Leo's Pizzeria: We try to stay true to the way Italians make pizza at Leo's, ET HospitalityWorld

Time of India

14-05-2025

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ETHospitalityWorld
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Started eight years ago from his own home in Vasant Vihar in Delhi, Leo's Pizzeria for its founder Amol Kumar , is more than a business, It was an expression of his fascination for the dish which he developed a strong palate for as a child. Kumar may not have a big brand presence even today, after eight years of running the brand, but he definitely has plenty of acclaim as a boutique pizza brand which approached the product differently from the giant brands around. Global recognitions have come thrice— starting from 48th place in the Asia Pacific's top 50 Pizza brand three years ago to 44 last year and 41 this year.In an industry where supply chains are automated and dough is often factory-made, Leo's represents the opposite end of the spectrum. Their dough is handmade and slow-fermented, allowing proteins and carbohydrates to break down into simpler components—making it easier to digest and far more flavourful. Even the cheese tells a story: fresh buffalo mozzarella with a short shelf life replaces mass-produced blocks. In fact, Leo's recently began importing San Marzano-style tomatoes from Italy in full containers—bringing in ingredients that no other pizzeria in India currently uses.'We try to be true to the traditional way Italians make their pizzas, a food which is part of a culture. I love doing the same thing over and over again. I love making the dough every day. I love making pizza every day,' Kumar, who honed his skills in pizza making by staying with an Italian family before starting his venture, said. Started from his own residence in Vasant Vihar in Delhi eight years ago, Kumar has three outlets in the national capital today—the original store in Vasant Vihar, one in Amar Colony, and the flagship store in Ghitorni.'Everyone's chasing scale. We're chasing depth,' he said, adding, 'The idea was never to open 20 stores. The idea was to get one pizza absolutely right.'Kumar and his brand specialises in Neapolitan style pizza and he has set up a pizza lab in his flagship Leo's 621 outlet where he engages in innovation both in terms of products and solutions. He also consults HoReCa businesses in setting up pizzerias, which is another business he pursues.'Even in the world of Neapolitan pizza, a lot of new developments in terms of processes and product innovations have happened. We follow those changes and try to incorporate them by ensuring consistency in terms of quality,' he said.Improvements in the supply chain also helped the processes a lot, he said. Italian flour is now available in India helping deliver the same quality products to customers.Beyond its kitchens, Leo's is also helping build India's pizza talent pool. With hands-on weekend workshops, professional training programs, and consulting projects across the country, the brand has evolved into an informal culinary school for aspiring pizzaiolos.'There's been a huge surge in DIY interest post-COVID,' the founder says. 'People want to learn how to make great pizza at home or build a career in that space. We're here to support that.'The courses are accessible yet rigorous—ranging from three-hour beginner sessions to multi-week professional bootcamps. Many trainees eventually go on to work at Leo's or open their own pizzerias, fueling a quiet revolution in India's artisan pizza scene.'After doing this for about seven-eight years now, I really wanted to also help the pizza scene evolve in general and help improve the general standard of pizza not just in our city but across the country. My intention is to reach out to as many people as we can who want to get trained or set up their own businesses,' said Kumar.Although it has never been his agenda to expand helter-skelter as he feared that would amount to 'losing control' over the brand, Kumar said that he would go for a measured expansion of one or two more outlets in Delhi this year, before going out of Delhi. He has started exploring opportunities in Mumbai, Goa and Bengaluru, but nothing concrete as yet.When asked about the competition from the big boys of the pizza market and matching up with their reach and delivery muscle, Kumar said that in a country like India where there were diverse socio-economic groups in the society, multiple business concepts and formats could co-exist and make business sense in their own way.'There is something for everyone in this market. If you do things differently and consistently, people do appreciate and support you,' he said.