Anthony Mangieri's dream: Michelin star for pizza, too, if it's done properly. The symbol of Italian cuisine in the world deserves due recognition for the efforts of the many professionals who make top-notch products.
Cover photo: @EU.APP
The best pizza in the world is no longer just an Italian pride: winning the title of best pizza at the international level of 50 Top Pizza World for two consecutive years was in fact Anthony Mangieri, an Italian-American pizzaiolo and owner of the pizzeria “Una Pizza Napoletana” in New York. Last September, at the Mercadante Theater in Naples, a ceremony was held where Mangieri was honored once again. The victory came not from one of the historic streets of Naples, but from the heart of New York's Lower East Side, in a small pizzeria that is making waves around the globe.
A PHILOSOPHY OF AUTHENTICITY
Mangieri attributes the secret of his success to the concept of “one” pizza: one pizzeria, one philosophy, and above all, one person's work on the dough. Always opposed to commercial expansion and investment proposals, he decided to focus on one place at a time, never opening another without first closing the previous one. For him, pizza is an art that must be treated with care and dedication, and this implies an inviolable rule: he alone makes the dough. With a daily ritual, Mangieri arrives at his place at nine in the morning and starts working the dough with his own hands, closing the place at two in the morning, only when everything is clean and in order. “Pizza changes according to the person who makes it,” explains in an interview with El Paìs, emphasizing how even the smallest variations-in the touch of the hands, in the distribution of the sauce, in the amount of cheese-can make a huge difference.
AN UNCOMPROMISING QUALITY OFFERING
Mangieri's experience doesn't stop with just the dough: the quality of his ingredients and the simplicity of his recipes are at the heart of his success. Growing up in an Italian-American family in New Jersey, he always felt a bit distant from his family's cuisine, which he often considered too “heavy” compared to the freshness of the traditional Italian dishes he had encountered in his travels. It was this desire for authenticity that prompted him to create a small but very high quality menu of only seven pizzas. From the classic marinara and margherita to cosacca with pecorino romano, each pizza is the result of extreme attention to detail. No exotic ingredients like caviar or lobster, no French cheeses or truffles. Just tomato, buffalo mozzarella, basil and garlic, to honor the purity of flavors to the utmost.
THE MICHELIN CHALLENGE
Mangieri laments, however, a certain discrimination toward his craft. Despite the success and prestige it has achieved, he feels that pizza still does not receive the respect it deserves in the upper echelons of international cuisine, where the popularity of the dish seems to stand in the way of official recognition. "Unfortunately, this hierarchy still exists. The Michelin world continues to ignore the pizza world." says Mangieri, expressing his disappointment. Although the famous guide has awarded stars to taco stands and ice cream parlors, no pizza maker has ever been given the honor. “I think they're not paying attention to what's happening,” he says, referring to the Guide, convinced that the time is ripe for reevaluation.
AN EVOLVING VISION
Mangieri also tried to create a gourmet offering, dedicating a table in his restaurant to a special menu that changed weekly. The experiment was a success and reservations increased rapidly, but Mangieri soon realized that this distracted him from the essence of his pizza. His philosophy is based on maintaining a direct link to simplicity and the authentic pizzeria experience, so he chose to return to the original formula. Now Mangieri experiments with pairings with fine wines from Burgundy and Champagne, a small touch of innovation to enrich the experience without betraying his vision.
THE “PIZZA GENIUS” LINE
In the name of this popular and authentic philosophy, in 2022 Mangieri launched a line of frozen pizzas, called “Pizza Genius”. "It's not the same pizza I make at my local, it's a completely different experience,” Mangieri always specifies, but he considers it the best frozen pizza on the market. The goal is to bring a bit of his vision into homes as well, without sacrificing quality, in an affordable version for anyone who wants to enjoy a pizza that, although frozen, meets his standard of excellence.
