Tag Archives: John Arena

At Pizza Expo Get on The Pizza Bus with Scott Wiener

Posted on by
Reply

“It’s Scott’s Las Vegas Pizza Tour. You know, Scott. Scott Wiener of Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York. This year he’s hosting a pizza tour of three incredible pizzerias in Las Vegas.”

Pizza Expo Las Vegas Convention Center

Pizza Expo Las Vegas Convention Center

“Yeah that’s the guy. Well this year at Pizza Expo he’s hosting an exclusive tour of three amazing pizzerias in Las Vegas. He’s featuring Pizza Rock, hosted by co-owner Tony Gemignani), Pizza Metro (hosted by Pizza Guy and co-owner John Arena) and 800 Degrees (hosted by c0-owner Anthony Carron).

Scott Wiener of Scott's New York Pizza Tours

Scott Wiener of Scott’s New York Pizza Tours

This will be an incredible tour for any pizzeria fan or owner who wants to get an inside look at three very successful pizzerias in Las Vegas. You will be able to get a behind the scenes look at what makes these master pizza makers a success. You will have plenty of time to get any question you may have answered. If you are going to Pizza Expo this is a must go to event!

You need to be a registered attendee at Pizza Expo to go. You’ll have a total pizza experience at all three locations. You can ask questions, and schmooze with some of the greatest pizza makers in the world…and between stops Scott will be hosting a pizza seminar on wheels! I can’t wait.
Bus departs the Las Vegas convention center on Tuesday March 28th at 5:30 sharp and lasts until 9:30. So for Scott’s guided pizza tour. You are either on the bus or off the bus…what are you going to do?”

“Thanks for the scoops Bongo. I’m going Pizza Expo. So I’m ready…How do I sign up”

Scott's Las Vegas Pizza Tour

Scott’s Las Vegas Pizza Tour

 

 

 

 

“Just to go the the website: pizza expo.com.. look for events and scroll down to Scott’s Pizza Tour… sign up there…”

Sign up at this link: Scott’s Las Vegas Pizza Tour

 

 

Pizza Talk: John Arena and Jonathan Goldsmith

Posted on by
Reply

Mix together flour, salt yeast, water (and depending who you talk to: olive oil), and you can make a great pizza. Mix together two of the most passionate pizza makers in the U.S.A. and there is no telling what you are going to end up with. The end result as in both examples will be pure pizza satisfaction. With the later you will discover what fuels that passion and drive. You will also understand the spirit of pizza and the relationships that can be created as a result.

Pizza Brothers: Jonathan Goldsmith and John Arena

Pizza Brothers: Jonathan Goldsmith and John Arena

I was very fortunate to snag John Arena (Metro Pizza, Las Vegas) and Jonathan Goldsmith (Spacca Napoli, Chicago) at the close of Pizza Expo 2016, in Las Vegas. The conversation was fast, furious and totally from the heart. Both come from very different places in the pizza industry.

John, from New York, grew up around pizza and began making pizza at a very young age.  John continues to make pizza at his pizzerias in Las Vegas. In addition, he also teaches the only certified Collegiate Level class on pizza at UNLV. John spreads the joy and love with pizza at several locations around Las Vegas. While he knows New York style pizza well, he is also able to make numerous styles of pizza. John was recently invited by Caputo Flour to go to Italy to help develop a New York Style Flour. He was accompanied by pizza luminaries Tony Gemignani, Scott Wiener, Guilio Adriani, and Michele D’Amelio. (You can see a video of this event by clicking here)

Jonathan Goldsmith, learned his craft by going to the source of pizza: Naples, Italy. Jonathan learned his craft from Master Pizzaiolo Enzo Coccia. Jonathan has studied and continues to study his craft. His pizzeria, Spacca Napoli, recently celebrated a tenth anniversary. Jonathan who was a concerned with social change in a former profession, carries that over into his business of creating pizza.

While John will use olive oil in his pizza creation, Jonathan will use none. Their pizzas can be quite different, however they share a love of pizza and of each other. They have developed a strong bond over the years which continues to grow. Their passion for the craft of creating pizza is endless. When asked where is the common ground, John holds up his hands.

