The Clumsy Interloper

Pizzaiolo: A chef who specializes in making pizzas and who has been trained to make real, Italian-style pizzas.

When first contemplating this HCP journey, I cracked the Pizza Bible by Tony Gemignani and was mesmerized by the breadth and detail of this text. It’s the most comprehensive love letter to pizza making that exists in the world. There is literally a recipe for every style of pizza and in many cases 2 or 3. I navigated the early sections about dough theory and ingredient integrity with great zeal. From there I took a voluntary swan dive into a PizzaMaking.com/Pizza Reddit rabbit hole that took me into the early hours of the morning. I amassed recipes, techniques and ingredient recommendations in my notebook and then, when I felt ready, I fired up the Blues Brothers soundtrack, rolled up my sleeves and let the flour fly.

I’ve never been a gifted chef. I chop very slowly. I don’t improvise well. I learn on the job. However there was something about this meticulous, singular pursuit that gave me confidence. With only a few primary components (dough, sauce, cheese, toppings) this truly is a craft that requires a laser focus and delicate attunement to elevate good pizza to great pizza. I will never be a contestant on a baking show, but with enough effort I believe I can become a consummate pizzaiolo.

Okay, it’s time to talk about the Bear in the room. I don’t aspire to be Jeremy Allen White’s character Carmy, but damn does that shit resonate with me. The Chicagoness of it, striving to plate a representation of your soul, affirming another person with “Heard Chef” and creating a dining experience that connects with an entire community. When I was growing up, Bears games at Soldier Field with Uncle Nick and Uncle Bobby were sacrosanct, the rumble of an approaching EL train foretold a looming adventure and an Edwardo’s deep dish spinach pizza was the ultimate comfort food. The Bear captures this perfectly. There is a civic pride about being a Chicagoan that is deeply tied to food. I’m never going to be Charlie Trotter (or Carmy Berzatto for that matter) but I’m ready to shoot my shot and attempt to become the best deep dish pizza chef in Charlottesville, Va.