The perfect pizza, Daniele Cason tells me, must be light and crispy, with toppings of high quality. “I always look for that, as a sign of someone who makes pizza with special care and an extra, extra passion for the customers,” he quips. The executive chef of The Pizza Bar on 38th might well be describing his own lauded creations, which have accorded him No. 1 in 50 Top Pizza Asia Pacific 2024 and No. 4 in 50 Top Pizza World 2023.
Cason’s pop-up in Mandarin Oriental Singapore’s Embu runs from 24 to 27 October and 29 to 31 October 2024. And I was there with a mission: what’s so special about his omakase-style pizza (that it warrants a two-month long waitlist at its Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo home)?
I was sceptical until I took my first bite of his Marinara pizza. There’s a crisp lightness to the crust that held the generous portions of juicy San Marzano Solania tomato. The tartness of the tomatoes was countered with slivers of intensely savoury anchovies. In other words, there was both a welcoming punch of umami and yet, a beautiful balance of flavours.
Cason prides himself on only using Italian organic flour with a ratio of a gram of yeast to 80 percent, a 48-hour fermentation technique, as well as fresh, seasonal ingredients. All this effort shows through, from Sei Formaggi, a sweet and savoury confection that uses six different types of cheese including flor di latte and smoked scamorza; to the Calzone, for its delicious layers of mortadella, provolone, and mozzarella.
Cason reveals more about his style of pizza making, choice of seasonal ingredients, as well as the ideal way to enjoy pizza.
How did this pop-up at Mandarin Oriental, Singapore come about?
This collaboration is the brainchild of Jill Goh, the general manager of Mandarin Oriental, Singapore. She used to be the general manager at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong. With her, we did two pop-ups in Hong Kong. She witnessed firsthand how successful it was, and later proposed for me to bring The Pizza Bar on 38th to Singapore.
Your favourite item on the pop-up menu and why?
It’s the Marinara, the simplest pizza on the menu. The pizza combines the flavour of the dough with my favourite ingredients including San Marzano Solania tomatoes, garlic from Japan’s Kagawa prefecture, marjoram, and anchovies.
Tell us about the key ingredients in your pizza.
Since we’re at the tail end of October, we use in-season ingredients like white truffles. There’ll also be several ingredients from Japan, including vegetables that come from our farmers, such as the Hokkaido Romanesco and cauliflower. Other highlights include wild mushrooms, sea urchin, and king crab.
There are endless styles of pizza making. what’s yours?
Our style is the traditional pizza alla pala from Rome. This is the pizza I grew up eating since my teenage days. It’s baked by meter or by square, and it’s considered street food. You can pick your favourite flavour and enjoy it as you walk around. I love it because it’s different from the rest of the pizza in Italy, like the classic Italian or the Napoleon style.
Does seasonality impact your menu at The Pizza Bar in Tokyo?
Seasonality is at the core of the omakase concept, so we offer guests whatever is best in season. The ingredients might be showcased in our menu just for a day or even a week, based on what is available. We work with farmers, so our relationship with them helps us identify what’s in season, and we try to incorporate in the menu as quickly as we can.
Your best way to enjoy pizza? Ideal drink pairing?
Pizza is great with beer, champagne, or a nice Franciacorta, a sparkling wine from Lombardy. At The Pizza Bar, we recommend guests to enjoy pizza with bubbly.
You’ve ranked first in the Top 50 Pizza Asia-Pacific 2024 list for two consecutive years. What’s your next big goal?
We never ever rest. We never stop pushing or trying to improve the guest experience. We’re always thinking of ways to delight guest and improve the pizza quality. That has been my goal the past 10 years, and I will continue in that direction.
Pizza aside, what’s your favourite food?
Oyakodon is a Japanese dish that I eat two to three times a week. It is literally translated to ‘parent and child’ because there’s chicken and eggs in it. It consists of simmered chicken leg, onions in a sauce made of soy marinade and dashi served over a bowl of rice, and lots of eggs. Oyakodon is my comfort food and it’s highly nutritious.
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