Stamerra

When white art flows in the veins there are images and gestures that cannot leave indifferent: the dough that twirls in the air and turns into a disc, the manual skill of the pizza maker, the scent of the dough, the taste, the colors of the ingredients.  When all this is a feeling that remains inside, it is easy for the desire to dedicate oneself completely to the world of pizza to begin to grow, even if initially you have other ambitions.

This is the story of Massimiliano Stamerra, a pizza maker born in 1974 from the province of Lecce and today an entrepreneur in Miami, Florida.  Massimiliano, since he was a boy, has always been attracted to the world of gastronomy and in particular to cooking.  He had his first work experiences when he was just a teenager in a bar in his village and later in a restaurant in Gallipoli.  However, he approached the world of pizza a few years later when, from 1991 to 2004, he worked in two family restaurants that combined pizza with restaurants.  Here, a little by chance, a little by necessity, Massimiliano learned how to make a pizza chef, becoming fully capable of managing the entire cycle of preparing a pizza: from making the dough to baking the loaves.  In 2005 the turning point came. Massimiliano decided to open his first restaurant: the Capri New Style in Gallipoli, with over 220 seats and an innovative menu.  In 2012, not yet satisfied with the level reached, the Apulian pizza maker moved his business to a new location surrounded by olive trees: a winning idea that gave him the opportunity to make the leap and export to Miami Beach, in the  2018, the Capri New Style.

Today Massimiliano is a very experienced and versatile craftsman.  The skills acquired have led him to know how to adapt to different types of processes.  In Florida, in particular, he adapted to the temperatures and humidity of the place and decided to focus on a chariot with a dough matured at a controlled temperature for up to 48 hours and 65% hydration.

Massimiliano is an old-fashioned pizza chef: one of those who learned the secrets of the trade by trying new techniques and experimenting.  After attending, in the nineties, the hotel institute of Santa Cesarea Terme, he acquired the basics of proper food preservation, hygiene in the workplace and the management of a kitchen, nothing to do with the world of bread making.  He had to learn the secrets of a good dough and the skills in mixing the ingredients by practicing and practicing.  A fundamental role in his growth path, however, was played by the Italian School of Pizza Makers in Caorle and later by the International School of Catering in Lecce.  Moreover, for about two years he has started a new project: he is one of the founders of the Pizzaioli USA Academy, a reference point for students who want to become skilled artisans and discover the secrets of pizzas.

During his career, Massimiliano has accumulated 12 golds, 3 silvers, 4 bronzes and many other awards in as many national and international competitions.  He was also a judge for 4 years in a row in the trophy organized by MSC Cruises aboard beautiful ships.

In the future Massimiliano would like to export his idea of pizza to other countries as well: to Australia or even to Asia.  The ideas are many and the desire to continue to get involved is also great.

This story is the demonstration of how extraordinary results can be achieved with talent, passion and dedication.  Massimiliano started from nothing, from his small town in the province of Lecce, and today thanks to his love for pizza he has become a successful entrepreneur, expanding with another restaurant, Gioia eat in Hollywood.

Achievements:

• Italian Acrobatic Champion (Italy)

Capri New Style Miami
940 71st Street
Miami Beach, FL 33141

Gioia Eat
1817 N Young Cir
Hollywood, FL 33020