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Former Outback Executive Tries New Pizza Venture

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By MICHAEL SASSO

msasso@tampatrib.com

Published: December 9, 2008

TAMPA - When Ben Novello first stepped into Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza, he got the same rush he felt upon entering his first Outback Steakhouse years earlier.

"I call it the type of experience that wakes you up as a diner," said Novello, a former president of the Outback Steakhouse brand.

Instead of trying to do too many things, Anthony's keeps the menu simple, primarily serving pizza along with wings, Italian salads, focaccia sandwiches and a few other items, he said. Novello, who once guest-appeared on Donald Trump's "The Apprentice," has been off the public radar since leaving Tampa-based OSI Restaurant Partners in 2006.

Today, he's partnering with the founder of the Pompano Beach-based Anthony's pizza chain to open Anthony's locations along Florida's west coast and in the Orlando area. He hopes to open his first two Bay area restaurants, in Carrollwood and in Clearwater, between January and March, and has two planned for Orlando.

Coal-fired pizza ovens may sound odd, but the company says it gives its pizza a "well-done" flavor with slightly charred edges. The ovens burn a type of coal called anthracite that is considered cleaner burning than other types of coal. Anthony's pizza runs $11.25 for a 12-inch pie or $14.25 for a 16-inch pie.

Since leaving OSI, Novello said he has served as Anthony's "adjunct CEO," traveling from Tampa to Pompano Beach regularly and helping company founder Anthony Bruno develop a growth plan. Along with a small salary, Novello received the development rights to expand the concept into the Bay area and Orlando.

When OSI announced that Novello had resigned as Outback's president two years ago, the company never clarified whether he resigned voluntarily or was edged out. Outback Steakhouse's sales had fallen in recent years, and at the time of Novello's departure there were calls for change at the company.

These days, Novello prefers to focus on his future. "I had 13 wonderful years there at Outback and two bad years," he says. "What are you gonna do?"

Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza, Bay area locations:

Carrollwood Village Shoppes, W. Fletcher Ave. and N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa - opens mid-January

Enterprise Road East and N. McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater - opens February or March

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