When Fallston High School’s very own technology and art teacher, Jesse Lang, isn’t teaching students, you might catch him behind the iconic red truck of his small business, Love Crust Pizza. What started as a “crazy” backyard idea back in 2018 has grown into one of Harford County’s most loved food trucks, known for its wood-fired and Napolean-style pizzas.
Mr. Lang’s pizza journey began when he and his wife, Hannah, were looking for a way to offset daycare costs after welcoming their second son. Mrs. Lang decided to stay home with their kids, but this meant the family needed some sort of additional income. “Daycare just didn’t make financial sense,” Mr. Lang said.
The lightbulb moment occurred during a visit to a winery in New York. “There were a few food trucks there, a crepe lady, a barbeque guy, and a pizza guy,” Mr. Lang recalled. “Everyone, families, and kids, gravitated toward the pizza. I thought, everyone loved pizza. Why not give it a try.”
The Langs did just that. Soon after the winery visit, Mr. Lang came across a used pizza oven trailer and brought it home, much to his wife’s surprise. “She looked at me like I was crazy,” he laughed. “She said, ‘You’ve never worked in a pizza shop. Why do you think you can make pizzas?’ And I just told her, ‘We’re going to make pizzas.’”
But things didn’t exactly start so smoothly. “I couldn’t make a single pizza,” Mr. Lang admitted. “Every single one of them either ripped or burned. But I knew that failing was not an option, and I told myself I’d just try again the next day.” After several frigid, snowy days of experimenting, he finally made his first perfect pizza.
Small backyard pizza nights with friends quickly grew into something much bigger. Mr. Lang started setting up and selling at local places like the Bel Air Farmers Market and Jarrettsville Fire Department. During the first day at the Bel Air Farmers Market, the Langs had set a goal of selling at least 30 pizzas. To their surprise, they sold 140 pizzas that day. “It was insane. We were thinking no one would want pizza at 8 a.m., and the truth was a lot of people do. There was a huge line of people waiting.”
As demand grew, so did business. During the pandemic, Mr. Lang built the now-iconic red Love Crust Pizza truck. And just this year, they’ve introduced yet another truck to the lineup. These trucks don’t carry an ordinary oven; they house wood-fired ovens that require some serious effort, but the payoffs are worth it! “It’s a lot of work,” Mr. Lang says, “from drying out the wood for months to firing up the oven, but that’s what gives the pizza the flavor people love.”
Mr. Lang says one of the biggest lessons he’s learned is how important persistence and community are. “I read somewhere that if you give back to the community, the community gives back to you,” he said. “I find that to be definitely true.” Recently, Love Crust Pizza brought 100 pizzas and donated 100% of the proceeds to support the Fallston lacrosse program. “We gave every dollar back,” he said. He explains that just from that event multiple people have reached out, who are interested in possible catering opportunities, which shows it truly does come into full circle.
Love Crust Pizza’s menu features both fan favorites and some creative twists. “The number one pizza is always cheese mostly because of the kids,” Mr. Lang said. “But one of our specials, the Peachy Pig – named after my wife’s grandmother – has fresh peaches, candied walnuts, goat cheese, and arugula. People traveled for over an hour just for that one. One guy even changed his flight back to Europe to come get it.” I think it’s safe to say that one is a fan favorite!
Mr. Lang’s personal favorite is one that doesn’t make the menu often, but when it does, it’s a huge hit. “It’s inspired by the Elvis Presley sandwich,” he states. “It’s peanut butter, bananas, bacon, and a drizzle of honey. It’s a lot of work, but man is it so good.”
For Mr. Lang, the most rewarding part isn’t just the food, but it’s seeing how far the business has come. “The idea of growing something from nothing is kind of crazy to me,” he said. “We put so much into what we make, from using fresh, local ingredients to stretching and firing every pizza by hand. I’m now at that point where I can take my family on vacation to create those memories, as well as giving back to the community that’s supported us from the start.”
Zach Brown, a manager who’s been part of the Love Crust Pizza team for almost five years, agrees that community connection is the heart of what they do. “The best part of the job is the regulars,” Brown said. “When you start having those one-on-one connections like talking about your day, the latest game, or a recent trip you took, that’s when it becomes more than just a job.”
As for anyone looking to start their own business, Mr. Lang’s advice is simple: “Do it. Start as small as possible and make it unique. Figure out how to make a few dollars doing what you love and repeat that process over and over again. That’s it!”
Rain, snow, or shine, the Love.Crust.Pizza crew is always there to serve the highest quality of tastiness to its community. From weddings and graduation parties to breweries and firehouses, this team does it all!
Find and follow @Love.Crust.Pizza on both Instagram and Facebook to see where the truck will be next and maybe grab a slice of love!
