How Asia fell in love with real Neapolitan pizza, and the disciples who learn from Naples about true pizza making
- Naples is the spiritual home of the original pizza, and the Neapolitan recipe is strenuously protected
- Neapolitan pizza makers have travelled the world spreading the word about authentic pizza making, opening schools and training others
Pizza is more than just a famous Italian flatbread. Making the savoury dish is an art form and there’s only one original pizza: the “veracious”, or true, Neapolitan, made according to strict regulations.
Forget Pizza Hut and other commercial chains. Authentic pizza was born in the city of Naples, has a distinctive flavour and crust, and is generally topped with tomatoes and mozzarella.
The traditional recipe is protected by a consortium – the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, or Association of Naples’ Veracious Pizza. Committed to preserving and spreading the word about the Naples staple, the consortium has embarked on a mission to introduce the original Neapolitan to the world.
Pizza masters and chefs are travelling far and wide, opening schools to train local pizza makers, and inviting them on courses and internships in Naples’ busy pizzerias.
After the United States, where immigrant Italians have been making pizza for generations, Asia is the main target, especially Japan, where the consortium has dozens of affiliate pizzerias. It has opened pizza schools in Osaka and Kyoto in the past couple of years, while Naples-style pizzerias have recently appeared in Taiwan, South Korea and the Philippines. A new school has also been launched in Thailand, and courses are being organised in Myanmar and Indonesia.
Masayoshi Ishida heads the College of Gastronomy Management at Japan’s Ritsumeikan University, where he teaches Italian food culture and traditions, and has introduced pizza making lessons.
