The story of the Chilean voted best pizza maker in the world in a prestigious Italian competition

On June 19, when Daniela Zuniga (35 years old) was in the Italian city of Naples When he heard the results of the world’s most prestigious pizza-making competition, he felt a little desperate.

During the days of the tournament, she witnessed the culinary skills of hundreds of participants from 35 countries, so she told herself she had to be realistic. She thought some Italian or Japanese would take first place.

Finally she, a pizza master Chilean Originally from Lo Miranda, in the O’Higgins region, she became the brand new winner of the Campionato Mondiale del Pizzaiuolo Trofeo Caputo in its 21st version no more and no less than in the most emblematic category, Stg, intended for pizza margherita. It is the one that was born in Naples and that contains dough, tomato, fresh basil and fior de latte mozzarella.

It was also the first time in the history of the competition that a woman won first place in this category.

“They (the Italians) are also delighted that at the end of the world, Neapolitan pizza is prepared with such passion and professionalism. “Travelling so many hours to say ‘I do your job and I do it with respect’ in a certain way is a source of pride for them,” says Daniela. The third .

On a trip abroad ten years ago, Daniela discovered Neapolitan pizza for the first time and could not forget it. Upon arriving in Chile, he found that the supplies needed to prepare this style had not arrived, but he also began to practice with the most classic pizza.

From then on, he never left the field and did everything in his power to learn. He watched videos, documentaries and even dared to write, via social networks, to eminent international chefs to ask them how to improve their preparation.

With the arrival of the pandemic, her job as an agricultural engineer was put on hold and she decided she had to find income in another way. That’s how it was born “Massa Mia » a Neapolitan pizza startup that started with delivery only and then grew to have a small space in his home’s garden. Today, it already has its own premises located in Lo Miranda.

“When I had to go back to work in person, I realized I was in love with it and I couldn’t leave it alone on the weekends, for my friends and family. So I started making pizza every day,” he says.

Another important step that helped her perfect her technique was a masterclass she took with a famous Italian pizza maker. Danielle Gagliota who travels the world teaching the art of Neapolitan pizza.

While Daniela was sure she wanted to participate in the famous pizzaiolo competition in Naples this year, His path encountered several obstacles.

The first was the trip to Italy: although she had everything prepared, the agency contacted her to warn her that she would not be able to travel on the scheduled date because the flights were overbooked. She was given the option to leave the next day, but it was difficult for him because it meant arriving a week before the competition and having a larger budget. He also had nowhere to stay on those days, because the hostels were overbooked.

“There I cried out of fear and frustration. I had no choice. “I got into my truck to fix my bag, because the next day I had to travel early.” account. Fortunately, he was able to find accommodation with a pizza maker friend, who offered him to stay with his mother in Naples.

The second setback was the dough that would be used for his pizza. “It was 40 degrees in Naples those days, which doesn’t help with the masses. Pizza has little yeast, but the heat makes your dough ferment excessively, so it’s hard to control it,” he explains.

Additionally, the mixers were completely collapsed. You had to queue up with the other competitors to get your turn. Then Daniela realized that there was a bus that the contest had presented as decoration and she brought all the materials to make it to that place.

The odyssey did not end there: there was no room in the refrigerators to store the dough either. He visited several hotels in Naples asking if they could keep him to participate in a competition, but he received only negative responses.

Eventually, a hotel agreed to take the dough, put it in a bag and put it in the refrigerator. “The next day I went to pick it up and luckily it was fine,” he says.

On June 19, the last day of the entire competition, it was time for his presentation. “There are six renowned Italian juries that evaluate your work. There are three of them next to you and they monitor your cooking style, the temperature of your dough, your know-how and your cleanliness. The other three worry about the flavor and presentation. You have to respect several parameters so that your pizza complies with the Stg category, which is the most regulated,” he explains.

Although she was one of the last participants and had suffered several setbacks during the competition, when she was among the juries, tranquility came over her. He imagined he was making pizza for his family and friends in his own home. In addition, he explained in Italian the weights and other characteristics of his dish.

“I didn’t want to impress anyone, I didn’t try to do it quickly or under stress. My life as a pizza maker continued after participating in the world competition, so I enjoyed that moment,” he explains.

But once the introductions were over and the long wait for the results of the Stg category began, he felt a little desperate. “At that moment I was blurry, I was looking at my mobile phone because I wanted to plan a trip to Rome. When suddenly I hear ‘Chile!'”, Daniela says.

A few seconds later they shouted her name, they quickly grabbed her to take her on stage to receive the trophy. She still didn’t understand what was happening.

“The Italian media were in a complete frenzy, they asked me for interviews for newspapers and television. It was chaotic, never in the history of the 21-year championship had a South American team won and never a woman. I’ve been making pizza for a decade, but Neapolitan pizza for about three years. The Italians have been there all their lives, they are taught to start their own family,” he adds.

A few weeks after this unforgettable victory, the owner of “Massa Mia” assures that pizza is something that takes her out of the professional framework. “It literally changed my life. I often hear people say ‘it’s just pizza,’ but to me it’s more than a product or something that can be eaten. It’s everything.” .

This gastronomic art has also led her to experience situations she would never have imagined: today she is in Canada to teach Neapolitan pizza to other women, after Chef Gagliota himself asked her to collaborate with him. “I’m not going to go to Chile without taking up this challenge,” he concludes.