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Both his name and surname are synonymous with "pizza," inside and outside of Italy.
In addition to various addresses in Naples and conquering Milan, Gino Sorbillo has also now travelled across the Atlantic opening pizzerias in New York and Miami Beach.
Tireless and always full of ideas, the pizza maker, who regularly divides his time between events and TV, spoke to Fine Dining Lovers.
Here's what he told us.
How did your passion for the pizza come about?
I was born in the middle of pizzas. My father was a pizza maker, so for me, it was always normal to see, smell and taste pizza in its every aspect as well as witnessing the daily processes. Since I was a child, I dreamed of having my own pizzeria and staying in my neighbourhood, even if it was more difficult than others.
In 1995 I opened my first pizzeria with a very precise idea of what I wanted to offer. I was a lively and curious boy, I wanted my pizza to reflect that about me, while remaining faithful to tradition. The pizza I still prepare today, whether at Identità Golose or on TV, is a genuine pizza that occasionally combines unusual ingredients, but always top quality.
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When did you feel that something was changing, that there was a "leap"?
Until not long ago, the job of a pizza chef was often seen as simple, compared to that of a cook and to certain types of cuisine. I approached my work with seriousness and conviction, daily. The leap came by itself: I noticed that people were starting to no longer see as "a pizza chef" and that the work I was doing was to create a great quality pizza. Different chefs started calling me to collaborate on events and projects. Today pizza is more accepted in the world of haute cuisine and the concept of "gourmet pizza" has been absorbed, but in the past, it wasn't so obvious.
How would you describe Gino Sorbillo's pizza?
True, authentic, above all. My pizza is interpreted in many ways, to reach as many people as possible.
What advice would you feel to give to a young person starting out in this sector?
Never imitate. Even when you are opposite someone well respected, you must avoid taking that modus operandi and instead take your own shape. We need to learn and work a lot, but without ever looking at the work of others as something we can reproduce. It is more important to know each other, apply the techniques you learned to your idea of pizza, because everyone has their own story to tell.
You are always on the move between collaboration and new project. What are Gino Sorbillo's next goals?
I brought my pizza to Milan, then to New York and Miami. Now I want to focus on these realities, taking into account the many commitments I have between TV and events. And then who knows...
