Giuseppe Bove, originally from Maddaloni (Caserta), is the master pizzaiolo and owner of Il Segreto di Pulcinella in Montesarchio. Combining culinary training, creative experimentation, and the use of distinctive local ingredients, his pizzeria ranks among the best in Italy according to 50 Top Pizza.
Born in Maddaloni, in the province of Caserta, into a family where his father was a chef, Giuseppe Bove grew up surrounded by passion and dedication to the culinary arts. After graduating from the “Le Streghe” hospitality institute in Benevento, he gained experience in catering and banqueting, and attended the “Dolce & Salato” culinary school in Maddaloni.
His professional career began in traditional dining, but he soon turned to pizza-making, teaching himself techniques and conducting ingredient research. In 2012, he opened his first small pizzeria in Montesarchio, with just a few seats, as a test ground for his ideas..
The real turning point came in May 2023 with the opening of the new Il Segreto di Pulcinella, Montesarchio — a modern space with 130 indoor seats and about 40 outdoor ones for the summer season. Here, Bove creates Campania-inspired pizzas reinterpreted with refined creativity, using type 1 flours, semi-wholegrain doughs, and techniques such as double cooking — frying and baking — for specialties like montanare. Ingredients include New Caledonia blue prawns, corata sausages, Agerola provolone, and local extra virgin olive oil.
Bove’s style stands out for his careful selection of Sannio and Campania ingredients, attention to dough fermentation, and a pronounced yet light and digestible crust. Identità Golose has praised these elements as hallmarks of his work: “a pizza rich in culinary meaning and experimentation”.
Today, Il Segreto di Pulcinella is recognized among the top pizzerias in Italy: ranked 24th in the 50 Top Pizza guide and winner of the “Performance of the Year 2025 – Robo Award”.
