INGOOD TASTE
Candid conversations with the dining scene’s most engaging chefs
Eric Von Hansen, Chef,
Caliente Pizza and Draft House
Caliente Pizza and Draft House
329 Castle Shannon Boulevard, Mt. Lebanon;
412.344.5566, pizzadrafthouse.com. Oth-
er locations include 4624 Liberty Avenue,
Bloomfield (412.682.1414) and 4706 William
Flynn Highway, Allison Park (412.486.1010).
On the Menu:
Caliente Pizza and Draft House is a full-service
dine-in restaurant, with takeout and delivery
options. The menu includes, but is not limited
to everything from pizza, hoagies and wings
to burgers and salads. Using fresh and locally
sourced ingredients, made-from-scratch
dough, pizza sauces and wing sauces are
made to order. The restaurant also features
local and hard-to-find beer from around the
world.
Why did you become a chef?
I wanted to become a chef because
I have a love for food and a passion
to cook great food. It all started
when I was a young boy. My father
always had a garden and grew vegetables such
as carrots, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, basil,
cabbage, parsley and potatoes. Fresh ingredients
were always on our table for dinner—cooked
by my mom and dad. It’s there where my love of
cooking began.
Q A
What led you to work for Caliente Pizza and
Draft House?
Caliente owners Nick and Angie Bogacz are
childhood friends of mine. They came to me a few
years ago while I was working as the chef at Lucca
Ristorante on South Craig Street in Oakland. They
wanted to discuss the next steps for their company
in an effort to grow it. I was honored to help and be
a part of Caliente’s move forward. I’ve worked for
the restaurant now for three years.
Who has influenced your cooking the most?
My mother has influenced my cooking a lot over
the years. Being from an Italian family she always
put her love in cooking. Homemade pies, cookies,
cakes, pasta sauce, soups, pastas and bread—you
name it, my mother can make it. She took the time
to teach me how to make the best pasta sauce and
I still get compliments. Every time I make it I get
asked what’s all in there by friends and family.
Thanks, Mom.
What kitchen tool can’t you live without?
My knife set. I always have to cut something or fix
and prepare something as a chef, so I use my knives
daily.
Best cooking advice for a novice?
Always cook with passion and dig deep to find the
right balance to the meal you are cooking. Never
cook without love. It’s the best ingredient in the
world.
Chef Eric Von Hansen with his “Quack Attack” pizza—
the 2016 Best Pan Pizza in the World winner at the
International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. The pie features pan-
seared duck breast, roasted garlic butter, wild mushroom
ragu and topped with a mix of Fontinella and Parmesan
Reggiano cheese, baby arugula, teardrop tomatoes and
truffle garlic oil.
Your favorite quick meal to prepare at
home?
My favorite quick meal to make is a grilled
cheese sandwich. I always buy the best American
cheese—Land O’Lakes (yellow or white), Mancini
bread sliced just right, and a touch of butter, with a
great pickle and you’ve got a great meal.
Where is your favorite place to eat in Pitts-
burgh?
The place I like to eat in the ’Burgh is Hofbrauhaus
at SouthSide Works—they make great German
food.
Your favorite go-to ingredient?
Cracked black pepper. It can make any dish better.
What is the next big food or dining trend?
The next big food trend is comfort food like what
Mom, Dad and Grandma made for family dinners,
picnics, birthdays and holidays. It’s the food that
takes you back to a time and place that made you
feel warm and happy inside. The memories will last
a lifetime. n
Pepperoni pizza is served up at Caliente Pizza and Draft House (photo by
Frank Tunis Photography).
12 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE | Chartiers Valley
—Reese Randall