Masses is known for one very specific, very tasty thing: its wild-fermented bagels. But for their Melbourne Food & Wine Festival Special Event, they decided to flip the script entirely and call in their pal Amy Tanner from roaming pizza pop-up Amy’s Pizza. True to form for both brands, the toppings were wild, wonderful and unexpected, with one such whole pie – loaded with smoked cheddar custard, shishito peppers and a breadcrumb made from the day’s bagels – flying out the door. Single slices were going hot, too, with the team showing us exactly why creamed spinach belongs on pizza.
Here’s Masses Bagels co-founder Jack Muir-Rigby now with how the collaboration came full circle.
How did you come up with the idea for your event?
We’ve always loved Amy Tanner’s pizzas and have been huge fans of the interesting flavour combinations she comes up with. The idea of a pizza-by-the-slice shop felt like a really fun way to collaborate and create something that neither of us normally offer. We also loved the idea of transforming our bagel shop into a pizza shop for just one day.
What did you serve on the day?
We served three pizzas by the slice. One was a creamed spinach, spring onion pesto, preserved lemon and herb salad slice. The other was a sesame habanero crust pepperoni slice topped with salsa verde, whipped ricotta and pickled shallots. The third was a vegan confit oyster-mushroom slice.
Alongside the pizza, we served a crudité plate featuring beautiful produce from our favourite farm, Dog Creek Growers, in the Yarra Valley, with a whipped quark and green tomato ranch-inspired dip.
We also offered a whole pizza as an optional add-on: charred corn, smoked cheddar custard, pickled shishito peppers and pangrattato made from our bagel crumb.
To finish it all off, our friend Pat Underwood from Little Reddie put together a beautiful wine selection that paired perfectly with the food.
Looking back now, what was the highlight of the whole thing?
The highlight was getting to experiment with some really interesting flours and creating a one-off sourdough pizza that we were genuinely proud to serve. It was also incredibly rewarding seeing the shop full of people who had come specifically for the event and watching Masses transform into a pizza shop for the day. It all came together much more smoothly than any of us expected.
Is there anything you’d do differently if you were to run a similar event in the future?
We’d probably build in a little more prep time and make a few small adjustments to service after learning how people moved through the space. Overall, though, we’re really happy with how the day ran and wouldn’t change the concept itself.
What did you find was the best way to sell the tickets or otherwise get the word out?
Instagram was definitely our biggest driver. Sharing the collaboration early, showing behind-the-scenes development and talking about why we were excited to work together really helped build interest. Having two businesses with similar audiences also meant we could reach a much wider group of people.
What’s the best event you’ve been to lately at another venue? What made it so great?
One of the best things about Melbourne’s food scene is seeing venues collaborate in ways that feel genuine and unique. The events that stand out are always the ones where the collaboration feels authentic, the food is thoughtful, and the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming rather than overcomplicated.
Any advice for anyone thinking of doing an event for the first time?
Keep it simple and make sure the collaboration feels natural. Work with people whose food you genuinely admire, play to each other’s strengths and don’t try to do too much. If everyone involved is excited about what they’re creating, people can usually feel that when they walk through the door.
Masses Bagels, 5 Smith St, Fitzroy, massesbagels.com.au, @masses_bagels