By Thomas Smith

Imagine preparing to open your first restaurant and at the same time, you have a baby due in two weeks.

That is the reality for Katrina McCallum, owner of Burnt Crust Pizzaria (and yes, that spelling is intentional).

“We didn’t notice that pizzeria was misspelled on the sign,” said Avi Bergman, McCallum’s husband, with a laugh. “But we are gonna keep it and just roll with it.”

Their pizzeria sits in the old Algonquin Outfitters building at 12667 Highway 35. No remnants of either the outfitters or the bait and tackle shop remain.

Their pizza oven immediately grabs your gaze looking into the kitchen. Their massive oven, made by Marra Forni, can cook 10 pizzas at once. While baking, the stone rotates the pizza, providing an easier bake and increasing pizza-making efficiency.

Every day for the past few weeks, the couple have been preparing dough and baking pizzas, getting ready for when the restaurant eventually opens.

McCallum says the duo has shaved down their time to two minutes per pizza.

While the couple have been living in Minden the past five years, McCallum is from New Tecumseth and her husband is from Toronto.

“We like to classify ourselves as local,” said McCallum.

“We love it here,” said Bergman.

Burnt Crust Pizzaria is the couple’s first venture into owning and operating a restaurant. With the couple regularly hosting pizza nights with family and friends, their response was always positive and encouraged her to open her own restaurant. After years of testing doughs, sauces, and tasting pizza after pizza, McCallum decided to take the leap and put her heart and soul into making Burnt Crust a reality.

“While I haven’t worked in big commercial kitchens, food has always been a huge part of my life,” said McCallum. She also noted that her love of making food was fostered through her mother and grandmother.

“What I might lack in formal restaurant jobs, I make up for in passion, quality, and hands-on practice.”

Their pizzas are made Neapolitan style, with thin crust and raised, bubbly edges. All of their dough is made by hand and left to rest and ferment for 24 hours before getting baked. This fermentation process increases both flavour and texture, resulting in the iconic bubbly and chewy crust of authentically made Italian-style pies.

As the dough ferments, it also becomes more easily digestible, says McCallum.

After living in New Brunswick for several years, McCallum knew that she had to bring some flavours of the East coast to Minden. Therefore, she makes her own donair sauce for people to dip into the pizza. While they do not have a donair pizza yet, she is certainly open to the idea.

McCallum says that her favourite part about owning her own restaurant is feeding people.

“I love creating meals that bring people together. There’s something beautiful about sitting down for a meal with your family, or laughing over a slice with friends. Food is comfort,” said McCallum. “It’s a celebration. And for me, being able to provide that to others — especially in a small town like ours — is incredibly fulfilling.”

Their menu is simple, with 10 base combinations. Before opening, McCallum is confident their garlic fingers and donair sauce combination will become a great selling item.

“I don’t like cooking the same thing over and over, so we’re planning to introduce a new weekly special,” said McCallum. “Could be a new pizza, a sandwich, maybe a pasta. We want the menu to grow with our customers and their tastes.”

McCallum and Bergman have no concerns about the recent opening of New Orleans Pizza, or competition with Godfather’s in Minden.

“I’m not going to compare our pizzas because they are very different,” said McCallum.

McCallum says that Burnt Crust Pizzaria stands out for three reasons.

“First, we’re deeply local and family-run. You’re not just supporting a business — you’re supporting a household, a new baby, and a dream,” said McCallum. “Second, everything we do is about quality over quantity — from the ingredients we use to the way we treat our customers. And finally, it’s the vibe. We built this space to feel welcoming, cozy, and fun. With our big patio, family-friendly atmosphere, and rotating specials, it’s not just a place to eat — it’s a place to hang out.”

Every week, the restaurant will have a different feature pizza available. This will let them expand their offerings and flex their creativity, while trying out new foods. With each feature pizza, they hope their customers will let them know what they like and did not like.

While they will offer takeout, the restaurant recommends eating inside, to have your pizza at its freshest and enjoy their ambiance and full patio.

McCallum says that the owners from the Riverside, Boshkung Brewing, Minden River Cone, and Mason Jar have visited and either helped them out with getting things set up or offered advice.

“We have gotten a lot of input,” said McCallum. “People around here have been so helpful.”

Getting things rolling with Minden Hills has also been smooth sailing, says McCallum.

“The township has been great to deal with,” said McCallum. “All of it. I have been surprised with how smooth they have made the process for us.”

While the couple received the keys to the building last year, the renovations took many months. Starting from nothing, she says they were lucky that they could design the kitchen exactly how they wanted.

“Navigating permits, building timelines, and the learning curve of setting up a restaurant — it’s all been a big journey,” said McCallum. “Every challenge has made us better, and we’ve had amazing support from the community.”

The couple also plan on getting a liquor license to offer beer, wine, and coolers with their food.

As of publication, Burnt Crust Pizzaria is still eagerly waiting for approval from the health department before they can open their doors to paying customers. They hope to open in the coming weeks.

“In five years, I’d love to see Burnt Crust as a local staple — the go-to pizza spot in the Highlands,” said McCallum. “I want to expand our menu, offer more community events, but more than anything, I want us to still feel like home for the people who walk through our doors.”