Behind
the Pizza Peel is a profile series I've been wanting to put together for years.
Its goal is to reveal the warm--and sometimes wild--personalities that create
America's favorite food on a daily basis.
Who are the people behind the pizzas, and what made them choose a pizza peel over a briefcase? What's their inspiration and what keeps them going? We find out in this ongoing series.
Who are the people behind the pizzas, and what made them choose a pizza peel over a briefcase? What's their inspiration and what keeps them going? We find out in this ongoing series.
Behind the Pizza Peel:
Mathieu Palombino
Pizzeria:
Motorino: NYC, Hong
Kong, Manila, Singapore
Age: 38
Years in pizza biz:
7
Favorite Hobbies Outside of Pizza: riding my motorcycle
The
Pizza Insider: Why did you choose to go into the pizza business and what do you
enjoy most about it?
Mathieu
Palombino: I opened in 2008, which was a
difficult time for restaurants. I had to do something that I loved, but
would also have a chance to succeed. Pizza was the answer. A pizzeria has a
purpose in its neighborhood.
The
Pizza Insider: Looking back on your original pizza goals, how do they match, or
differ from, where you are today?
Mathieu
Palombino: When I opened the first Motorino in
Williamsburg, I was just hoping it would become a popular neighborhood joint. I
did not expect it would get the attention that it did. If you asked me seven
years ago, I would never have thought that I would be opening new locations as
far away as Hong Kong. Today, I hope to keep that momentum going and bring Motorino
to new places.
The
Pizza Insider: In your opinion, what separates a good pizza maker from a great
pizza maker?
Mathieu
Palombino: A good Pizzaiolo has a recipe on
hand and experience managing a pizza station and working an oven. A truly great
pizza maker has knowledge in baking and understands the science behind a great
dough.
The
Pizza Insider: When you eat at other pizzerias, what type of pizza do you order
and why?
Mathieu
Palombino: I’ll try anything that sounds
interesting, but I stay away from pears, peppers, and onions. I like the pizzas
light in toppings and with a good dash of Tabasco sauce.
The
Pizza Insider: Who are your role models or mentors?
Mathieu
Palombino: I don’t have a "pizza
mentor," necessarily. However, I admire Anthony Mangieri’s style of pizza
making, and I love the pizzas of Napoli: charred, soft, pliable—delicious.
The
Pizza Insider: What’s the best advice you ever received?
Mathieu
Palombino: Happy wife, happy life.
The
Pizza Insider: Do you have any words of wisdom for new pizzeria operators?
Mathieu Palombino:
Get organized with the FDA so you can import your own olive oil and tomatoes
from Italy. You’ll save the commission and you’ll be giving your money directly
to the grower. There is no mystery about where your product is from. Plus, you
get to visit Campania once a year!
The
Pizza Insider: If someone wrote a book about your life, what would it be
called?
Mathieu Palombino:
Living the Dream in America
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