So, why pizza?
I have had a strong desire to make great pizza ever since I lived in Italy when I was 14. I would go with my family every Friday night to our local pizzeria and I would eat antipasto and get a pizza with ham and mushrooms. This experience really opened my eyes to a new world of food; trying all the various “stinky” cheeses, pickled veggies, marinated octopus, etc. Pizza has always been my favourite food so when the opportunity to run a small pizzeria in Philadelphia came up, I jumped on it and left my life of working in fine dining restaurants to pursue my true passion.
What’s the secret to your dough?
It holds so well even hours after it’s been packed. I use a blend of three European flours to get a very precise formation of the gluten. We use organic flours from France, Italy and Belgium to get our protein content just right and we use a starter dough to give it that depth of flavour. I’ve been experimenting with various dough recipes for almost seven years and I can honestly say, this is as close to perfection that I’ve come. Fortunately, perfection in my business is not attainable, so I’ll continue experimenting with my dough. It also helps to have a three-tonne oven to cook the pizzas in about 90 seconds at 500° to get that lift on the dough, lock in the flavours and give the crust our unique texture.
Tell us more about your approach to pizza.
Balance is always the word in the back of my mind when creating a signature pizza. Let’s say I want to make a spicy pizza such as our Alt.’s 400° pizza; I first figure out what will taste best with chilli padi or jalapeños. In the process, I found that the salami we bring in from Normandy, France, is great to balance out the heat, once it’s been cooked in our oven until crisp. Then with the addition of our organic tomato sauce and mozzarella, it adds the right amount of acidity and sweetness to balance out the heat. We finish it off with some grated smoked cheddar and our house-made roasted garlic chilli oil to create a really great pepperoni pizza that’s both unique and super tasty.
What’s a normal day like for you?
That’s what’s great about my job — there are no normal days. Each day is unique in that I could be developing recipes or working on staff’s beer and wine knowledge or I could jump on the hot line and cook pizzas all day. I like to switch it up and not fall into any routines to keep the creative juices flowing and my skills sharp!
If you’re not making pizza, what else do you do?
I love being physically active and if I’m not working, I will be outdoors either swimming in the ocean or a pool, riding with the semi-pro cycling team Alt. helps sponsor, or running at night along the marina. I also love traveling and of course eating! Next month I will be going to Japan for the first time and I’m so excited because I love Japanese food. I already have all the places I’m going to eat at scouted out and reservations made. I’m also going to a few sake breweries in Kyoto and will be seeing a sumo wrestling match in Tokyo. I love experiencing other cultures, which is probably why I like living in Singapore so much.
Favorite life hack?
Juicing and smoothies. I like to start my mornings off with a green juice that usually contains kale, broccoli, carrots, beetroot, lemon, celery and oranges. After a tough workout or bike ride, I’ll have a smoothie with soy protein, lots of fruits and nuts and then I like adding powdered maca, baobab, wheatgrass and spirulina. These give me the energy to be productive at work, home and when I’m training hard for an Ironman triathlon. They also keep me looking young and I feel great—90% of the time!
Perfect pairing with your perfect pizza?
At Alt. Pizza, we bring in some seriously awesome craft beer from California where some of the best beer in the world is being made. Currently my favourite is the Modern Times Blazing World out of San Diego. It’s a delicious amber ale with really bold hops that pairs perfectly with our beer-brined wings or our Garth Fader vegetarian pizza (red pepper cream sauce, mozzarella, roasted onions, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, smoked cheddar, toasted pine nuts, chopped herbs and a little Korean chilli).
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
It’s usually at about 5am when my alarm goes off so I can get some breakfast in and then head out for an early morning bike ride to beat the heat and the traffic before work. It starts my day off right, waking me up and releasing endorphins from exercising. An espresso shot or two after that and I’m ready to go!
Do you have any pet peeves?
A dirty restaurant/kitchen. Nothing drives me crazier than seeing a dirty restaurant and more specifically a dirty kitchen. I will walk out of a place if I deem it to be unclean.
Future plans for Alt?
Right now we’re just finishing up the testing of our new online ordering website and smartphone app for takeaway orders. We will be launching it very soon and then will be starting delivery within Suntec City in the next few weeks. We are also constantly adding interesting new beers and wines to go with our menu.
