Cover Restaurateur Amado Forés (center) with chef Jonathan Redoblado, head of R&D for AF Hospitality, and guest chef Stefano Canosci (Photo: courtesy of A Mano)
Restaurateur Amado Forés (center) with chef Jonathan Redoblado, head of R&D for AF Hospitality, and guest chef Stefano Canosci (Photo: courtesy of A Mano)
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Two award-winning restaurants came together to offer guests five unique pizza creations to kick off A Mano’s fifth anniversary festivities
How many things can you possibly make out of pizza dough? If you were to ask chef Stefano Canosci of Tuscany’s Pizzeria Chicco Colle, the answer would be “a lot”. The multi-awarded Italian pizzaiolo—ranked 40th best in Italy and 83rd in the world by 50 Top Pizza— has come to our shores with the mission of spreading the gospel of good pizza and the many innovations coming out of his Tuscan pizzeria.
A Mano founder and owner Amado Forés happily hosted a one-night-only event at his Araneta City branch featuring a 5-course pizza-centric dinner showcasing chef Canosci’s signature styles alongside Filipino-inspired twists. “Being part of the 50 Top Pizza has been a wonderful experience for A Mano. It gave us the opportunity to connect with a network of talented Italian chefs,” he says. He recounted that he met chef Canosci briefly at the most recent 50 Top Pizza event, but shared how it was a local fan of A Mano who made the introduction and instigated the collaboration.
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Chef Stefano Canosci, the pizzaiolo behind Pizzeria Chicco Colle (Photo: courtesy of A Mano)
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Above Fried pizza cone with Lateria Sorrentina fior di latte, prosciutto cotto, and truffle fonduta (Photo: Lauren Golangco)
Above Gourmet fried and baked pizza with gambero rosso, burrata, Nomad caviar, lemon zest, and parsley (Photo: Lauren Golangco)
Fried pizza cone with Lateria Sorrentina fior di latte, prosciutto cotto, and truffle fonduta (Photo: Lauren Golangco)
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Chef Canosci has been doing masterclasses with the A Mano team and worked tirelessly with chef Jonathan Redoblado head of R&Df for AF Hospitality) in putting together the tasting menu which reflects the pizzaiolo’s mastery of his craft and his creativity in the art of pizza making. The first course was a fried pizza cone that featured a soft interior and a light, crispy exterior, cradling a flavourful stuffing of Lateria Sorrentina fior di latte, prosciutto cotto, and A Mano’s truffle fonduta of gooey taleggio.
The second course highlighted a twice-cooked dough— first fried and then baked so that it is hollow on the inside and the outside is crunchy like a potato crisp. It was the perfect vessel for the delicate toppings of gambero rosso (raw Sicilian red prawns), burrata, Nomad caviar, lemon zest, and parsley. Many dubbed this the strongest dish of the night, closely followed by the third course that the A Mano team called the FilipiNEO-Neapolitan Pizza.
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Above Amado Forés introducing the third course of the evening (Photo: Lauren Golangco)
Above The FilipiNEO-Neapolitan pizza by A Mano (Photo: Lauren Golangco)
Amado Forés introducing the third course of the evening (Photo: Lauren Golangco)
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“Every time we have a collaboration, we always learn new ways how to improve our restaurant and our dishes. I like to think that it brings us closer and closer to making our perfect version of the Neapolitan pizza,” Forés explained. This particular one is topped with Lateria Sorrentina fior di latte, fontina, squash flowers, zucchini, and Sicilian bottarga, which Forés freshly grated over each slice. It was a delicate balance of richness from the different cheeses, fresh bite from the vegetable elements, and nuanced saltiness from the sea, making for a strong and confident dish.
The “A Mano-triciana” pizza was a cheeky nod to the Italian pan pizza topped with guanciale, pecorino Romano, and tomato sauce, followed by another meat course of “vitello tonnato” on top of a Roman-style thin-crust pizza. To cap off the dinner, guests enjoyed a chocolate and hazelnut pagoda with pistachios which was great with cups of espresso. Throughout our meal, guests were also offered free-flowing Aperol Spritz cocktails and A Mano’s refreshing iced tea.
Pizza al padellino or Italian pan pizza (Photo: Lauren Golangco)
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The evening’s event was sold out, a testament to the A Mano brand which has been gathering strength since its launch 5 years ago. As their anniversary draws closer on September 13, 2024, Forés hinted at more events leading up to it including a local and foreign collaboration.
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Jaclyn Clemente Koppe is a food and lifestyle writer, as well as a consultant to some of the country’s beloved food and beverage brands. Her passion for food and drink is only surpassed by her devotion to her family, most especially to her soulmate, Pepa the poodle.
