It’s no surprise that 400 Gradi has opened another location in Kuwait, now on the Gulf Road. 400 Gradi’s tremendous success would not have been possible without its very own founder, Chef Johnny Di Francesco. Johnny is no ordinary chef; Born and raised in Australia to Italian parents, he began making pizza at a very young age so he could buy himself a pair of Nike runners.
He then went on to open his first restaurant at 19, ran seven different businesses at 23, which ultimately lead to the inception of 400 Gradi. Johnny’s less-is-more philosophy has made him a stand-out award-winning chef. We sat down with the chef and founder of 400 Gradi to learn more about what makes Chef Johnny Di Francesco the world’s best pizza maker.
Can you tell us more about your journey?
My background is Italian, but I was born in Australia. I have been making pizzas since I was 12; I started so I can buy myself a pair of Nike runners. After finishing my studies, I got into electronics engineering, which lasted about two weeks! It just didn’t feel like me. Since I was still working as a chef, I decided to pursue a career in that.
Why did you decide to open up in Australia?
I have always had a special connection with Italy. Before my dad passed away, he would always tell me about traditional Neapolitan cuisine and it pushed me to go and learn more about my own heritage. Since I was already in Australia my whole life, opening up in Melbourne made sense. Melbourne is an extremely well-developed city when it comes to any cuisine, so competing and standing out as one of the best in Melbourne is something to be proud of. Opening in Melbourne also helped us come across someone who loved our concept and wanted to bring it to the Middle East.
What makes 400 Gradi unique?
400 Gradi is unique because every single location looks completely different and has its own personality. I have always had a high influence on every location. The food and the servicestandards are always the same, however for example, this new location has a Josper Oven and the Avenues one does not. All chefs at 400 Gradi are trained by me personally, and I make sure to come back to the region at least twice a year.
What is your personal favorite dish at 400 Gradi?
My passion for pizza has always been there since I started making pizza at a young age. Actually, I am known worldwide for my pizza and won world’s best pizza maker in 2014. So simply, Margherita pizza is my answer. Tomato is an underrated ingredient, and so is Margherita pizza. Most people think because it is so simple, it must be easy to make. It is the hardest pizza to make in the world, because it has the fewest number of ingredients, making it easier to recognize the quality of the ingredients.
Would 400 Gradi consider home delivery?
It is something that we are definitely open to, and we are currently working on different ways of delivery that do not jeopardize the quality of the foods. Delivery needs to be perfect, especially for the pizza. So, we have been testing different ways to deliver Neapolitan pizza in its best structure possible, as closest as possible to the one you can have at the restaurant and I think we hit the mark. If we can deliver what we love to people in their homes, then that would be a great thing.
Visit their latest location at the Gulf Road and their other location at The Forum, Avenues. For more information, follow 400 Gradi on Facebook and Instagram @400gradime.
Featured image by bazaar Studios
