Luca

Luca on the Hot Seat

1. What inspired you to become a Chef?

I used to help my dad cook when I was a child and it definitely left a lasting impression on me. Being a single dad, he used to take on a lot so cooking was one chore I took over as I grew up and I did it with all my heart. He used to pay me in candy for stirring the risotto since it needs to be stirred often during the course of its making. He would bribe me just so it didn’t like he actually needed my help and to turn it into some sort of a game. I fell in love with cooking then and it certainly roots deep within my bond with my hard-working dad who’d never talk about his hardships in my presence.

2. What is your signature dish? What do people love about it?
Pizza is six slices of sheer deliciousness. All the pizzas in my menu are like my babies, but the one that stands out is Margherita Pizza. from Queen Margherita of Savoy, who was the Queen consort of Umberto I. During her visit to Naples, she tried this new pizza and developed a liking for it, and the chef named it after her. I am from Naples so this pizza has a special place in both my heart and menu. 

3. How do you describe your overall cooking philosophy?
I think that food is medicine, that easy and healthy meals are also the tastiest, and that to live a life full of laughter and joy, you must work for that life by providing your body meals that nourish it. They say you’re what you eat, and I second that notion so while I prepare foods you can indulge in, I also make sure to spread awareness about a healthy lifestyle.

4. Let’s hear it from a true Italian chef – how do you feel about pizza on pineapple?

Haha, you’re putting me in a tight spot. There are a lot of hits and flops when it comes to culinary inventions and variations, and pineapple on pizza, according to me, is a moderate hit. The sweetness of pineapple blended with the salty flavors of ham, cheese, and other spices is quite a match. Plus, it’s very unique, we’ve been eating our pizza with sausages and pepperoni for way too long, why not branch out and try pineapple?

5. You’ve got the reputation of being the most lively and upbeat of all, what’s your secret?

I do what I love for a living. It’s pretty hard to be happy when you despise your job. My daily routine involves me working my way around the wood fire oven whipping out various pizzas enjoyed by hundreds of people every day. I go home with the satisfaction of serving joy to people. In addition to that, I work with a bunch of genuine and fun-loving fellow chefs and it’s hard to be anything but happy around them. Sometimes, I do get in trouble for having way too much fun during work hours, lol!