Hey guys, welcome back to another episode of the Pizza Story Podcast!
I recently had one of the most heartwarming and relatable conversations yet with Candy Yiu, the owner of The Turning Peel in Portland, Oregon. Her journey from the corporate world to running a bustling pizzeria is a powerful example of what happens when you decide to listen to that inner calling.
The Magic of Sourdough Connection
Like so many of us during the pandemic, Candy got deeply into sourdough bread making. She found the process incredibly therapeutic. What started with baking loaves eventually evolved into sharing them, creating small, meaningful connections with neighbors. She told me about the genuine smile people had when receiving fresh bread—a feeling of connection everyone missed during lockdown.
This love for sourdough eventually led her to pizza. And speaking from experience, I can totally relate! I, too, got into baking sourdough and experienced that same joy in sharing—there’s just something magical about it.
The Universe Steps In: From Engineer to Entrepreneur
Candy’s career pivot was dramatic and completely unplanned. For 13 years, she worked as an engineer, traveling and spending her days in front of a computer. She felt that familiar pull toward wanting to do something different, but admittingly, she wasn’t brave enough to quit. She had a comfortable job, a paycheck, and two kids—the leap felt too big.
So, she started small. She bought a heavy, 260-pound portable oven and began selling sourdough pizzas at a local farmers market to see if people would even like her unique take. Her very first day, selling only 30 doughs, she sold out in a few hours! The same enthusiastic smiles she got from giving away bread appeared when people received her pizza, noting the distinct chewy, tangy, airy, and crunchy sourdough crust.
The true turning point? The universe delivered.
“All of the sudden I got laid off… and I was somehow the happiest person to really go home. It’s like that relief, you know,” she said.
With a generous severance package that covered her family’s insurance for a year, Candy realized this was the push she needed.
Building the Oasis
The next phase was serendipitous. Candy and her husband had been passive investors in an old house they spent two and a half years painstakingly converting into a restaurant space, putting in countless hours on everything from tiling to collecting antiques. Unfortunately, that original restaurant closed during the pandemic.
With the beautifully handmade space sitting empty, and people wanting to tear it down, Candy became emotionally attached and started showing it to potential tenants. Her family—her husband and kids—finally asked, “Why don’t you take the space?”
Despite her fears of opening a brick-and-mortar, she couldn’t ignore the calling. She focused not just on the inside, but on creating an incredible outdoor space she dubbed The Oasis—a romantic, grape-covered patio with hurricane lamp chairs. Her goal: “I don’t have to be the best pizza in town, but I just need to have the best patio in town.”
You can see the full episode here: https://youtu.be/zXRwC3nEYKA
Purpose-Driven Operations
When The Turning Peel first opened, they had days where they only sold two pizzas. But Candy was resolute in operating on her own terms.
She and her husband had no employees initially, and they only opened Monday through Friday for lunch. This schedule, which everyone laughed at, was intentional. She was determined not to lose time with her kids.
“I’m old enough to know that what is the most important things in life, which is my kid… I can’t lose that because when I lose that, I lose everything,” she said.
This unique lunchtime focus—which most handcraft restaurants avoid—turned them into one of the most popular spots for lunch. They quickly built a high-volume business based on their quality and affordability.
Zero Waste and the Gift of Bread
The Turning Peel’s menu reflects Candy’s personal values. Because she can’t tolerate highly processed foods, they use no chemicals, no emulsifiers, and no sugar in their pizza dough or food. Their commitment is to serving food that she would cook in her own house—meaning you can eat a whole pizza and feel “just right,” not heavy or stuffed.
They also emphasize local, seasonal ingredients, leading to unique rotating pizzas like the hugely popular Peach Serrano and their new turnip leaf, spinach, and fresh corn pie.
But my favorite detail? Their commitment to zero food waste. Because their sourdough-based dough requires a specific, pushed fermentation process, any leftover dough has to be tossed. However, Candy converts that dough into “pizza bread”—long, delicious baguettes that she gives away for free to customers. It’s the ultimate full-circle moment, going back to the kindness and connection she found in giving away bread at the start.
The Future of The Turning Peel
While Candy still doesn’t have a rigid five-year plan, she is focused on continuous improvement: improving operational efficiency for her staff, making the dough fermentation process more stable, and most excitingly, developing a sourdough gluten-free pizza to offer customers the same great quality.
If you’re ever in Portland, look for the little blue house with the “really cool pizza sign” on Division and 45th, growing wild with plants. Go see Candy and the beautiful oasis she created!
Follow The Turning Peel on Instagram @theturningpeel
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