again! A quick update…my participation in the pizza project I had previously announced came to an abrupt end last week. Thank you to everyone who came out to have my pizza again after so long. Not sure what comes next, so for now I will continue to bask in the glory of winning the #eurocup and bringing it home to Rome!!! #forzaazzurri
Can’t say I am surprised. I was pretty cynical about the whole project after I saw that it was an ex-CPK boss (Rosenfield) project. No way a guy with that background (Rosenfield) didn’t come into this project without his eyes firmly set on expansion. Expansion is not a friend of craftsmanship.
I hope Luigi was properly paid for his contributions and IP.
This is terrible news. I went to Prince of Venice this last week which was so far below what I got from Roca, I immediately started penciling in a trip back.
My reading is that the Rosenfields saw his value in developing recipes and maybe training chefs in a larger system, but that any role running an actual kitchen wouldn’t involve enough autonomy and/or money. Thankfully for the pizza-eating public, non-compete clauses are not enforceable in CA.
Both Rosenfields were at Roca on my first visit, and they were generous in their praise and credit to Luigi. They indicated he was initially a consultant and then was brought on as an employee. They had brought the chef over from one of their other properties (Bottlefish), and it really sounded like he (the ex-Bottlefish chef) was going to run the Marina restaurant. He’s a real class act by the way; good conversations about the food, thoughtful and generous service every time. I hope that things continue well at Roca, not least because that means more good pizza. If anything, a successful Roca would help Luigi find other backers with terms to his liking.
Hi. This reading of it is wrong. Lots happened behind the scenes which I don’t really want to discuss in a public forum at this time. It was definitely for the best, both on a personal, human level, and professionally.
However, Ohad (the former Bottlefish chef you mentioned) is a great guy who I enjoyed working alongside. I do appreciate all of you who came out to support and have Roman pizza al taglio again. Now that I’m gone, though, I can give no guarantees as to the quality of the dough and product moving forward.
I have no idea what comes next for me taking a few deep breaths and trying to figure that out! Definitely going to visit some of the restaurant rec’s that I’ve bookmarked from reading the forum over the last couple years
If you land somewhere, please do let us all know! I’ve not yet had a chance to try your pizza, and I’d love the opportunity to do so. But your health and happiness should always be the priorities.
Thanks for the response. Hoping that you get some much needed rest. If you ever do a pop up or other project let the board know, we are all really big fans of your pizza!
Have you tried Prime West LA since your first (and only?) visit? I didn’t visit them that first wk, but the pizzas I’ve had (all the rectangular pies) have all been respectable. The grease chalices today were intact (although the pie was more oily than the others I’ve had).
again! A quick update…my participation in the pizza project I had previously announced came to an abrupt end last week. Thank you to everyone who came out to have my pizza again after so long. Not sure what comes next, so for now I will continue to bask in the glory of 
winning the #eurocup and bringing it home to Rome!!! #forzaazzurri
taking a few deep breaths and trying to figure that out! Definitely going to visit some of the restaurant rec’s that I’ve bookmarked from reading the forum over the last couple years
