Chef creates pizzeria out of his backyard, fires his way through Southern Utah

Written by Jessi Bang
December 4, 2022

ST. GEORGE —With a decade in the culinary industry and a passion for pizza, this chef is serving up unique and flavorful recipes. But don’t wait – they’re only available until the ingredients run out.

Chris Tamplin makes pizza in his backyard, George, Utah, Nov. 21, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Chris Tamplin makes pizza in his backyard, George, Utah, Nov. 21, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

“All I’ve ever wanted to do is open my own pizzeria,” said Chris Tamplin, owner and chef of BackDoor Pizzeria. “We do really thought-out pizzas that are super flavorful. It’s taken the town and everyone that orders our pizzas by storm.”

Tamplin recalls family get-togethers and vacations consisting of pizza when he was a child. At the age of 16, he began to work in the culinary industry, and when he and his wife Karen got their first apartment together, he bought his first pizza stone. He dove head-first into the world of pizza-making and after five years, he said he perfected his unique pizza flavors.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tamplin said he found himself stuck in a job with limited creativity. When a friend asked to learn the art of pizza-making, Tamplin gladly accepted and the pair began to fire up recipes in his backyard. One day, they decided to invite friends and family over for a Friday night pizza party. Word of the homemade pies spread fast, and the weekend event grew from 25 people to 55.

But it didn’t stop there.

“It was just nonstop,” Tamplin’s wife Karen said. “Like the three of us, me him and our friend, running around in circles in the backyard just taking orders, pushing out pizzas.”

The backyard of Chris Tamplin is turned into a pizzeria, St. George, Utah, date unspecified | Photo by Mauricio Ballesteros courtesy of Chris Tamplin, St. George News
The backyard of Chris Tamplin is turned into a pizzeria, St. George, Utah, date unspecified | Photo by Mauricio Ballesteros courtesy of Chris Tamplin, St. George News

To organize the response, they took their business to Instagram, which allowed interested parties to book their spots online. Initially, they did not charge a fee and simply asked for donations for those that were able.

“I think the most we have ever done out of here is 105 people on a Friday night,” Chris Tamplin said about serving pizza out of his home. “My wife is crazy for letting it happen. She believes in me and just let us turn our house into a restaurant for almost a year.”

As the summer heat rolled into Southern Utah, they moved BackDoor Pizzaria into the MoFACo indoor market, where they remained until their “permanent” location at the St. George Downtown Farmers Market. Customers are now able to pre-order online via Instagram prior to the Saturday market, or complete walk-up orders. Pizzas are only available until they run out.

Using local ingredients whenever possible, Chris Tamplin sources from Bishop Farms in Veyo, Rise Garden in St. George and Heirlooms Only in Santa Clara. He said the pizzas are cooked at a “crazy hot” temperature of 900-950 degrees, which cooks the entire pizza in just a minute and a half.

The business takes pride in putting a new twist on old classics such as mushroom pizza. BackDoor Pizzeria’s version is called “The Forester” and includes homemade crème fraîche, kale and roasted, locally sourced oyster mushrooms with lemon pepper and garlic oil. They also offer a variety of vegan pizzas, including “The Besto,” which has pesto sauce, cashew ricotta cheese, tomatoes and vegan sausage.

The "Vampire Slayer" pizza by BackDoor Pizzeria is shown, St. George, Utah, Nov. 21, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
The “Vampire Slayer” pizza by BackDoor Pizzeria, St. George, Utah, Nov. 21, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

In the next year or two, the couple plan to open their own brick-and-mortar store, which will be a fine medium of high-end dining and pizza-to-go.

“The main goal is to create a Utah-based pizzeria,” Tamplin said. “The agriculture here is underplayed and we want to highlight the whole region, state, and everything it has to offer. You know New York-style pizza, we want to create Utah-style pizza. That’s the biggest goal for me as the chef and owner of the business.”

BackDoor Pizzeria will be taking over Wood Ash Rye on Friday, Dec. 9, with a menu of specialty pizzas along with desserts and salads – new items they plan to have on their upcoming pizzeria menu. Click here for event details.

For more information on BackDoor Pizzeria and upcoming pop-up events, visit their website and Instagram.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessi Bang was born and raised in Utah and has a passion for nature and the great outdoors. She graduated from Kaplan University in California with a degree in criminal justice. She has extensive experience in marketing, content creation, photography and copywriting. You can find her showcasing outdoor adventures through her blog, “The Rambling Raccoon.” In her free time, she enjoys climbing mountains, trail running, working out and cuddling her two lovable pups.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

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