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Meet the Doughminators™: The Flour Experts Behind Perfect Pizza and Pastries
The General Mills Foodservice flour experts help operators perfect their dough with hands-on support, industry insights and top-quality ingredients.
At General Mills, we’ve been perfecting flour and baking for nearly 160 years. From our earliest days as a flour milling company to becoming a global leader in food, we’ve remained dedicated to helping bakers, pizza makers and foodservice professionals succeed. One of the ways we do this is through General Mills Foodservice, a dedicated division that provides high-quality products, technical expertise and industry support to independent bakeries, pizzerias, restaurants, K-12 schools and more.
Whether it’s crafting fresh-baked goods or perfecting a signature pizza crust, the foundation for success begins with the dough. That’s why General Mills Foodservice is proud to have a team of dedicated experts known as the Doughminators.
An elite team of flour and baking experts with decades of hands-on experience in bakeries, pizzerias and foodservice operations, working alongside foodservice customers to solve any dough dilemmas that come their way.
A bakery owner for over two decades, who also has 26+ years of General Mills sales field experience. Tom has crafted a lot of different doughs over the last four decades, from pizza to apple pie. He understands the daily challenges of foodservice operations and is the go-to for troubleshooting crust catastrophes.
With 20 years of General Mills experience, Shotsie has spent much of her tenure honing and sharing her flour expertise. Known for her high-energy and educational flour presentations, she’s passionate about helping customers succeed.
With 38+ years in the baking and pastry industry, Curt has taught at top culinary schools and developed a sugar-free and no-sugar dessert line served at five Las Vegas hotels. Now, as a Corporate Chef at our General Mills Foodservice headquarters, he’s sharing his vast knowledge with the Doughminator team and the foodservice industry.
The Doughminators are here to help foodservice operators master their dough craft, but their impact goes beyond one-on-one support. They’ll be at the International Pizza Expo, happening March 24-26, 2026, at the Las Vegas Convention Center — the world’s largest gathering of pizza professionals from independent pizzerias and chain pizza restaurants.
Attendees can visit Booth #1943 to meet the Doughminators, watch their live dough demonstrations, and take part in the Pizza Crust Boot Camp — a free seminar that has been a Pizza Expo staple for over 25 years. Led by the Doughminators, this interactive session covers dough-making, ingredient functionality and troubleshooting techniques to help operators craft signature crust.
The Doughminators’ commitment to the pizza community doesn’t stop there. Their passion for education led to the creation of the Pizza Professional Workshop, an annual event developed in collaboration with Grande Cheese. The idea was sparked at Pizza Expo, where both teams saw an opportunity to bring pizza makers together for a hands-on, educational experience that celebrates the craft of pizza making.
From industry events to workshops and recipe development, the Doughminators are dedicated to supporting pizza makers every step of the way.
General Mills Foodservice offers year-round support with expert resources, instructional videos and troubleshooting tips at GeneralMillsFoodservice.com to help pizzerias dough it right, every time. Stay up-to-date on the latest products, trends and tips by following their pizza-focused Instagram and Facebook accounts. Plus, explore their latest sweet-zas recipes, that transform classic desserts into fun, shareable sweet pizzas perfect for any occasion!
Underscores company’s leadership as the No. 1 provider of nutritious breakfast choices to students across the country.
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