Crazy Pizza, the new glamorous and luxurious restaurant that Flavio Briatore will open at the end of the summer on the seafront, is causing a stir in Naples.
Among Neapolitan pizza chefs, some welcome a 'courageous' initiative, others consider it a contamination in the name of show, while consumers fear that the 17 euro margherita could trigger an indiscriminate increase in prices.
Opening in the historic capital of pizza, and with prices much higher than average (but "like in Milan"), does not represent a challenge to be won for the entrepreneur: “We believe that our different and unique 'fine dining' formula can be a stimulating addition to the local gastronomic landscape.”
“I am convinced that the price of 17 euros to enjoy a good pizza in a luxury restaurant, served by qualified staff, with a DJ set and entertainment, is absolutely correct”, says.
A part of the Neapolitan pizza chefs apparently welcome Briatore's new venture., they say Gino Sorbillo.
“It is a courageous operation because in the past other pizzas have not worked so well, while the Neapolitan one has been successful in most cases, both in other cities and abroad.
I hope that this new project of his, which is based on a different pizza, also served in an acrobatic way, will be very popular with customers and that jobs will be created."
Alexander Condurro, to theOld Pizzeria Da Michele in the world, is on the same wavelength: “We are open to all new things and we are very happy that such an important group comes to Naples to create a business”, He says.
“Pizza is a democratic dish and everyone is free to experiment and adapt it in various ways”Those more attached to tradition instead underline that Briatore's margherita is "something else".
“We would have preferred that since it was a different pizza, Briatore had given him a different name and not an imitation one”, he comes to say Stephen Auricchio, general manager of theTrue Neapolitan pizza association, who defines the Piedmontese entrepreneur's offer as a "theatrical" one.
It is the same concept expressed by Paul Surace, of the historical Mattozzi Pizzeria of Piazza Carità, when he says that “Briatore doesn’t sell pizza. He sells the show, the spectacle, the luxurious venue, all things that are not part of us. He uses his own dough that cannot be called Neapolitan.
For traditional pizza, simple ingredients are enough and, in a normal place, 6 euros is the right price for a quality pizza. What would I say to him? That he is a great entrepreneur, but as a pizza chef he is worth absolutely nothing”.
However, unexpectedly breaking a lance in favour of Briatore is the Codacons, who accuses of hypocrisy those pizza makers who denounce the high cost of his pizzas. “It's a ridiculous ballet”, says the president of Codacons Charles Rienzi.
“In Naples, pizza chefs have always maintained that pizza should be accessible to all and have a low cost, but it's a shame that these same owners, when they open a pizzeria in Rome or Milan, don't apply the same prices to consumers as in Naples”.
This is the case – it is recalled – of a well-known Neapolitan pizzeria that in the capital sells pizzas for 14 euros, not to mention the 25 euros in Milan.
Article published on 7 August 2024 - 20:05
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