Owensboro’s newest pizza venture is setting out to prove that a meal from a wood-fired oven can be just as much about artistry as it is about comfort food. The Pillar of Fire, a family-run operation led by chef Grace Shaffer, offers gourmet, Neapolitan-style pizzas made completely from scratch. They’re also participating in Owensboro Times Pizza Week with a specialty offering that blends fine-dining creativity with their growing reputation for scratch-made pies.
Though Owensboro has long had its share of pizza staples, Shaffer noticed something missing.
“I saw that Owensboro did not have a wood-fired pizza oven place,” she said. “I realized I could put my fine-dining twist on pizza, and I was like, this would be a cool thing.”
Since launching earlier this year at the Owensboro Regional Farmers’ Market, The Pillar of Fire has already built a strong following. They’ve catered school events, set up in neighborhoods, and even booked a handful of weddings. Shaffer said feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
Shaffer, who trained in culinary school and worked in Arizona and Indianapolis before returning to Owensboro, makes each batch of dough by hand and prepares sauces and toppings from scratch. She describes the pizzas as “gourmet” while staying true to the Neapolitan tradition.
“It’s turned into more of a family business with all of us,” she said. “We try to keep everything as scratch as possible — dough, ingredients, sauces, all of it.”
Currently working out of a temporary setup, Shaffer said a custom pizza trailer is expected to be ready by October. That mobile kitchen will allow the family to serve across Owensboro and beyond at events, festivals, and other local stops.
For now, Pizza Week provides a chance to introduce their flame-kissed pies to a wider audience. Shaffer is calling the special Pizza Week creation “Elijah’s Chariot.” It features a roasted garlic white sauce, layered with mushrooms and red onions, then topped with peppery arugula and tender beef short rib. A cherry-blackberry-habanero sauce adds a sweet-heat finish that Shaffer said reflects her fine-dining background.
While Pizza Week runs September 19-28, customers can find The Pillar of Fire exclusively at Windy Hollow Biscuit House (630 Emory Drive) from September 23-26 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The hours are subject to change if they sell out of dough.
