Bartek Kozina is the owner of a unique pizza place in Krakow, where he combines his passion for dough-making with his long-standing experience in the food industry. His dedication to vegetarian-friendly options and local produce highlights his commitment to creating a memorable pizza experience.
The Best Chef: What motivated you to start a pizzeria, and what makes your pizzas stand out from the rest?
Bartek Kozina: After running a café for 15 years, I felt there was a gap in Krakow for a place that offered truly good pizza. I wanted to try something new, and I’ve always been interested in dough making, so pizza felt like a natural choice. We decided to focus on Neapolitan-style pizza but with a twist, taking it to a higher level. We use a dough with 90% hydration, which makes it more challenging to work with, but the result is a better taste and texture. It gives us satisfaction and, most importantly, our customers enjoy it. We also use very high-quality ingredients, even for basic items like tomato sauce and mozzarella. I believe great pizza starts with excellent dough and top-notch ingredients, creating an unforgettable flavor.
The Best Chef: Your pizzeria doesn’t serve any meat dishes, which might surprise many people. What led you to this decision, and what kind of pizzas do you offer?
Bartek Kozina: We started as a vegetarian café, so when we opened the pizzeria, we wanted to stay true to that philosophy. I’ve been a vegetarian for over 10 years, so I couldn’t imagine serving meat on our pizzas. I believe that pizza doesn’t need meat to be delicious. What matters most to us is the quality of the dough, its texture, crispiness, and using the best ingredients. Our margherita is an example of simplicity – just mozzarella, organic tomatoes, and perfect dough. We did try adding parmesan, but after a recent tasting, we felt it actually tasted better without it. Sometimes simplicity leads to the best result, and people appreciate the true taste of good dough and natural ingredients.
The Best Chef: How do you see the future of pizza, especially regarding the use of local products and creativity in combining different ingredients?
Bartek Kozina: I think the future of pizza is all about continuous evolution, experimenting, and using local ingredients. We are always looking for new ways to innovate, especially when it comes to working with fresh, locally sourced produce. For instance, we have plans to introduce new pizzas in the spring, featuring fresh toppings like various salad leaves and herbs from local farmers. I also think that the combinations and compositions of toppings will play an important role in the future of pizza. We’ve even experimented with controversial toppings like pineapple – but paired with salsa verde, it was fantastic because the spiciness balanced the sweetness of the pineapple. The future is also about perfecting the dough, making sure it’s consistently great every day, which is a big challenge for many pizzerias. But ultimately, it all starts with great dough and high-quality ingredients, and the creativity of the pizzaiolo is key in creating unique and exciting combinations.
Instagram: @szczapy_
Restaurant Address: Krupnicza 12, 31-123 Kraków
