While Neapolitan-style pizza has long been a staple in the States, the Roman-style pizza – largely known as pizza al taglio – has only recently entered the American public consciousness. Massimiliano Saieva, pizzaiolo and founder of Roman Pizza Academy, claims to be responsible for this overwhelming increase in Roman pizza lovers.
Born in Sicily and raised in Latina (in the suburbs of Rome), Massimiliano was keen on making and baking pizza since he was just a child. After 10 years in Caracas, Venezuela (where he opened his own Italian restaurant), he moved to Miami in 2012 and decided to open one of the very first Roman-style pizzerias in the States.
Massimiliano Saieva
Since then, he started his career as an instructor and entrepreneur for Roman-style pizza. Along with his business partner Alex Manzo, he founded the Roman Pizza Academy in Miami. Through the Academy, Massimiliano (who leads the courses and trainings) offers everything that anyone might need to open a Roman-style pizzeria – including the training, certification, ingredients, equipment, and pizza tools. He can also help casual students who just want to learn to make a pizza romana at home.
In the last several years, Massimiliano has experienced an unexpected increase in demand, which has grown even bigger during the pandemic. In this interview with La Cucina Italiana, Massimiliano shares the story of his Roman Pizza Academy and the growing American passion for pizza al taglio.
Massimiliano, you claimed to “be responsible” for bringing Roman-style pizza to the US and making it more popular. Could you tell us more about that? I have always been in love with pizza romana and I perfected the style, learning the maturation and fermentation processes with the very best Italian maestri pizzaioli (‘master pizza-makers’) from Rome. I was a pioneer for having understood that Roman-style pizza would have been the next trend in the USA. First, because Americans love pizza. Then because Neapolitan-style pizza was already a staple. During the last Las Vegas Pizza Expo, I found out that both the audience and the professional pizza-makers were curious about Roman pizza.
What makes Americans love Roman-style pizza so much? Roman-style pizza – which is also called ‘pizza al taglio,’ ‘pizza alla pala’ or ‘pinsa’ – is lighter, easier to digest and above all, crunchy (which Americans love). Also, this kind of pizza is easier to sell because it stays fresh longer – so you can serve it after you warm it up and it’s still crunchy and fresh.
What’s the secret to making a perfect Roman-style slice? A long fermentation process that takes up to 144 hours, hydrating the dough (even up to 100%), with perfect control of both the temperature and the time. Finally, heat plays an important role in the process because a pizza – in order to be light and more digestive – needs to be baked well first and foremost.
What’s the trick to making a good Roman-style pizza at home? I teach people how to make it easily, but you need to start with a good Italian flour, a great Italian olive oil, a good oven (which can reach up to a 600°F degree temperature) and a dry yeast.
What’s your approach and why is it innovative? I am not just a pizzaiolo. I’m also an entrepreneur – as the Americans taught me to be. I learned how to make a great pizza and turn it into a business model. My last two innovative ideas are the “Factory pizza” and “Pizza-tapas.” The first is a business model in which I train people to make a large amount of pizza dough and deliver it to pizzerias where they only need to make the final topping and sales. In this case, the pizzaiolo doesn’t need to prepare the dough ahead of time – he only needs to deliver the final product to customers. And “pizza-tapas” is more for advanced pizza-makers or chefs who are willing to put their chef skills to the test, learning fermentation and authentic pizza-making. I teach them how to make the perfect toppings, turning the pizza into a truly unique dish.
Who are your clients? Big corporate groups like Walmart, Costco, and Hilton Hotel – but small pizzerias across the country, as well. I also offer customized courses to meet specific needs. For example, a client asked me how to make a product in 4 hours and have it ready. I also get many requests from Wall Street managers who want to make pizza as a way to release some stress and nourish their passion. I would say I’ve trained about 95% of the Roman-style pizzerias in the US, and the Roman Pizza Academy’s pizzas have won the last four “Pizza World Championships” in a row at the Las Vegas Pizza Expo.
How has the pandemic impacted the pizza business? The small pizza businesses, unlike the big corporations, did not experience much of a crisis. In my experience, they increased their delivery and takeout. Today, I have lots of requests from people who want to open small pizzerias because they got fired or lost their job and they want to be on their own. I am teaching online classes, training all over the world, and I can see how the pizza world is never in crisis. Pizza is still – and always will be – the most popular food in the world and the best business to start. I will open a European branch of the Roman Academy Pizza in Madrid and lead courses all over Europe, including Italy.
As a Roman pizza Ambassador, do you also feel like a “Made in Italy” Ambassador? I use Italian products to make my pizzas great, and I am also a brand ambassador for Moretti Ovens in the US. With that being said, I am respectful of people’s food culture and I do not want to impose my taste or my Italian background when I teach pizza. In other words, when it comes to toppings, I encourage people to use their own typical or traditional ingredients.