Both Jonathan and John embody the true spirit of pizza. While there are certain differences in their style. there is common ground in turning simple ingredients into pure pizza magic. The wonderful thing about both is their willingness to share and collaborate with others who share in the joy of creating pizza.  Both are willing to share their experience with a pizza master or someone who is just discovering the love of pizza. Pizza is a dish which inspires and illuminates.

This is a great interview with two incredible pizza makers who share in the brotherhood of pizza.

 

 

You can listen to an audio of this interview,
or download it if you wish, below:

[display_podcast]

Jonathan’s Pizzeria is:

Spacca Napoli

 

 

 

 

 

Spacca Napoli Pizzeria

1769 W. Sunnyside Ave.
Chicago, IL 60640
773.878.2420

John Arena is the co-owner of:

2015-08-21_10-32-40

 

 

 

 

Metro Pizza:
1395 East Tropicana Avenue
Las Vegas, Nevada
Tropicana & Maryland Parkway
Phone: (702) 736-1955

2016-03-16_12-49-03

 

 

 

 

 

You can discover more about John by going to Pizza Quest:
https://www.fornobravo.com/pizzaquest

Information about Pizza Expo can be found:

Pizza Therapy supports the Pizza Expo

 

 

 

http://pizzaexpo.com

Pizza Therapy Website is located at:
http://pizzatherapy.com
And more Pizza Related Videos can be found at the
Pizza Therapy Channel on YouTube

Here is Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby’s book:
Everybody Loves Pizza: The Deep Dish on America’s Favorite Food

John Arena, Metro Pizza, of the History of Pizza

Posted on by
Reply

John Arena gives his take on what makes pizza so special.

Pizza explains John is a collaborative food. He says that professional pizza makers are actually astounded that there so much discussion about pizza.

When you go to a pizzeria you go go with the idea that the pizza maker will make your vision of what is a perfect pizza.

In that sense making pizza is really a collaborative process.

You figure it out with your friends and the  people you are with. You then communicate that with the pizzaiolo and he tries to recreate what you this is the perfect pizza.

John brings out the idea and asks: is pizza really authentic Italian origin?

There is no disagreement that pizza is made with a dough and crust. John says that dough goes back to the ancient Egyptians. He reveals that beer and pizza are related. Beer is a liquid form of pizza dough.

Was it perhaps the Greeks who started making flat bread? The bread came from Egypt and was perfected by Greek bakers.

The tomato, however did come from the new world. Brought by the Spaniards to the Neapolitan area. And of course tomato was at thought to be at first poisonous.  Somehow the tomato made it onto pizza.

The water buffalo was brought over by the Crusaders. They were the ones who added buffalo mozzarella. The spice cam from India: the basil.

John quotes Jonathan Goldsmith who has a poem in his pizzeria, Spacca Napoli. The gist of the poem is that dough, mozzarella, tomatoes and basil do not make the pizza. There is a  missing ingredient in the pizza: the heart of the pizza maker!

Find out more about John at   The Slice of the City.

Vision of Pizza by John Arena from Metro Pizza

Posted on by
Reply

John Arena explains the Vision of Pizza embraced by Metro Pizza in Las Vegas. Jon explains everyone has thier own vision of great pizza. Whether you are from Brooklyn or New Haven. New Jersey or Chicago. Seattle or San Francisco, everyone has their own idea of the perfect pizza.

Metro has a great concept for out of town pizza fans. If you go to Metro with a picture in front of you favorite pizzeria, you will recieve $25.00 worth of food. Metro pizza wants to recgnize and celebrate great pizza the world over.

John and his cousin Sam came from New York to begin their pizza adventure.

In the following presetation John, explains his vision of pizza.

John’s pizzeria philosophy:

“…We believe that a true Pizzeria should be a gathering place for family and friends to relax, share great food and enjoy each other’s company. We have visited hundreds of Pizzerias across the country, learning and gathering recipes to bring our guests a taste of home, wherever home might be….”

