bake - October 2018 - 31

ADVERTORIAL

™
The Lesaffre Pizza Innovation Center
kitchen is part of the North American Pizza & Culinary Academy, which opened in
May in the Chicago suburb of Lisle, Illinois.
The academy features top-of-the-line
equipment, including Forno Bravo pizza
ovens. Among those is a range of pizza
ovens covering many technologies and
styles, several types of mixing and dough
handling equipment, a dough preparation
room that can replicate any "real world"
climate, a commercial kitchen, an innovative kitchen instructional area, and more.
"This new facility gives us more opportunity to innovate with key pizza clients who
want to create new products, troubleshoot their process, or train their people,"
says Tom Benner, president and chief executive officer of Lesaffre Yeast Corp. "We
are proud to work with such high caliber
talent as Leo Spizzirri and the entire team
at the Pizza & Culinary Academy."
Chef Spizzirri, Maestro Instruttore, PFC,
has always been known as a dough guy.
He's studied under the best and always
strives to be the best. That's why he is so
proud to play a key role in a new pizza/
bakery education program in an innovative partnership with Lesaffre and Red
Star Yeast.
"My grandmother used Red Star Yeast.
It's always been a brand I trusted," Spizzirri says. "I am thrilled to be working with
a partner like Lesaffre, who brings top
quality ingredients focused on the art of
great pizza. They will bring their research
and development team on site, and we
can work at levels unrivaled in the industry. There's a lot of expertise coming together here."
The North American Pizza & Culinary
Academy is the second official pizza

school in the United States, certifying pizza chefs from around the globe.
The academy is led by Spizzirri, who is
also a member of the World Pizza Team.
Currently there are only 20 schools worldwide. The scuola certiﬁes pizza chefs from
across the globe, with about 100 masters
in the world.
"I've gone back to Italy every year for 10
years," Spizzirri said. "In November 2017,
I became the second master instructor in
the United States. I've always envisioned
opening a school, and when we decided
to do it, we wanted to open a legitimate
certiﬁed pizza school using the same curriculum as in Italy."
The Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli is the oldest
and most prestigious pizza school located
in Italy. Spizzirri earned his master certiﬁcation at the scuola in all ﬁve styles of
Italian pizza.
"My training started in 2007 as a pizza
maker from a baker's perspective," he
says. "I look at doughs and dough development on a lot more granular level. I'm
known as a dough guy."
At the North American Pizza & Culinary
Academy, the goal is to get everyone as
excited about pizza. Cooking is a life skill
that gives back in the most rewarding
ways, Spizzirri says. From novice to fullﬂedged fellow foodies, classes are designed for people of all ages and skill sets.
The academy's state-of-the-art cooking
school specializes in interactive education.
The hands-on and demonstrative classes
are led by dynamic professional chefs
versed in all cuisines, and pizza classes
are led by a master Instructor. The school
also hosts hands-on and demonstration
classes for private parties, and corporate
events for team-building classes.

"My grandmother
used Red Star Yeast.
I am very honored
they would consider
partnering with me."
Leo Spizzirri
But there's more. "This isn't just a pizza
school," Spizzirri says. "This is where a
pizza guy can learn the best of the artisan
baking industry. With partners like Lesaffre and Red Star Yeast, I can do baking
classes for professionals."
Cooking classes are another key element of the program, and the team is
looking for opportunities to expand educational efforts.
In terms of pizza projects, "this gives
us an opportunity to bring in major pizza
clients who want to create new doughs,"
Spizzirri says. "They will bring their research and development team here, and
we can work on a level that you'd see at
a large commercial manufacturing facility.
There's a lot of expertise here."

H
Q

North America Pizza
& Culinary Academy
1970 University Drive
Lisle, IL 60532
630.395.9958
info@pizzaculinaryacademy.com
www.pizzaculinaryacademy.com

bakemag.com | OCT 2018 > 31

http://www.pizzaculinaryacademy.com http://www.bakemag.com

bake - October 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of bake - October 2018