Naples is known throughout the world as the birthplace of pizza, a city where pizzerias can be found on every corner. Giovanni Kahn della Corte is someone who cleverly exploits this tradition. The creative Neapolitan restaurant entrepreneur had, for example, Ape tricycles converted with fireproof wood-burning ovens under the Take Uè brand. I meet him in one of his businesses in Corso Vittorio Emanuele. Giovanni: “Pizza was often eaten upright or on the go in our city. It was therefore made a portafoglio, ‘per portare’ or ‘to carry’. In the past, a pizza was also folded into quarters after baking. It is easier to eat and stays warm better. This is what I developed my business around.
I see how the pizzaiolo first folds my margherita in half and then folds this half in half again so that a quarter size remains. “The portafoglio or also called libretto,” Giovanni continues, “is in fact a light version of the margherita. You can also take the portafoglio with other fillings.”
Johnny Take Uè is the only three-wheeled vehicle equipped with a patented traditional wood-fired oven, an all-Napolitan project based in the city on Corso Vittorio Emanuele and Edenlandia, but also has outlets in London, Perugia, Milan, Bergamo (Sarnico), Rende and L’Aquila.
Addresses
Johnny Take Uè, C.so Vittorio Emanuele 84, Napoli
Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba, Via Port’Alba 18, Napoli
Pizzeria Decumani, Via dei Tribunali 58, Napoli