There was much more than a community lunch at the meeting promoted by the Union of Historic Neapolitan Pizzerie "Le Centenarie" on the Naples waterfront. In the setting of the Antonio & Antonio restaurant, overlooking Via Partenope, master pizza makers and custodians of centuries-old ovens gathered to reaffirm a common goal: protecting authentic Neapolitan pizza from commercial shortcuts and passing fads that risk emptying it of meaning.
Guests were welcomed by patron Antonio Della Notte, the host of an event that took on the character of a true moment of identity. The day, organized by president Gennaro Luciano, the soul of Antica Pizzeria Port'Alba 1738, focused not only on the conviviality of a seafood lunch but, above all, on the future of a universal symbol that, in Naples, remains, above all, a symbol of popular culture.
Luciano firmly reiterated the mission of the association, founded in 2016 to unite the city's historic pizzerias: to preserve the authenticity of the dough and the skills passed down through generations, without turning tradition into an immovable relic, nor bending it to the logic of standardization. "Pizza is collective memory, it is a social narrative," is the message that runs through the Centenaries' activities, which aim to be a cultural as well as gastronomic stronghold.
The president has gathered alongside historic figures in Neapolitan art of baking, representing families who for decades—in some cases, centuries—have perpetuated artisanal skills passed down more by example than by hand. This is a living heritage that, according to the association, must be protected with seriousness and vision, including through initiatives of social and charitable value, because in Naples, pizza is not just a product but a shared language.
In an age where tastes and trends change at the speed of social media, the Centenaries reclaim the weight of history and the responsibility to represent it consistently. Because behind a disc of dough, water, flour, and yeast lies the identity of a people. And as long as the ovens remain lit according to that tradition, Naples will continue to tell its story to the world with its most recognizable aroma.
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
Comments (1)
It's nice that events like this exist, but sometimes I wonder if it's really useful. Neapolitan pizza is a strong tradition, but modernity also has its place. We need to find a balance between past and future.