Latest news with #Napoli-style
IOL News
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Pizza perfection: Durban couple's championship debut makes culinary wave
David and Ishara Chetty have made waves in the culinary world, taking ninth place at the 2025 World Pizza Championship in Italy. Image: Supplied In an incredible journey from the sun-kissed beaches of Durban to the competitive arena of Italy's culinary heart, David and Ishara Chetty recently claimed a spot among the elite in the Pizza Classica category at the prestigious 2025 Campionato Mondiale della Pizza. Held in Parma, Italy, from April 8 to 10, the couple, who were competing against culinary titans from over 50 countries, secured an impressive ninth place with a dough recipe that originated in their very own kitchen. For the Chettys, it's a dream they never truly anticipated. Reflecting on their unlikely success, the couple shared, 'If someone had told us a few years ago that a dough recipe developed in our Durban kitchen would land us in the top 10 in the world, we would have laughed, nervously glanced at our flour-dusted aprons, and carried on hand-stretching dough.' Yet, here they stand, proud ambassadors of South African culinary innovation. At the championship, the Chettys competed against Italy's finest, armed solely with their sourdough Napoli-style base and an unwavering passion for the craft. 'The Italians taught us about the deep respect and embedded food culture in their country,' Ishara continued, noting a valuable lesson in conveying passion through food. 'It's a philosophy that we refuse to compromise in favour of the mass appeal.' As pioneers of Napoli-style pizza in Durban, David and Ishara have devoted themselves to refining their craft and sharing their knowledge with aspiring chefs. They aspire to uplift the next generation of South African culinary talent, encouraging future chefs not to gate-keep resources but to create opportunities for excellence. 'This experience wasn't the end goal,' David asserted. 'It marks the beginning of a new chapter for food in South Africa.' The couple's culinary journey began with a mutual love for food, intertwined with a shared vision of warmth and generosity at the dining table. Their path evolved from engaging in social media discussions to heartfelt culinary experiences during their honeymoon in Italy in 2018. Inspired by the Italian food culture's elegance and simplicity, they decided to venture into the restaurant industry. Having opened their restaurant Doughed in January 2023, the couple dedicated themselves to nearly a year of perfecting their sourdough recipe to replicate Naples' traditional hand-stretched pizzas authentically. They source local ingredients for toppings while importing authentic mozzarella and Parmigiano from Italy, refusing to cut corners on quality. David and Ishara Chetty have made waves in the culinary world, taking ninth place at the 2025 World Pizza Championship in Italy. Image: Supplied
Time Out
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Renowned Tokyo pizzeria Pizza Studio Tamaki to open in Singapore this June
Tokyo is loved for many things, but many don't know that it's got a bangin' pizza scene as well. Yes, the metropolitan city has a whopping six pizzerias listed on the 50 Top Pizza Asia-Pacific 2025 ranking. Some award-winning joints include The Pizza Bar On 38th, Pizza Strada, and a crowd favourite – Pizza Studio Tamaki (PST). Come this June, you'll get a chance to taste PST's highly raved slices, as the brand will be debuting its very first outlet in Singapore. So what makes Pizza Studio Tamaki special? Well, besides its billionaire-backed, celebrity-endorsed status – having hosted the likes of Jeff Bezos, Justin Bieber, and many others – it's also been given the stamp of approval by trusted guides like Michelin and 50 Top Pizza. View this post on Instagram A post shared by PizzaStudioTamaki (@pizzastudiotamaki) But the ultimate proof is in its dough, made of a blend of Japanese and American flour and fermented for 30 hours, resulting in a puffy crust and wafer-thin centre characteristic of Napoli-style pizza. PST has been headed by Tsubasa Tamaki since its early days in Roppongi in 2017. Its Singapore outlet in Tanjong Pagar will see Tamaki's protégé, Ryosuke Tanahara, holding the fort. The young pizzaiolo trained under Tamaki for almost three years. Fun fact: another student of Tamaki's is Eddie Murakami, who now runs Beyond the Dough in Arab Street. This will be PST's fifth outlet – it currently has three across Japan and one in Bangkok which opened recently, all of which see reservation lists that stretch over weeks. Its Singapore store is slated to open on June 10, and reservations will be made available at a later date. In the meantime, watch this space for updates on its official menu and prices, and follow its Instagram page here.
