In the world of gastronomy there are dishes which cannot be simplified, no matter how simple they may seem. Pizza is one of these. Seemingly modest, almost a day-to-day dish, but in the hands of a right master it becomes a precise balance of knowledge, technique and feeling. Pizza is neither a dish which is easy to prepare nor can anyone be a pizzaiolo, or pizza master as we say, except for the one who has learnt the entire process from the beginning to the end…
Italians know what is often forgotten — pizza is not just a dough and something on top. It is a process. It is a patience. It is a respect for ingredients.
A Pizzaiolo is a pizza making expert — professional who has been specialized for dough, fermentation, ingredients and baking in high-temperature ovens. It is not just a person who makes pizza, but a craftsman who is familiar with the entire process from the beginning to the end.
Everything starts with flour. Not just any flour, but the one capable of withstanding the long process of fermentation and creating light, elastic dough. Flour determines the structure, water gives it life, salt balances the flavour, and time works wonders. Fermentation is not a detail — it is the essence. In the hours of rest, dough develops a character, creating airy structures and acquiring the recognizable lightness pizza is special for.
The path of the dough is silent, but demanding. After kneading, it rests. It is then shaped by hand, without using rolling pin, without pressure which would harm its texture. Only then come the ingredients — carefully selected, in the measure. Since a good pizza never depends on what is on top, but on what is below.
In the cities like Naples, this craft has almost got a character of a ritual. Pizzaiolo is respected there as a master of his/her trade. This skill is learnt for years, through practice and experience, with understanding every detail — from dough to the oven which gives it its final touch.
Perhaps we have long been thinking that pizza is simple and that everyone can make it. But, this is where difference arises. If it is really easy, everyone would be a pizzaiolo. Their skill does not lie in speed, but in knowledge. Not in the quantity of ingredients, but in balance.
Modern gastronomy has raised the standards, and even in Montenegro the culture of expert and professional training is getting more and more developed. Knowledge is transmitted through practice — with live demonstrations and working alongside experienced masters. In that context, it is more and more important to understand that pizzaiolo is not an improvisation, but an occupation which is built through knowledge and permanent training. Today, there are training programmes, specialized workshops and certified training which make it possible for standards to be raised to international level. Through such initiatives, local restaurateurs get the opportunity to work with professionals, to learn about proper dough hydration, controlled fermentation and work with high-temperature ovens. This is a process during which theory gets applied immediately — since knowledge in gastronomy has value only if it can be seen in the end result.
Development of training in this area shows that even on our market the difference between quick solution and serious craft becomes more and more distinct. Pizza is not anymore just a part of the offer — it is becoming a product which requires expertise, continuity and understanding of every step, from flour to final baking.
In that way, new generation of pizzaiolos is growing — professionals who know that success is in simplicity, but also that the road of learning to reach it is long.
Because, dough remembers the hands that shape it. And fire rewards those who know when the right moment comes.
Montenegrin HoReCa scene has in recent years recorded significant progress when it comes to staff training and professionalization, especially in the segment of bakery, confectionery and pizza as one of the most sought-after gastronomic products.
Panvel – training as a part of business concept
Panvel has been recognized as one of the important centres for supplying and developing the HoReCa sector in Montenegro. Through its demo-centre and organized training sessions, it makes it possible for restaurateurs to participate in professional workshops, live demonstrations, to test the products in real-life conditions and to improve their knowledge of dough, fermentation and work techniques.
Special segment of activity is related to pizzaiolo training programmes, through which knowledge gets transmitted according to contemporary standards, with the focus on practice and professional development.
Horeca Support – connecting market and professional knowledge
The Horeca Support works as a platform for connecting international brands and the local market through participation at fairs, staging professional presentations, live demonstrations, visits of foreign masters, training for pizza masters).
Their approach is based on practical work and direct knowledge transfer, raising, thus, standards through real-life on-site application.
