Renowned Italian Pizza Masters Share Their Secrets in the U.S. at Pizza University

Have you ever dreamed of opening a successful, authentic pizzeria, becoming a certified pizzaiolo, or learning the techniques of master pizza makers?

There are currently 70,000 pizzerias in the United States, generating $40 billion dollars in revenue. The new course offerings at the Pizza University & Culinary Arts Center are designed to fill a void in the industry for training professional pizza-makers and helping new pizzerias succeed.

On March 10th-12th, Pizza University will offer a "Traditional Neapolitan Technique in a Wood-Fired Oven" class, taught by award-winning Master Pizzaiolo Chef Enzo Coccia. Dubbed the "Master of Pizza Napoletana" by the Michelin Guide, Chef Enzo is the author of The Neapolitan Pizza, a scientific guide on artisanal pizza-making, and is a point of reference for Neapolitan handcrafted pizza. This master class is intended for professional pizzaioli who are already working in the industry and wish to increase their skills by learning from a master. While in the United States, Chef Enzo will also be joining Pizza University as a Guest of Honor at the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas from March 5th-7th. On March 5th, both Chef Enzo and fellow Master Pizzaiolo Antonio Langone (soon to offer classes at Pizza University) will participate in a "Pizza After Hours" event at Eataly Las Vegas. The Pizza University & Culinary Arts Center and Urbani Truffles are proud to be among the event's distinguished sponsors.

As owners of an innovative brick oven manufacturer, the Marra brothers witnessed first-hand the need for education in the pizza industry years ago. "It broke our hearts to see people buying our ovens and going out of business shortly thereafter. For that reason, we decided to offer a course on the fundamentals of opening and operating a pizzeria as well as a comprehensive pizza-making course at the Pizza University," says Francesco Marra.

For that reason, the newest addition in the Pizza University & Culinary Arts Center's course series will be offered from April 28th-April 30th 2019. Taught by renowned pizzeria owners Jonathan Goldsmith and John Arena, "The Fundamentals of Opening and Operating a Pizzeria" is a hands-on immersion into the pizza industry. Instructor John Arena is a Brooklyn-born pizza maker with over 5 decades of experience. He began his professional career in his family shop in NY in 1967. Today, he and his cousin operate 6 Metro Pizza locations as well as a bread bakery. John is the creator of America's first 3 credit university-level course for aspiring pizza entrepreneurs. Certified Pizzaiolo Jonathan Goldsmith is the owner of Chicago's celebrated Spacca Napoli. Taught by Neapolitan masters, Johnathan embraces being part of the guild, the lifelong process of training for an artisan who lives in service of making pizza. Regular travels to Italy allow him to keep abreast of the latest pizza trends.

In this class, you will learn everything from Concept Evaluation and Development, Menu Planning, Equipment Selection, Design Fundamentals, Ingredient Selection, Dough Formulas and Management, The Essentials of Hand-Crafted Pizza, Understanding Restaurant Math Principles, to Effective Public Relations, Marketing, and more! The three-day intensive course is perfect for an aspiring amateur or a pizzeria owner/operator in the first two years of business who wants to be prepared and avoid the pitfalls that could derail the success of their pizzeria.

For beginning and aspiring pizza-makers, Pizza University is offering Customized Training Courses with Resident Instructor/Master Pizzaiolo Felice Colucci. These two-day classes are offered year-round and focus on pizza-making essentials, from dough-making to stretching, shaping, and baking with gas, electrical, and wood-fired brick ovens. Perfect for chefs who want to pursue a professional-pizza career or for businesses that need to train their staff, these classes are created to fill consumer needs.

For more information, interviews, class registration, or to create your own customized course, please contact our Pizza University & Culinary Arts Center Director, Mary Fabiano, by calling (301) 937-1003 or via email at m.fabiano 9at) pizzauniversity (dot) org.

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