A Belgian chef and his pizzas
The mastermind behind New York pizzeria Motorino is not an Italian but a Belgian with a penchant for Neapolitan pizza, writes
TAKING a seat in the small pizzeria after a long day at work, he was looking forward to unwinding as well as finding some respite from the heady bustle of Brooklyn, New York. But what the Belgian-born, Frenchtrained chef Mathieu Palombino had not expected on that fateful day was to find a calling that would change his life forever.
He watched in awe as the (the Italian word for the man who makes the pizzas in a pizzeria) executed a series of deft moves, kneading, flipping and twirling the pizza dough up in the air like an interpretive art. The then proceeded to ladle tomato sauce and smeared it evenly onto the flat dough before drizzling some olive oil and shredding some mozzarella and fresh basil leaves.
The pizza was then placed onto a metal tray and shovelled into the flaming woodbrick oven. Within minutes, the heavenly scent of baked dough, sauce and cheese wafted through the pizzeria.
The noise outside seemed to disappear the moment Palombino took a bite of his margherita pizza, complete with charred edges and black spots. He distinctly felt a
tingling sensation as he chewed on the soft and airy crust. And at that moment, he fell deeply in love.
That was about 10 years ago and Palombino was 30 then. He left Belgium for the US when he was 20 and worked with high-end New York restaurants such as Bouley, Cello and BLT Fish where he ran the kitchen and earned a Michelin star. But the simplicity and authenticity of that iconic Italian food drove him into making a drastic decision. He decided to part ways with fine dining restaurants and open a pizzeria of his own.
In 2008, Palombino opened his first Neapolitan pizzeria called Motorino near his apartment in Williamsburg, a neighbourhood in Brooklyn, which had seen a major gentrification over the years. He was surprised just how well received his business was, noting with pleasure the long line of customers that snaked outside his pizzeria. Suffice to say, it was all somewhat overwhelming but, certainly, rewarding.
And he has not looked back since. The affable chef has now opened more chains of Motorino — two more in New York, Hong Kong and the Philippines, and one in Singapore. Last year, Resorts World Genting Malaysia bought the licence to open Motorino at its new attraction, SkyAvenue in Genting Highlands.
Today, I get the chance to savour what the food writers have
(Next to Cafés Richard) Level 1, SkyAvenue, Resorts World Genting, Pahang 03-6105 9182
11am-10pm (Mon to Thurs, Sun), 11ammidnight (Fri to Sat) Cherrystone clam pizza. dubbed as the best authentic Neopolitan pizza in New York, and catch up with the famed himself, Palombino, who’s here in the country for a short visit.
“WOW” FACTOR
The new and improved SkyAvenue mall is nothing but spectacular. I’m wowed by the huge atrium which has been the main attraction for visitors since it opened last year. The three-storey high LED walls, made up of small LED modules, form wraparound screens which immerse visitors in a panoramic sight-andsound presentation. Alas, I have a schedule to follow and have no time to linger. It’s