Perle Magazine - Spring 2018 Perle Magazine - Spring 2018 | Page 115

Starting off as a dream to open up a
high-end pizzeria inspired by the richness
of food found within Italy, and remaining
true to his Italian heritage, Johnny’s journey
into the culinary industry started from a
young age when his desire to buy a pair of
shoes led him to taking up his first job in
a restaurant. From then, his interest in the
industry grew further and allowed him to
pave the way for himself as the owner of
his first dining establishment at the age of
19. By 23, Johnny’s perseverance resulted
in seven outlets under his command,
serving freshly made pizzas. Born to
Italian parents, Johnny was raised in a
household where elements of his Italian
heritage and roots were always eminent,
and drew him using those as an inspiration
to perfect his cuisine. He travelled to the
home of the “world’s best pizza”, Naples,
Italy, and was introduced to and received
training from Associazione Verace Pizza
Napoletana (AVPN) - an organisation
dedicated to preserving the tradition of
making the Neapolitan pizza the right
way. “I spent some time with them and
worked in a few restaurants in Naples and
got to understand the culture, and learn
why it is so special” he says. Bringing his
heritage back to Australia, Johnny focused
on opening a place that concentrated on
serving really high-end pizzas, resulting in
the launch of the first ever branch of 400
Gradi in Melbourne.
Across the outlets in Australia, the
restaurant has a handcrafted eclectic menu
that takes the diners through a journey of
Neapolitan gastronomy, and the one in
Bahrain is no different. 400 Gradi is widely
recognised for its pizzas that are made
using fresh ingredients imported from Italy
from carefully handpicked regions known
for their specialty ingredients and brought
to the restaurants. Mozzarella from Casate,
San Marzano tomatoes from Campania,
homemade dough, combined with the
years of training and perfecting techniques
to create their signature dishes, each dish is
a true representation of Italian culture. For
those who want to relish in dining options
other than their famed pizza, 400 Gradi’s
menu boasts a wide variety of dishes that
satisfy every palate. Dishes such as gnocchi,
lamb and pistachio cutlets, and even their
ever-famous traditional gelato ice cream,
are have quick become favorites of the
diners. Creating everything from scratch,
from the sauces to the finished product,
every dish at 400 Gradi is crafted with the
utmost care to ensure each dish delivers
on its promise on being authentic Italian
cuisine.
SPRING 2018
Perle
115