to host fundraising events at the restaurant, donating 20 percent of an event's proceeds back to local groups.
"We couldn't be more excited to introduce Blaze to Lafayette's vibrant community," said Brian Kelley, Managing Partner of Saddles Blazin, LLC, a Blaze Pizza franchisee currently operating in Louisiana and Texas. "We're proud to provide guests the opportunity to custom-build their own artisanal pizza, complete with the local flavors they enjoy, and paired with local handcrafted beer from Bayou Teche Brewing and Parish Brewing Company."
Blaze Pizza will be open Sunday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m. The opening of the Lafayette restaurant marks the second Blaze Pizza location in Louisiana. Blaze debuted in New Orleans in April 2015 in the South Market District (611 O'Keefe Ave.).
WHAT:
Blaze Pizza's Grand Opening and "Free Pizza Day"
One free pizza per person on Saturday, March 26 for guests who follow Blaze Pizza on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or Snapchat.
WHEN:
Ribbon Cutting: Thursday, March 24 at 10:30 a.m.
Opening Day: Friday, March 25 at 10:30 a.m.
Free Pizza Day: Saturday, March 26
Free pizza served 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m.
Musical entertainment by Casey Courville from 12-2 p.m. and 3-5 p.m. and Rareluth from 6-8 p.m.
WHO:
Lafayette Community
WHERE:
Blaze Pizza Lafayette
Ambassador Town Center (near Costco)
111 Meadow Farm Rd., Suite 100
Lafayette, LA 70508
(337) 205-4245
Blaze is currently seeking friendly and passionate workers to join its team. For more information about employment opportunities, please visit www.saddlesblazin.com/careers.html.
About Blaze Pizza
The first Blaze Pizza® restaurant opened on Aug. 6, 2012, in Irvine, Calif., and quickly gained attention for its chef-driven recipes, thoughtful interior design, and a service culture that celebrates individuality. Now ranked as the overall #2 fast-casual brand in FastCasual.com's annual Top 100 list, Blaze Pizza is building momentum and developing a cult-like following as it expands across the country. The company currently operates 116 restaurants in 27 states and Canada, including the major metropolitan areas of Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Toronto, Dallas, Las Vegas and Washington D.C. Founded by Elise and Rick Wetzel (co-founder of Wetzel's Pretzels), the concept is backed by investors including LeBron James, Maria Shriver, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Boston Red Sox co-owner Tom Werner and movie producer John Davis. For more information, please visit blazepizza.com and facebook.com/blazepizza or click here to view a company video.
Blaze Pizza®, Fast-Fire'd®, the horizontal logo design, and the proprietary names "Pizzasmith", "Intelligent Choices For Our Pizzas, People & Planet" and related trademarks are the property of Blaze Pizza LLC.
Contact Information:
MEDIA CONTACT:
Kelsey Hyde
Bond Public Relations & Brand Strategy
504-897-0462
