Today we’d like to introduce you to Nancy Silverton.
Hi Nancy, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Well, I was working during college at a few restaurants, and I wanted to learn how to make bread. So, my father gave me some valuable advice. More than valuable, it was career changing. He said, “If you want to go to cooking school you should go to the best and the best is Le Cordon Bleu.” So, I went there to the one in London.
From there, with the ability or talent or whatever it is to make a good baguette, things started to change for me. My breads got noticed, and so did my restaurant with my then-husband, Mark Peel. We were cooking and having fun and people were responding really well to it all.
After I left Campanile and later the bakery, I opened Pizzeria Mozza and that has luckily turned into another wonderful success. Since then, what we call the Mozzaplex has expanded to include Osteria Mozza, which has maintained a Michelin star since 2009, and Chi Spacca as well as many international locations.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been a wonderful, bumpy road with extraordinary challenges along the way. From personal tragedy and changes to an international pandemic and the everyday challenges of the workplace, there, of course, have been great obstacles to overcome. Anyone who is in the restaurant world and says it’s been a “smooth road” is avoiding the question. But it is the road I have taken, and I seriously could not imagine any other road for me.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Pizzeria Mozza?
Pizzeria Mozza, the first of the Mozzaplex, was where I fell in love with the art of making pizza. At Pizzeria Mozza, we pair seasonal California ingredients with a very special crust that’s chewy and crunchy. We’ve expanded our menu to also include baked pastas and well-rounded Piatti, such as the Brisket al Forno or the 16oz Delmonico Steak. In my opinion, albeit it may be a little biased, Pizzeria Mozza is the perfect place to go when you are craving a fantastic meal and great pizza – it’s crave-able and approachable.
I believe when people, be it in Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Baja, London, Singapore, or Saudi Arabia, are going out to eat at Mozza, the experience does not merely start when they sit down at the table and start eating their first course. I think the experience starts hours before they even walk through the doors of the restaurant. When they are at home and saying, “Oh, tonight we are going to Mozza.” The excitement builds from that first moment, and we always strive to then greet every guest with the highest quality of hospitality so that we can continue that excitement through their meal.
Some people consider me to be a respected chef in America, and I think I can attribute that to the fact that I respect my staff. Every night when I leave Pizzeria Mozza, Osteria Mozza, and Chi Spacca, I make sure I say good night and thank you to the sous chefs, line cooks, runners, dishwashers, glass polishers, and servers to let them know how much I appreciate their hard work. The people you employ can really make or break a business, and I am proud of all of the people who represent Mozza.
What’s next?
The Mozza empire is continuing to expand – we have new restaurants opening in Washington, DC and Hawaii. It’s a lot of work and a lot of travel. But my motto lately has been, “I cook to travel, I travel to cook”. I’m always passionate about learning new things, visiting new places, and being open to wherever those lead me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pizzeriamozza.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pizzeriamozza/
Image Credits
Evan Robinson
Juliet Kapanjie
Anne Fishbein
