About Pizza Rock Taiwan
關於搖滾披薩台灣
您好, 我的名字是Ugo!
我出生在加拿大, 但我的家族是來自於義大利羅馬附近一個叫作Ortolano的小村莊, 而Ortolano也是我的姓, 是"園丁" 的義大利文。
我的太太Ruby是土生土長的台中人。我們在2011結婚之前, 一起到了義大利旅遊並拜訪我的親戚，更在義大利許多地方考察，學習如何做全世界最好吃的披薩。在義大利的旅程中，我們每天, 有時甚至是每餐都吃披薩! 我們認真做筆記、拍照、詢問披薩師傅祕訣及食材，大部分的餐廳都不吝於與我們分享。於是在旅途結束時，我們決定帶著在義大利滿滿的收穫回到台中，開一間全台灣最好吃的披薩店！
決定開店前的5大堅持:
1. 不做拿坡里或美式的披薩
這兩種披薩為大部份的餐廳所賣的種類, 我個人認為拿坡里式的披薩太溼軟, 美式披薩則太硬又太厚。在Pizza Rock, 我們餅皮是介於Neo-Neapolitan及羅馬式披薩中間, 義式薄皮, 披薩中間薄軟, 外圍餅皮薄脆。
2. 不使用柴燒窯烤爐
在義大利大部份的餐廳裡使用的都是電烤箱再加上披薩石板，柴燒窯烤的披薩比較好吃似乎就成了一種迷思。窯烤披薩, 由於火力溫度不平均, 容易造成品質不穩定, 尤其特別考驗師傅的功力。相反的, 使用電烤箱則可以達到較好的一致性。
3. 堅持不計成本使用最好的食材
對我來說, 使用最好的食材是毋庸置疑的。在我的家庭裡, 我的母親總是使用最新鮮的蔬菜和最好的食材來烹煮, 因此Pizza Rock堅持絕不販賣我們自己不會吃或是不會給家人吃的食物。
4. 堅持自製配方
大部份台灣的披薩店, 通常都是打開披薩醬罐頭、打開包裝好的肉、起司等等就直接放在餅皮上拿進烤箱烤成披薩。以至於大部份披薩的吃起來的口味都很雷同。在Pizza Rock, 我們使用自製配方每天現打的披薩醬、超過四小時熬煮的蔬菜湯、自製希臘沙拉醬、白醬、鮪魚醬、自己醃的招牌雞肉、自己調的大蒜奶油等等，麵包更是用我的祖傳祕方自己做自己烤。所以我們的餐點口味才會獨一無二又健康。當然, 這也讓我們的廚房備料工作加倍的多且繁瑣, 但長久下來, 我們贏到的是受我們感動的廣大忠實顧客對我們的支持。
5. 對於口味絕不讓步, 堅持義式道地傳統
Pizza Rock堅持提供道地的義式料理, 我們堅持義式傳統, 將原汁原味的義式美食帶給台灣的消費者。讓大家不用離開台灣就能嚐到義大利美食！
精誠店創始店開幕後, 我們一直堅持提供品質最好的食物及最親切的服務給大家, 這也讓我們不斷的累積喜歡我們的顧客, Pizza Rock甚至成了好品質的同義詞。因為大家的支持讓我們更有信心和動力準備將台灣最好吃的披薩介紹給全台灣的消費者！
以下是我們在精誠店開幕前到義大利旅遊的一些照片和大家分享。
我出生在加拿大, 但我的家族是來自於義大利羅馬附近一個叫作Ortolano的小村莊, 而Ortolano也是我的姓, 是"園丁" 的義大利文。
我的太太Ruby是土生土長的台中人。我們在2011結婚之前, 一起到了義大利旅遊並拜訪我的親戚，更在義大利許多地方考察，學習如何做全世界最好吃的披薩。在義大利的旅程中，我們每天, 有時甚至是每餐都吃披薩! 我們認真做筆記、拍照、詢問披薩師傅祕訣及食材，大部分的餐廳都不吝於與我們分享。於是在旅途結束時，我們決定帶著在義大利滿滿的收穫回到台中，開一間全台灣最好吃的披薩店！
決定開店前的5大堅持:
1. 不做拿坡里或美式的披薩
這兩種披薩為大部份的餐廳所賣的種類, 我個人認為拿坡里式的披薩太溼軟, 美式披薩則太硬又太厚。在Pizza Rock, 我們餅皮是介於Neo-Neapolitan及羅馬式披薩中間, 義式薄皮, 披薩中間薄軟, 外圍餅皮薄脆。
2. 不使用柴燒窯烤爐
在義大利大部份的餐廳裡使用的都是電烤箱再加上披薩石板，柴燒窯烤的披薩比較好吃似乎就成了一種迷思。窯烤披薩, 由於火力溫度不平均, 容易造成品質不穩定, 尤其特別考驗師傅的功力。相反的, 使用電烤箱則可以達到較好的一致性。
3. 堅持不計成本使用最好的食材
對我來說, 使用最好的食材是毋庸置疑的。在我的家庭裡, 我的母親總是使用最新鮮的蔬菜和最好的食材來烹煮, 因此Pizza Rock堅持絕不販賣我們自己不會吃或是不會給家人吃的食物。
4. 堅持自製配方
大部份台灣的披薩店, 通常都是打開披薩醬罐頭、打開包裝好的肉、起司等等就直接放在餅皮上拿進烤箱烤成披薩。以至於大部份披薩的吃起來的口味都很雷同。在Pizza Rock, 我們使用自製配方每天現打的披薩醬、超過四小時熬煮的蔬菜湯、自製希臘沙拉醬、白醬、鮪魚醬、自己醃的招牌雞肉、自己調的大蒜奶油等等，麵包更是用我的祖傳祕方自己做自己烤。所以我們的餐點口味才會獨一無二又健康。當然, 這也讓我們的廚房備料工作加倍的多且繁瑣, 但長久下來, 我們贏到的是受我們感動的廣大忠實顧客對我們的支持。
5. 對於口味絕不讓步, 堅持義式道地傳統
Pizza Rock堅持提供道地的義式料理, 我們堅持義式傳統, 將原汁原味的義式美食帶給台灣的消費者。讓大家不用離開台灣就能嚐到義大利美食！
精誠店創始店開幕後, 我們一直堅持提供品質最好的食物及最親切的服務給大家, 這也讓我們不斷的累積喜歡我們的顧客, Pizza Rock甚至成了好品質的同義詞。因為大家的支持讓我們更有信心和動力準備將台灣最好吃的披薩介紹給全台灣的消費者！
以下是我們在精誠店開幕前到義大利旅遊的一些照片和大家分享。
Hi, my name is Ugo (pronounced You go!)
I was born in Canada, but my family is originally from a small village near Rome, in beautiful Italy. My last name is the same as that village: Ortolano - which means gardener. My wife Ruby is Taiwanese and she is originally from Taichung City.
