Michele Croccia

Contact person for courses headquarters Cava de' Tirreni, Salerno

He was still very young when he began his career as an apprentice pizza chef during the summer seasons on the coasts of Campania, but already after a few years he became the owner of his own pizzeria “La Pietra Azzurra” in Caselle in Pittari, province of Salerno, a small town in the Cilento region, rich in history and food and wine traditions.
His philosophy is to combine his passion for pizza with his love for the land and its territory. Passionate about nature, Michele cultivates a seasonal vegetable garden, using the produce from his harvest to fill the restaurant’s pizzas and dishes. This is why he is called the Peasant Pizzaiolo, because in addition to devoting himself every day to making doughs for his restaurant, studying or teaching, he is dedicated to caring for his land to ensure an excellent product. After participating in several specialization courses, in 2008 he became Master Instructor of the Italian Pizzaioli School and in May 2014 he attended the PFC Master Instructor course. Since 2011, he has held Ismecert certification for making Pizza Napoletana Stg in his pizzeria “Pietra Azzurra.”

Professional Acknowledgements

• 2009 2nd Runner-up Pizza Napoletana STG, World Pizza Championships
• 2010 2nd Runner-up Pizza a Due, Paris Trophy
• 2010 1st Runner-up Pizza in the Pan, Scalea Trophy
• 2011 2nd Runner-up Gluten Free Pizza, World Pizza Championships
• 2011 2nd Runner-up; Pizza Napoletana STG, World Pizza Championships
• 2011 Ismecert certification for making Pizza Napoletana STG in the proprietary pizzeria
• 2012 – Certificate of qualification as a Judge at the World Pizza Championship.

Professional Experience

• 1992 Apprentice pizza maker in Palinuro during summer and winter weekends
• 1996 Pizzaiolo in a pizza restaurant in Caselle in Pittari (SA)
• 1997 Opening Pizzeria La Pietra Azzurra in Caselle in Pittari (SA)
• 2012 Consultant in Caracas, Venezuela for the Pizza in the Heart project; consultant in Bogota, Colombia for the Pizza in the Heart project
• 2015 Opening Pizzeria Pizz e Maccarun in Sala Consilina
• Lecturer for Gambero Rosso Academy