Metro Pizza( 5 Locations including:)
1395 East Tropicana Avenue
Las Vegas, Nevada
Tropicana & Maryland Parkway
(702) 736-1955

John teaches a pizza class at UNLV. Here is the course outline:

Week 1: History of Pizza

A discussion of the evolution of pizza and related flatbreads from the ancient Greeks to the kitchens of celebrity chefs. We will discuss how historical events and migration have shaped pizza, where we started, where we are now, and where we may be headed. Class will be divided into three teams for final project.

Week 2: Napoli

Napoli is the birthplace of pizza as we know it. Discussion and hands-on demonstration of pizza as it is prepared in Naples. We will examine the approved standards of the VPN Italy’s governing body of pizza.
Week 3: Pizza Comes to the New World

An examination of pizza as it was prepared in New York’s Little Italy in the early 1900’s and how and why it has changed over time. Demonstration and practice of proper hand-crafting techniques.

Week 4: Dough Production

It all starts here. Basics of crust formulation. We will examine selection of ingredients, proper mixing and fermentation, and variations that will change flavor profiles and texture.

Week 5: Basics of Sauce, Cheese and SpicesWe will sample and compare ingredients and learn to prepare a base pizza sauce. This class will also examine regional preferences and variations of the basic ingredients.

Week 6: In the Thick of It

Chicago Style Deep Dish, Foccacia, Stuffed Pizza and Calzones. We will examine the origins and elements of these pizza variations including hands-on practice of basic techniques.

Week 7: Pizza in the 21st Century

An examination of multi-cultural influences and current trends in the pizza world including sample and discussion of pizzas with nontraditional toppings.

Week 8: Presentation of Final Projects

Each team will have 15 minutes to prepare the team’s Pizza Creation including a spoken explanation of the inspiration and rationale behind its development. Final written examination.

Here is the textbook for the course:

Everybody Loves Pizza: The Deep Dish on America’s Favorite Food

The Back Story of Metro Pizza Las Vegas

Posted on by
1

Over 40 years ago, in New York, two cousins learned to make pizza at their family pizzeria.

Young John Arena, (12) started working for 50 cents an hour. It was fun but difficult. He worked hard but he began to learn the pizza business.

After a short while he asked his younger cousin Sam Facchini (11) to come by to work as well.

This did not sit well with Uncle Rocky, one of the brothers who owned the pizzeria.

He told John, “I didn’t hire him, you did…so you pay him…”

And John did. He split his 50 cent per hour wage in half. Both he and Sam were now making 25 cents an hour.

Here is the story as explained by Sam:

Years later, Sam and John , would see an ad in an Italian newspaper in New York, describing a pizzeria for sale. The problem was that it was in the desert town of Las Vegas. The year was 1980.

The first day they opened, someone rode up to their shop on horseback and ordered pizza. They knew they were in for a ride!

They struggled at first. Making dough in Las Vegas was very different from making dough in New York. The humidity of the desert air affected the dough process greatly. They experimented and after a short while they perfected their dough.

They have come a long way since those early years and now make award winning pizza. They are both Legends of Pizza.

They have been featured on Entertainment Tonight, guests on Regis and Kathy Lee, and made pizza for Air-Force One.  John and Sam, now host monthly “reservation only” pizza seminars. Metro has received the highest awards in the restaurant industry, including:

  • Top Ten Pizzerias in America- USA Today
  • National Pizzerias Operators of the Year- Pizza Today Magazine
  • Best of Las Vegas- Las Vegas Review-Journal
  • Best Pizza-LV Weekly Magazine
  • Top Pizza  in Las Vegas- Zagat’s Restaurant Review
  • Best in City- aol.com
  • Best Pizza in town- UNLV

They learned their craft well and now make the best pizza in Las Vegas.

Visit Metro at:

1395 East Tropicana Avenue
Las Vegas, Nevada
Tropicana & Maryland Parkway
Phone: (702) 736-1955

Repectfully submitted by:
Albert Grande
The Pizza Promoter




Ads By CbproAds