Chris Bianco's Not-So-Secret Pizza-Making Tips - Exclusive
Chris Bianco is a one-of-a-kind pizza extraordinaire who has taken the culinary side of this country by storm. After making a huge name for himself in Phoenix, Arizona, Bianco has since expanded to Los Angeles and was just featured in Netflix's "Chef's Table: Pizza." In Episode 1, viewers get an inside look at Bianco's larger-than-life personality that shines through in everything he does.
In addition to having a passion for pizza, there is no denying that this renowned chef also has a passion for people. "I always say I'm in the relationship business. Everything is based on the relationships I have with my family, my friends, the people that come in our restaurants, and former strangers," shared Bianco.
During an exclusive interview with Tasting Table, Chris Bianco provided some of his best advice for at-home chefs, ranging from technical tips to heartfelt encouragement. "I'm never more comfortable than when I'm cooking and responding to things, not really thinking about business or work, just seeing something beautiful and recognizing it and trying not to screw it up, and then sharing it with others," he told us.
Harmony is key to the perfect pizza
Toppings are one of the first things that people think of when planning out a perfect pizza, but there is no denying that the quality of the dough can make or break a pie. That said, perfecting just one of these aspects is not enough to make the perfect pizza. According to Chris Bianco, every component of a pizza is of equal importance.
"Everything matters," Bianco explained. "Let's say you had everything perfect. You got the most beautiful toppings at the farmer's. Your dough, your flour's freshly milled and organic, and from regenerative farmers. Everything's laid out. It's perfect. But you forgot to measure the salt, and you over- or under-salted it. That can throw everything off, in that foundation."
Bianco also shared that seeking to find the secret in any dish will result in disappointment. He said, "It's a slippery slope when you start identifying anything singular as the secret." But he still identified a big determining factor in whether a home-cooked pizza will be successful.
The biggest mistake at-home cooks make
According to Chris Bianco, being afraid to make a mistake is actually a huge mistake in itself. Like most things in life, cooking is a learning process, and in order to perfect certain recipes, knowing what not to do can be incredibly useful.
"You learn things when you burn things. If you screw up five times in a row, don't give up, because you'll learn something in that failure," Bianco told us. In fact, he shared that "being overly critical" of oneself is the biggest mistake he sees at-home chefs make. Rather than trying to follow a perfect technique or method, it is more important to understand what you are cooking and who you are cooking for.
"The first thing you want to do when you want to make pizza is find out what pizza you want to make. There's little nuances of each, whether it's flour varietal, hydration, leavening, salinity, fats, acids, or whatever, and you want to take all those into context," he explained. "It's giving yourself the freedom of what you want."
All episodes of "Chef's Table: Pizza" are now available to watch on Netflix.