In a refreshing take on culinary success, veteran Los Angeles chef Michael Fiorelli has stripped back his illustrious cooking career to something far more elemental—a pizza joint called Fiorelli Pizza, nestled in the fresh environs of Cook's Garden in Venice. The establishment, which opened its doors in mid-March, is a stark departure from Fiorelli's previous high-profile gigs, now focusing on a trio of pies, appetizers, and desserts without the frills of a traditional restaurant setting.
Fiorelli, known for his stint as the culinary director at Boujis Group, which counts among its portfolio the likes of the Draycott and Olivetta, left behind the pomp of LA's dining scene following differences in creative direction. According to an Eater LA report, the chef felt pressured to craft dishes that prioritized their visual appeal for social media over traditional culinary excellence. "They wanted something for the ‘Gram," he explained, signaling a growing dissatisfaction that led him on a different path.
Alongside his business partner Liz Gutierrez, who continues her role as human resources director at Boujis Group, Fiorelli has now embraced a back-to-basics approach. Fiorelli Pizza serves up a vision of simplicity, offering only a handful of dishes including their wood-fired pizzas, which perfectly straddle the line between the charred edges gleaned from Neapolitan techniques and the substantiality one expects from New York-style slices.
The careful attention to detail sees the pizzas baked at a golden mean of around 700 degrees, yielding a crust that is described as "blistered and well-browned, but nowhere near floppy in the center," Fiorelli described in an interview with Eater LA. The chef uses King Arthur's Sir Galahad flour, a deviation from the traditional 00 flour used in Neapolitan pizzas, to ensure robust support for toppings like fresh mozzarella, pepperoni, and seasonal vegetables.
Fiorelli Pizza has made a footprint at 1033 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice, CA 90291, and invites patrons to enjoy their offerings from 1:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., conditions permitting. A humble haven for pizza aficionados, Fiorelli Pizza seems to embody a truth that in the world of gastronomical delights, sometimes less is more.
