Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
The North American Pizza & Culinary Academy in Lisle celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 11.
THE NAPCA offers culinary classes to students of all skill levels, including a five-day program that will allow students to earn the designation of Certified Pizzaiolo. A part of the prestigious Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli in Venice, NAPCA is one of two schools in the United States to offer this level of accreditation.
Although pizza is the primary focus of the school, a wide variety of other culinary classes are offered, covering everything from basic knife skills and artisanal baking techniques to explorations of specific culinary themes. Pizza classes are led by a master instructor and all other classes are led by professional chefs.
NAPCA is owned and operated by Master Istruttore Leo Spizzirri and Chef Instructor Anthony Iannone. Spizzirri was first certified as a pizzaiolo at the International School of Pizza in San Francisco before completing his studies at Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli, where he received his Master Istruttore certification. Iannone served as a head chef for Bice, an international restaurant group, and was involved in high-profile restaurant projects in Perth, Australia, and Mexico City.
The NAPCA facility includes a 50-seat, theater-style demo kitchen, a temperature-controlled dough room with several industry-grade mixers, a showroom of top pizza oven lines, and a retail area.
Master pizza-making classes of one to five days range in price from $750 to $2,900, and culinary classes for kids and adults range in price from $50 to $140. (pizzaculinaryacademy.com)
