Our third Pizza Story Podcast episode brings Paul Kasten of Deep End Pizza in Melbourne, Australia.
Originally from the area outside the pizza capital New Haven in Connecticut, Paul grew up on American-style pizza from restaurant chains like Pizza Hut. As a kid, his parents dragged Paul and his siblings to a brick oven pizzeria, where he fell in love with the crispy and savory taste, and never looked back.
Young Chef Turned Pizza Maestro Down Under
So, how does an American-raised boy end up cooking pizza in Australia?
As a young chef, Paul relocated to Australia to work with a farm-to-table business owner who specialized in providing fine dining experiences through beer and food matching.
He focused on creating high-end food experiences for years, but then COVID hit. During the pandemic, Paul was able to think about what food he wanted to create and what fueled his passion. “Pizza gives me the opportunity to take my knowledge of quality ingredients and prep and to make something that’s more accessible, fun, and that more people get to enjoy.”
After opening Deep End Pizza in Melbourne in 2022, Paul can’t ever imagine doing anything else. “It’s just a food that I’ve always connected with and it’s fun to have the opportunity to share that with others.”
What to Expect at Deep End Pizza: Styles, Vibe, and Quality First
Pizza may not be the first type of cuisine you think of trying in Australia. Yet, Deep End Pizza is a must-stop for Aussies and travelers alike. What can you expect to experience when you drop in? Quality ingredients, memories, laughter, and a sense of home.
“There are nearly 400,000 expats living in Australia,” Paul explained. Opening a pizza shop that offered iconic pizza pies like Detroit-style, New York thin crust, Chicago Deep Dish, and even Chicago tavern-style became Paul’s passion. Now, people from all over the world are experiencing American pizzas down under.
While Paul’s customers come from all corners of the world, he’s confident that pizza is a universal food that can be shared and enjoyed by anyone. “It’s just a happy food,” Paul said with a smile.
The Passion of Pizza Lies in Sharing it With Others
For a trained chef, preparing and cooking food is more than just a career path — it’s a way of life. For Paul, the reward of pizza comes from seeing his customers, friends, and neighbors experience different styles and how they react.
“I’ve spent a lot of years trying to impress people with expensive, well-thought-out dishes and I feel like I’m getting more reaction now putting a great pizza in front of them,” he explained.
With the help and guidance from his wife and online marketer Kate, Deep End Pizza has been able to connect with people across the globe. This is all through social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. “Kate’s skill set has allowed us to share weekly specials and get the word out about what we’re up to in the shop,” Paul said.
Before we said goodbye, Paul shared his outlook on pizza making. “Think of it as a journey; we’re never nailing down a process. It’s a constant evolution of improvements [along the way].”
Most importantly… Does pineapple belong on pizza? “If it’s a ripe, fresh pineapple, then yes, it totally has a place on pizza!”
Learn More About Deep End Pizza
To learn more about Deep End Pizza, visit DeepEnd.Pizza or visit their Instagram.
Be sure to tune into our podcast, Pizzy Story Podcast, for the latest and greatest pizza stories on YouTube.
