Phagomania: When The Moon Hits Your Eye
Mozzarella madness or works of art? Cast your eye over the pizza art of Glasgow chef Domenico Crolla
Do you consider your food a work of art? No, not in terms of how it tastes – although we can verify that these pizzas are very tasty – but as a visual work of art? Well, these creations by Domenico Crolla have certainly won approval for their artistry. The Glasgow-born Italian has been going viral (in the good, modern sense) and gathering a bit of a cult following with his pizza portraits.
“Curiosity for my pizza art has allowed me to travel to cities as far flung as New York, Dubai, Miami and London to display my edible art,” states Domenico. He’s even been a judge in the Pizza Olympics in Italy. Not bad for something that is a day’s work in his Glasgow restaurant, Bella Napoli.
“Unlike other food art that is created in a studio,” says Domenico, “my pieces are made from fresh mozzarella on a real pizza base and photographed straight from the oven. They are edible. I've eaten parts of Dita Von Teese!” Mmm, tasty, and not without praise from the subjects of these pizza portraits. Domenico claims to have received thanks from Dita as well as the likes of Rihanna, Sophia Loren and… Ant and Dec.
It all started a few years ago when Domenico was en route to a culinary demo in Hong Kong and realised he didn’t have anything to rival the Chinese art of vegetable sculptures. Wanting to pay tribute to the typical carvings of dragons or flowers from carrots and peppers, he turned to pizza. His first experiment, a dragon, was an instant hit. “I immediately knew I was onto something,” Domenico reflects. Unwilling to give away his secrets on drawing with cheese, the only thing to do is pay a visit, see if he’ll take your request, and then eat your face. Or Ant and/or Dec's. Now that’s amore.