Yes Chef! Roberto Davanzo is Serving Dessert Pizzas in Singapore
Asia is one food-crazy continent! We take great care to pick restaurants based on culinary vibes, rankings in international gourmand guides, mentions in magazines, Instagramability, and added allure. Yes, Chef! features the region’s chefs' stories of love and labor in kitchens, which has made some of our restaurants the next big thing in Asia.
The upcoming collaboration between the World’s Best Pizza Pastry Chef, Roberto Davanzo, and Singapore’s La Bottega Enoteca, is one that is hotly awaited. Scheduled to take place between Oct. 16 and Oct. 22, 2024, this exclusive three-night dinner features eight courses of sweet and savory pizzas fresh from La Bottega Enoteca’s ovens. Of course, Chef Roberto Davanzo has as much to do with the unique dining experience.
Born in Calabria, Italy, Chef Roberto takes the art of pizza making seriously. He’s not only studied the chemistry of pizza, but he’s also created his very own signature dough. He’s traveled the world studying taste profiles, and learning how to adapt them into pizza form. “To be a good pizzamaker, one has to have the proper sensibility,” he shares. “Anyone can learn about pizza and its techniques, but [knowing how to adapt and having the right sensibility] is essential to making [good] pizza.”
This manifests keenly in knowing how to match the right flavors and textures. “[I] begin my process by thinking about what toppings I’d like to incorporate,” Chef Roberto continues. “Only then do I think about how to match it with the dough.”
In fact, at his restaurant in Italy, Chef Roberto boasts of a menu that carries 15 to 18 different kinds of dough. He and his team utilize these to create delicious fine dining experiences that reflect the dynamism of the Italian terrain. Surrounded by three mountains and two seas, the European chef reflects on the bold and dynamic flavors of his homeland where truffles are plentiful and tomatoes come in weird and wonderful shapes. In Italy, there is plenty of spice, sweetness, and acidity – all of which Chef utilizes to create a balanced yet flavorful bite.
So what exactly makes a good pizza? According to Chef Roberto, it is the ease with which one eats a slice. “Any kind of dough – whether it’s crispy, soft, thin, or thick – can be ‘good’ so long as it’s done well,” he clarifies. “What’s important is that they are easy to eat. People want to finish their slice; it doesn’t feel too heavy in the stomach.”
For a man who plans to present an eight-course pizza menu, this becomes a welcome challenge. At his upcoming pizza pop-up in the Lion City, Chef Roberto will be serving a handful of pizzas, some of which will feature unique ingredients such as anchovies in ponzu, ossobuco and bone marrow, and pistachio pesto with Calabrian aniseed.
Each slice will come with dough that has been thoughtfully considered for each bite. The taste palate will be authentically Italian – though the Chef does reveal that an earlier dish, one made with licorice, had been vetoed out of consideration. “I love to match sweet and sour taste profiles,” explains Chef Roberto. “But Singaporeans don’t seem to enjoy licorice.”
For the finale, Chef Roberto will be serving a mango and lemon dessert pizza. Needless to say, this is a very rare opportunity indeed – especially for those of us living in Singapore. “Even in Italy, dessert pizzas are not very common,” Chef notes. “You’ll have to go to a restaurant with very high standards; normal pizzerias don’t have it. It’s a fine dining experience.”
To enhance the flavor and mouthfeel of his unique dessert pizzas, Chef Roberto had created a fusion pizza dough that is soft, yet not airy. “It is a cross between a Roman-style pizza dough, which is very airy, and a brioche. This works well with sweet toppings as it has a very neutral taste; it allows the toppings to shine.” He’s used this recipe for his award-winning ricotta mousse and bergamot pizza, which he had further garnished with orange, licorice, coffee, and mint.
Of course, like a proud father, Chef Roberto has a difficult time choosing between the many dessert pizza recipes he’s already invented. “It’s like asking me to choose a favorite among my children,” he laughs.
To make your reservations, visit the La Bottega Enoteca website. Each night presents two seatings: the first at 5.30pm/6.00pm and the second at 8.30pm.
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