Just before getting married, back in 2011, we decided to take a trip to Italy to visit my relatives and travel around the country to learn how people make the best pizza in the world. We ate pizza every single day of our trip, sometimes 3 times a day! I took notes and pictures and asked questions to pizzaiolos (pizza chefs) about ingredients, techniques, temperatures, recipes, ovens, toppings, sauces, and cheeses. They generously shared their own secrets with me. At the end of my trip, I was armed with more than enough information and inspirations to come back to Taichung to open the best pizzeria in Taiwan!
5 things were very clear right from the start in my head about the kind of restaurant I wanted to have:
1. I would not make Neapolitan or American style pizza.
These 2 styles of pizza are the ones found in 95% of restaurants around Taiwan. I personally think that one is too soft, thin, and soggy (Neapolitan) while the other is too thick and heavy (American-style like Pizza Hut, Domino’s, and Costco). At Pizza Rock, we use a dough that is a mix between Neo-Neapolitan and Roma style. It is thin and soft in the middle, with a crispy outside edge.
2. I would not use a wood-fire oven.
Most pizzaiolos in Italy use electrical ovens with a pizza stone. It is a myth that wood-fire ovens bake the tastiest pizzas. The temperature in a wood fire oven is unevenly distributed, and changes throughout the day, which creates pizzas that are different each time, depending on who is working at the oven. Electrical ovens help create a more consistent product, every time.
3. I would only use the best ingredients, at whatever cost.
This is just common sense to me. In my family, my mom would always, always cook with the best ingredients available and the freshest vegetables from the market. I am shocked when I see the ingredient list on the bags of food that suppliers want to sell us. At Pizza Rock, we do not sell what we wouldn’t eat ourselves or feed our friends and family.
4. I would make my own recipes.
Most pizza places in Taiwan just open cans of tomato sauce, bags of meat and cheese and drop it on their pizzas. The problem with that is they produce the same taste as everywhere else! At Pizza Rock we make our own recipes for pizza sauce, pesto, soup, bruschetta, tuna melt, Alfredo sauce, Greek salad dressing, garlic butter, tapenade, chicken, dips, and bread. That’s why each of our dishes have a very unique taste and our food is generally healthier. Making our own recipes requires A LOT more work than your usual restaurant which uses ready-made-food from suppliers, but in the long-run, customers always return for the freshest, distinctive taste!
