Leadership Interview Series: Gavin Smith

Through our CORE Leadership Series, we celebrate inspiring industry leaders by sharing their stories in depth.

Let's be honest, we are MASSIVE fan of Pizza Pilgrims and it probably shows in this interview. 

We meet their leader Gavin Smith who talks about the business, working with founders, investors, suppliers and a team of over 600. 

We talk about their formats, quality, plans for the future, coaching, franchise and expansion. 

Our normal sessions are about 30 mins and I kept Gavin for an hour – his insights are excellent so please watch the whole thing and enjoy!

Pizza Pilgrims are a well-known British pizza restaurant chain founded in 2012 by brothers Thom and James Elliott, who began by selling pizzas from a three-wheeled Piaggio Ape van in Soho before expanding into a full-scale business. Famous for their Neapolitan-style pizzas made with high-quality ingredients and a signature slow-proved dough, they now operate multiple pizzerias across London and other UK cities, alongside takeaway options and pizza kits. The company has grown significantly over the years, achieved B Corp certification for its commitment to ethical and sustainable practices, and continues to expand its presence nationwide under new majority ownership by the German chain L’Osteria.