L'Italo-Americano

italoamericano-digital-11-2-2017

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano 26 T he event Tu Vuò fa' i l N a p o l e t a n o - F a c c e d a P i z z a landed in the USA. The first of the three g a t h e r i n g s i n s u p p o r t t o t h e candidature of the Neapolitan pizza making art to UNESCO's Intangible World Heritage, took place in Los Angeles on the 13 th o f O c t o b e r . T w o m i l l i o n signatures were collected for the cause, and the final decision will be made public in Seoul, South Korea, in the next few months. A positive outcome would make of the Neapolitan way to make p i z z a t h e s e v e n t h I t a l i a n intangible treasure recognized by UNESCO, along with the Mediterranean diet, the Sicilian "Pupi" tradition, the Sardinian "Canto a Tenore," the "vite ad alberello" culture in Pantelleria, C r e m o n a ' s v i o l i n m a k i n g c r a f t s m a n s h i p a n d t h e celebrations of big shoulder- borne processional structures. The event took place in the spectacular home of Martha De Laurentiis, wife of the late cine- ma producer Dino De Laurenti- is, who passed in 2010. Before b e c o m i n g a p r o d u c e r , D i n o worked for a long time for the promotion of Italian excellences, and those of Campania in partic- ular, in the world. Martha is also an ambassador of Italian cinema and culture in the USA. Her magnificent mansion on the hills of Beverly Hills, once owned by Gloria Swanson, the protagonist of Billy Wilder's Sunset Boule- vard, was perfect to entertain the many guests of the evening. The gathering was created to rise awareness in Hollywood about the Neapolitan pizza mak- ing art's UNESCO candidature. Many the celebrities who got caught "hands-in-the-dough," supervised by expert "pizzaioli:" from John Savage to Blanca Blanco, from Sofia Milos to Francesca Inaudi, from Dawn Lynn Burger - protagonist of Queen Sugar - to Richard and Francesca Harrison. More were present: Diana Alvarez, produc- er of Ocean Eight, Dina Mor- rone and her husband Stephen Rivkin, famous for his editing work on Avatar and Pirates of the Caribbean, members of the Academy Gary Shapiro and Jane Goren, actress Laura Bilgeri, pianist Oksana Kolesnikova, who often accompanied Andrea B o c e l l i i n c o n c e r t , P a t r i c i a Riggen, director or La Misma Luna and Miracles from Heav- en, actor and director Eugenio Derbez and producers Richard Kahn and Ben Carver. Also pre- sent Italy's General Consul in Los Angeles Antonio Verde, who comes from Naples, the director of the Italian Trade Agency, Florindo Blandolino and the director of the Italian Institute of Culture in LA, Vale- ria Rumori. Endorsing the event was also the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, boasting delega- tions in 34 countries and 620 p i z z e r i a s a r o u n d t h e w o r l d : USA, Japan, Europe, Singapore, Philippines, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Kuwait. The Asso- ciazione's president Antonio P a c e c a m e f r o m N a p l e s t o attend, along with two "piz- zaioli," Paolo Surace and Marco Leone. Pasquale Cozzolino, chef of one of New York's most pop- ular pizzerias, Ribalta, and cre- ator of the "pizza diet," repre- sented the East Coast, while Los Angeles was supported by the Associazione's Californian dele- gate, Peppe Miele (who taught how to make pizza to Brad Pitt and his older son) and two other Beverly Hills' famous Neapoli- t a n " p i z z a i o l i , " V i t o a n d Mario. The event was organized by the Dress and Dream, run by E l i s a b e t t a C a t t a n e o a n d SILVIA NITTOLI Supporting the UNESCO candidature of the Neapolitan pizza making art: Tu Vuò fa' il Napoletano - Facce da Pizza Francesca Sivestri, an Italian non-for-profit organization that aims at promoting the Italian lifestyle - from cinema to fash- ion, from arts to food - around the world. Well known sponsors of the candidature are Cirio, Le Cinque Stagioni, Pasta Paone, Ati Sassi Experience, Ati Irpinia Excellence, Ferrarelle, Angelo e Franco Mozzarella and Parmi- giano Reggiano. The lively two days of Cali- fornian events was also intro- duced by a pizza making mas- t e r c l a s s f o r A m e r i c a n journalists, who were invited to b e c o m e " p i z z a i o l i " f o r o n e afternoon at the VPN America's California headquarters in Ingle- wood. Here, we had the occa- sion to interview Peppe Miele, the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana's delegate for Cali- fornia. Journalists today had the opportunity to learn how to m a k e p i z z a . W h a t a r e t h e b a s i c r u l e s t o m a k e a r e a l Neapolitan pizza? Rules are simple and faithful- ly reported in our Official Regu- lations. There aren't any excep- tions or variations, neither in the method nor in the ingredients. While we respect all those who strive to propose healthy, gen- uine products, we remain the only association protecting the originality and uniqueness of a product that has remained unal- tered for more than 300 years. What would becoming part of UNESCO Intangible World Heritage mean? It would mean Neapolitan pizza will be known for genera- tions to come and that its essen- tial historical and cultural role will be recognized international- ly. Do you think the perception of Neapolitan pizza in Ameri- ca, a country used to a much different type of pizza, has c h a n g e d t h r o u g h o u t t h e decades, and how? It's been a hard, yet fulfilling and always improving work. At t h e b e g i n n i n g , I a m t a l k i n g a b o u t 2 0 y e a r s a g o o r s o , Neapolitan pizza was considered a relatively humble dish, with little in common with the so called American pizza. Thanks to the work of AVPN and of Italian producers, who believed in the American market, we've witnessed a rise in interest in pizza Napoletana within a rela- tively small amount of years. This is the reason behind the ongoing growth of the amount of people choosing this simple a n d g e n u i n e p r o d u c t o n a n everyday basis. I n y o u r A c a d e m y , y o u taught Brad Pitt how to make pizza: how was having him as a student and what does he think of pizza Napoletana? The fact a star like him took part to our course made us very proud. For a day, he took off his "celebrity jacket" to put on t- shirt and apron and lock himself up in our school. He was very open to learn our art, with that humbleness and that friendliness so typical of him. What type of feedback have y o u b e e n g e t t i n g f r o m wannabe "pizzaioli" who take part to your courses? We organize courses each week, with about 100 students each time. I'd say that at least 80% of those enrolling in our professional courses (we also have courses for amateur "piz- zaioli," too) have successfully opened a Neapolitan pizzeria. O u r Y e l p 5 S t a r s m a k e u s extremely proud and set us apart f r o m o t h e r s c h o o l s a r o u n d , because we manage to transmit, in a way only we can achieve, the essential 5 th ingredient of pizza Napoletana: passion. Tu Vuò fa il Napoletano . Facce da Pizza's next stops are San Francisco and New York. LOS ANGELES ITALIAN COMMUNITY From the left: Pasquale Cozzolino, Paolo Surace, Peppe Miele, Martha de Laurentiis, Consul General Antonio Verde, Vito Iacopelli, Antonio Pace. Photo: Stefania Rosini

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