ALAIN DUCASSE'S FASCINATION WITH FRANCO PEPE'S MEDITERRANEAN PIZZA AT C'È +GUSTO'S SECOND EDITION IN BOLOGNA

Franco Pepe, guest of honour of the Arena della Pizza, at the Loggiato del Palazzo Re Enzo, conquered the famous French chef Alain Ducasse with his Mediterranean pizza, during his talk on taste and health at the second edition of C’è +Gusto held in the city of Bologna.

During Franco Pepe’s talk, chef Alain Ducasse – seated in the front row – paid close attention to what the Italian pizzaiolo explained about his project called the «Mediterranean Diet» with his famous Mediterranean pizza.

In the study on the Mediterranean diet, the master pizzaiolo has focused, with the help of Dr. Petrazzuoli, a nutritionist biologist, on «the right balance between the macronutrients present in the dish, balancing them with the necessary fiber (some pizzas are accompanied by extra vegetables for this purpose), as this favors digestion and makes the whole a great single dish», explains Franco Pepe.

Franco Pepe continues to demonstrate that his pizzas preserve a culture, a tradition, but that they evolve and will continue to transform the universe of this emblematic dish of Italian cuisine and gastronomy in general.

Bologna, October 25th, 2023. Franco Pepe, guest of honour of the Arena della Pizza, at the Loggiato del Palazzo Re Enzo, conquered the famous French chef Alain Ducasse with his Mediterranean pizza, during his talk on taste and health at the second edition of C’è +Gusto held in the city of Bologna, where it was possible to see him working, listen to his experience and taste one of his specialities.

During Franco Pepe’s talk, chef Alain Ducasse – seated in the front row – paid close attention to what the Italian pizzaiolo explained about his project called the «Mediterranean Diet» with his famous Mediterranean pizza. This project aims to challenge the conventional perception of pizza by demonstrating that it can be a healthy dish, as long as its ingredients are properly balanced.

«I’ve eaten a haute couture dish. Franco, you’ve taken pizza to a level of haute cuisine,» the French chef said of the Italian master pizzaiolo’s pizza.

Iconic dishes that have come to define our culinary identity have been transformed over time, several times over the centuries. This is especially true of pizza. From his pizzeria Pepe in Grani located in Caiazzo, Franco Pepe has stood out as an influential figure in the world of pizza and contemporary Italian and international gastronomy, taking his iconic «Margherita Sbagliata» around the world.

In the study on the Mediterranean diet, the master pizzaiolo has focused, with the help of Dr. Petrazzuoli, a nutritionist biologist, on «the right balance between the macronutrients present in the dish, balancing them with the necessary fiber (some pizzas are accompanied by extra vegetables for this purpose), as this favors digestion and makes the whole a great single dish», explains Franco Pepe.

A gastronomic and research work that fits in with the long trajectory of the three times awarded Best Pizza Chef in the world by The Best Chef Awards (in 2021, 2022 and 2023) promoting both the values of the territory and those of a diet that conforms to the principles theorized by Ancel Keys. Franco Pepe continues to demonstrate that his pizzas preserve a culture, a tradition, but that they evolve and will continue to transform the universe of this emblematic dish of Italian cuisine and gastronomy in general.

About Franco Pepe

Franco Pepe is considered the most famous Italian pizzaiolo in the world. The dough is in his DNA. His grandfather was a baker, his father was a pizzaiolo, and he and his brothers continued in the family business. Famous for his unique dough, and for his dedication to elevating the art of pizza making, his popularity began with an article by Jonathan Gold, a Pulitzer Prize-winning gastronome who wrote in the American edition of Food & Wine magazine, «I’ve probably had the best pizza in the world from Franco Pepe.» From then on, he became the most-voted pizzaiolo in Phaidon’s «Where to Eat Pizza» guide, in which chefs indicate their favorite places to eat in the world.

Franco Pepe stars in one of the episodes of the Netflix series Chef’s Table: Pizza and has been named Ambassador of the Mediterranean Diet in the World, Ambassador of Caiazzo in the World, Ambassador of Taste and Ambassador of Territory. He has also been recognized as Pizzaiolo of the Year by «Food and Travel», «Pizza Awards Italia», The Best Chef Awards 2021, 2022 and 2023, and Master of the Art and Craft of Pizza by the «Scuola Internazionale di Cucina italiana ALMA», among others.

About Pepe in Grani

Pepe in Grani, a pizzeria located in Caiazzo, a small town of 5000 inhabitants a few kilometers from the province of Caserta, is the place where Franco Pepe welcomes 400 customers and prepares 800 pizzas per day. Pepe in Grani’s project is based on the research and selection of the raw material and the human factor, where he experiments and integrates among other themes and modalities: the frying technique, the electric oven, the structure of the equipment, and the scientific contribution. His pizza is based on innovation but starts from tradition. He enhances the dough with a special mix of flours produced especially for him, a key part of his elaboration. He is very meticulous in the selection of local ingredients. His goal is to share with the world, through his pizza, the flavors, and stories of his territory.

IMAGES HERE

Do you want to search?