In Talks with PizzaExpress Pizzaiolo Trainer: Srinivas Naidu
May 31, 2014
It’s exquisite, authentic Italian cuisine makes the foodies go Mamma Mia! It’s been serving the best of Italian dishes globally since the year 1965! With more than 400 branches set up throughout the world, it also is accredited for the trending Pizza craze globally! Its none other than the most successful chain of restaurant serving authentic Italian cuisine – PizzaExpress!!
You must have had a great experience relishing the sumptuous Italian meals at PizzaExpress, but do you know the kind of effort that goes in its kitchen to make it a complete delight for its customers? Today, we get in a candid conversation with Chef Shrinivas Naidu, a Pizziaolo Trainer at PizzaExpress, discussing about his journey, experiences and domain knowledge of the Italian Cuisines, which in a way make PizzaExpress set a standard apart!
- Tell us something about your journey as an aspiring Chef.
‘I completed my Diploma in Hotel Management from Pune, post which I went to USA for an internship. That is where I practically tasted a tinge of my passion. During my internship, I sensed a strong attraction towards the foreign cuisines. To know better about the same, I worked at Pancards Club India for six months. Further, completed my Post Graduation Diploma in Culinary Arts from London, ultimately gaining a clear picture of the cuisine that I would like to master and finally here I am, back to my homeland!’
- Has the Italian Cuisine been your specialty always?
‘As I said, I sensed my attraction towards foreign cuisine while interning in US, thus took up the countries Italy and Spain for my
specialization during my PGD in London. We basically were asked to make presentations on our respective chosen countries, describing their geographical conditions and the factors influencing their cooking styles. My research on Italy and its food developed my interest in the same, narrowing all my focus on the Italian Cuisine.’
- What made you shift from the Hotels to a chain of restaurants?
‘My passion and priority has always been food, where as in hotels, the food is not just their sole contributor of revenue when
compared to the restaurants. The ambience, rooms, hospitality and services; all together along with the food, make the source of income. On the other hand, restaurants solely value ‘food’, it being its only source of revenue. Thus the quality of the food is given more importance which matches my priority.’
- Could you please elaborate on your observations and experiences based on the differences in the Hotel Industry (also restaurants) in India and abroad?
‘Indian customers need to develop an understanding of the ingredients the cooking style and techniques, the products, its origin and province it grows in, comes from, and its distinctiveness. Quantity is paid more importance rather than the technique involved in making it or the distinctive products used to make and finish it’.
- What exactly is a Pizzaiolo?
‘Piazzaiolo’ is an Italian word for the pizza makers. All our chefs at PizzaExpress are known as Pizzaiolos.
- Now, as you are working as a Pizzaiolo trainer, how has your experience been working at PizzaExpress?
‘It’s been a nice experience! I started as a normal chef after my graduation, later with my increasing interest in the cuisine, I decided to pursue Post Graduation and possessed the domain knowledge for the same. After completing my PG, I returned back, that was when I joined PizzaExpress. The company then sent me for 12 week training to London. After the Training I started working in India and later graduated in the company as a Pizzaiolo trainer.’
- The Pizzaiolos are rigorously trained for 12 weeks under you, how do you plan and train them to serve the best to your customers?
‘At PizzaExpress we are trained to use the local vegetables available in the right quantity and in the right combinations. Periodic quizzes are conducted. A regular food tasting and sampling is conducted to keep a check on the quality served. As a trainer, I also check the standards of all the products once a week.’
- PizzaExpress is known for its authenticity of Italian dishes. How do you manage to cater to the Indian market with majority of its taste being spicy?
‘It’s a bit difficult matching the taste of the Indian market. The guests expect variations in the ingredients; such as, dishes like pasta are asked to be made spicier. To requests like these, I suggest them to try it as it is, so as to understand the authenticity of the cuisine. However, if they insist on adding spices and chilies, we cook them a meal balancing the taste and the cuisine’s standards.’
Does the restaurant maintain its standard flavors across the globe, or are there any variations made for specific countries?
‘The food served is similar in all the branches of PizzaExpress throughout the world.’
10. A short recipe for a quick healthy pizza for the young mothers!
‘A healthy Chocolate Pizza for the kids:
- Butter the pizza base
- Spread the chocolate cream and add grated cheese on the top
- Heat it in the microwave for 3 minutes at 250degrees
- Put Nutella strings as the topping for the tasty healthy pizza!’
Thus, this was a sneak-peak in the life of Chef Shrinivas Naidu from PizzaExpress. His experience and perspective would certainly encourage the aspiring chefs! To sum it up, the trending Italian Cuisine and its gorgeous Pizza will be evergreen with PizzaExpress serving the best to its customers globally!
Do visit PizzaExpress and for Exclusive offers visit http://bit.ly/PizzaExpress-Mumbai
