TOWARD the end of February until the first week of March, I was very fortunate to be the interpreter of Master Pizzaiolo Gaetano Fazio, who came to the Philippine Islands for the very first time. How this was made possible?
Enter the Lichaytoo brothers, prime movers of Bacchus International Inc. who saw to it that this wonderful training workshop with a real pizzaiolo could happen, where all those who availed of this opportunity were let into the big secret: simplicity.
Simplicity of ingredients and simplicity of execution that makes a true pizza napoletana a reality. The flour, for instance, must be tailor-made just like Caputo milled flour, which was engineered by the historic Caputo mills in Naples in conjunction with pizzaioli registered with the Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana.
A visit to their web site will enlighten neophytes about approved suppliers of products with their corresponding specifications. And the Caputo logo figures prominently at the top of the page. That spells trust in my book!
Bacchus International focused primarily on this basic ingredient, flour, by bringing an internationally recognized pizzaiolo in the person of Master Gaetano Fazio. Interestingly enough, he proudly related that the biggest contingent of authentic pizzaioli outside Italy is found in Japan.
Many of them trained under him either at his restaurant in Ischia, Pizzeria da Gaetano, or during his travels to Japan, where he has a branch in Fukuoka.
Who would have known that people can get their authentic pizza napoletana in the Land of the Rising Sun?!
Master Fazio, a widower, found mentoring a fulfilling calling. Our very own Asia’s Best Female Chef 2016, Gaita Fores of Cibo was among the first Filipinos to train at Fazio’s restaurant 15 years ago.
Imagine her thrill when Alex and Clifford Lichaytoo brought her former teacher to Manila. A rare opportunity to get her staff trained at the source!
And with the opportunity to make pizza using the best Italian ingredients like Caputo Flour and Dega toppings, another product specifically made for authentic pizza making.
A quiet revolution is afoot! Thanks to Bacchus International we do not have to travel to Naples to get our real pizza fix. And the results of this training were applied right away in all Cibo outlets. I did try their newly reformulated pizza and instantly tasted the difference.
Kudos to Bacchus International and Gaita Fores!
And here’s to La Vera Pizza Napoletana!