EAST Lancashire chef Richard Caver combines daddy daycare and dough, a recipe that makes the perfect business adventure, that fits in well with his family life.

During the week, the father-of-four looks after his children while his wife Vicky goes out to work.

Along with his brother-in-law Lee Rumball, he runs the Honest Crust pizza business at the weekends, providing delicious and authentic street food at festivals, markets and private functions.

The pizzas, made with hand-stretched sourdough, are cooked-up using the finest British and Italian ingredients in a wood-fired oven.

Richard, who is based in Ramsbottom, says his food is simple and delicious street food at its best – all made in the mobile furnace.

“It’s great to be able to provide delicious food at various events up and down the country. Pizza is a form of fast-food, but the way we make it is different. Our pizzas are all handmade using the finest quality and fresh produce. They are simple but taste fantastic,” Richard says.

The idea for the business came from his time in San Francisco. He says: “The influence for the business came from visiting my friend Dave who lives in the USA. They have a different approach to making pizzas, it’s not something you’re served straight from a cardboard box, it’s a creative process done with style.”

The business opened last year and is now well-established and booked up for events in the summer including Crafty Vintage at Brockholes Nature Reserve, Cloudspotting Music and Arts Festival in Gisburn Forest and Clitheroe Food Festival.

Using Italian flour, Somerset mozzarella and fresh basil, the traditional margherita is still the most popular according to Richard who trained in catering at Manchester College.

The oven, which resembles a UFO on wheels, was imported from Italy and now goes up and down the country to accommodate hungry customers.

Fiery Atomica, mushroom and artichoke are just a few seasonal flavours that cook in 90 seconds in the oven that heats up to 450 degrees.

Richard and Lee don’t just do pizza, they also provide a selection of delicious homemade salads, authentic antipasti from Italian suppliers.

“We like to use local suppliers as well as importing the flour from Italy. We use Italian Caputo ‘00’ flour, widely considered to be the best in the world for making pizza.

Our tomato sauce is made using finest quality Italian tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil and sea salt. The spicy N’duja sausage for our ‘Atomica’ special is imported from Calabria,” Richard says.

“It’s important that we offer Lancashire-produced cheese on a pizza as well as mozzarella. We work with suppliers in the area and that’s positive. We are also rather proud of our crust – that’s where the company gets its name. Only flour, water, salt and our 19-year-old sourdough starter make up the crust. Add to that a minimum 18-hour rise and 90 seconds in the wood-fired oven and you get the Honest Crust.”

The chef keeps busy in the week bypending his days with children Ben and Joe, four, Sam, two and one-year-old Gracie. Inspired by them, the Honest Crust business also sells Roll-Your-Own kits.

Roll-Your-Own is available to buy whenever the business sells its street food at Altrincham Market. The kit includes an Honest Crust sourdough ball, mozzarella fior de latte, freshly made tomato sauce and fresh basil. The kit will make a 12-inch pizza and costs £4.

Richard says: “The kits provide people with great produce to cook up a delicious pizza. When I am at home with the kids we always make pizza, they love it. We encourage children to get involved and make their own because it’s so much fun. They love to get stuck in. When I’m not out with the oven I’m at home teaching them how to cook.”