5. I would never compromise on taste and always keep it authentic!
One of the best advice I ever got was: “Don’t let your (Taiwanese) wife go in your kitchen”. At Pizza Rock, we don’t adjust our recipes to satisfy the Taiwanese taste. Italian food is salty, cheesy, and oily. If someone wants to have sweet pizza with yellow corn and green peas on it, he can go to Pizza Hut, I believe they offer that kind of fake pizza. Most restaurants who adjust food flavors for the local taste don't create an authentic culinary experience. Instead, they end up with something bland and without character - somewhere lost between salty and sweet. On the contrary, a visit to Pizza Rock is a celebration for your tastebuds... a trip to Italy, without leaving Taiwan!
Ever since opening our first Pizza Rock on Jing Cheng Road, our customer base has only been growing and our people know that our name is synonymous with supreme quality. Our efforts to only serve the best food, provide a friendly place to eat and have a good time is paying off and we are now ready to expand all around the island!
I was born in Canada, but my family is originally from a small village near Rome, in beautiful Italy. My last name is the same as that village: Ortolano - which means gardener. My wife Ruby is Taiwanese and she is originally from Taichung City.
Just before getting married, back in 2011, we decided to take a trip to Italy to visit my relatives and travel around the country to learn how people make the best pizza in the world. We ate pizza every single day of our trip, sometimes 3 times a day! I took notes and pictures and asked questions to pizzaiolos (pizza chefs) about ingredients, techniques, temperatures, recipes, ovens, toppings, sauces, and cheeses. They generously shared their own secrets with me. At the end of my trip, I was armed with more than enough information and inspirations to come back to Taichung to open the best pizzeria in Taiwan!
5 things were very clear right from the start in my head about the kind of restaurant I wanted to have:
1. I would not make Neapolitan or American style pizza.
These 2 styles of pizza are the ones found in 95% of restaurants around Taiwan. I personally think that one is too soft, thin, and soggy (Neapolitan) while the other is too thick and heavy (American-style like Pizza Hut, Domino’s, and Costco). At Pizza Rock, we use a dough that is a mix between Neo-Neapolitan and Roma style. It is thin and soft in the middle, with a crispy outside edge.
2. I would not use a wood-fire oven.
Most pizzaiolos in Italy use electrical ovens with a pizza stone. It is a myth that wood-fire ovens bake the tastiest pizzas. The temperature in a wood fire oven is unevenly distributed, and changes throughout the day, which creates pizzas that are different each time, depending on who is working at the oven. Electrical ovens help create a more consistent product, every time.
3. I would only use the best ingredients, at whatever cost.
This is just common sense to me. In my family, my mom would always, always cook with the best ingredients available and the freshest vegetables from the market. I am shocked when I see the ingredient list on the bags of food that suppliers want to sell us. At Pizza Rock, we do not sell what we wouldn’t eat ourselves or feed our friends and family.
4. I would make my own recipes.
Most pizza places in Taiwan just open cans of tomato sauce, bags of meat and cheese and drop it on their pizzas. The problem with that is they produce the same taste as everywhere else! At Pizza Rock we make our own recipes for pizza sauce, pesto, soup, bruschetta, tuna melt, Alfredo sauce, Greek salad dressing, garlic butter, tapenade, chicken, dips, and bread. That’s why each of our dishes have a very unique taste and our food is generally healthier. Making our own recipes requires A LOT more work than your usual restaurant which uses ready-made-food from suppliers, but in the long-run, customers always return for the freshest, distinctive taste!
5. I would never compromise on taste and always keep it authentic!
One of the best advice I ever got was: “Don’t let your (Taiwanese) wife go in your kitchen”. At Pizza Rock, we don’t adjust our recipes to satisfy the Taiwanese taste. Italian food is salty, cheesy, and oily. If someone wants to have sweet pizza with yellow corn and green peas on it, he can go to Pizza Hut, I believe they offer that kind of fake pizza. Most restaurants who adjust food flavors for the local taste don't create an authentic culinary experience. Instead, they end up with something bland and without character - somewhere lost between salty and sweet. On the contrary, a visit to Pizza Rock is a celebration for your tastebuds... a trip to Italy, without leaving Taiwan!
Ever since opening our first Pizza Rock on Jing Cheng Road, our customer base has only been growing and our people know that our name is synonymous with supreme quality. Our efforts to only serve the best food, provide a friendly place to eat and have a good time is paying off and we are now ready to expand all around the island!
Contact us: ugo.ortolano@pizzarock.com.tw
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