Antonio Cacace is a third-generation hospitality child. Born in Massa Lubrense, a community near Naples, Cacace started his career serving heaping plates of pasta at the age of five. His Wellington restaurant-cum-café-cum-shop La Bella Italia is unassuming, but just won a spot on Ristorazione Italiana magazine’s ‘The 70 Best Restaurants with a Pizzeria in the World’.
The award is headed by the three Michelin-starred chef Heinz Beck, in collaboration with international pizza expert Enrico Famà. La Bella Italia is the only Kiwi entry on the list, which contains more than 30 countries. “I feel privileged to be chosen,” acknowledged Cacace. “And also rewarded for the incredible work.”
Cacace and his team have worked hard to keep their restaurant’s fare simple and traditional. He’s very proud of devising the store’s concept, which is a one-stop-shop for eating, drinking, shopping, and cooking Italian cuisine.
Following this award, they feel a little pressure to keep up the standard of work, but they’re not overly worried. “The most rewarding thing at the end of each day is to see the incredible variety of different people enjoying my food,” he said. He’s been in the business since birth – an award isn’t going to change things now.
The question on everyone’s lips is: what’s in Cacace’s award-winning creations? “Most of our pizza recipes are traditionally made,” he explained. “Our pizza is not secret at all.” Traditional ingredients, simple procedures, and a whole lot of hands-on devotion to the enterprise – that’s a winning recipe.
La Bella Italia offers cooking classes and demonstration dinners for customers as in love with Italian food as Cacace is. Their mission is to keep Italian traditions strong, even on the other side of the world.
