Our Story

Ravanesi Pizzeria Napoletana was brought to life for one reason: the love of Neapolitan pizza. After a trip to Napoli years ago, David Ravanesi was hooked and the obsession began.

Food preparation has always played an important role in the Ravanesi family. David's great grandfather, Pietro, owned a slaughter house at the turn of the last century. His grandfather, Mario, owned a pizzeria restaurant and bar called The Jack O' Lantern aka "The Jack." His father made pizzas and ran the bar for the business after returning from service in the Marines. His mother, Mary, is an accomplished chef and she worked for many years in the Boston scene. She ran a catering business and starred on a suburban TV cooking show, QUICK AND EASY DISHES.

David,is an honor graduate of the Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College in culinary. He received tutelage from a couple of the world's best bakers and has trained with the VPN (Verace Pizza Napoletana USA). David has also worked in every facet of the restaurant business since his late teens.

His passion led him to the search for the perfect oven for his perfect pie. He needed to achieve 900 degrees so that the pizza could bake in 90 seconds. As a preliminary to the purchase of the wood fired, brick oven, he rigged his home oven with a hacksaw, yes a hacksaw! He broke the locking mechanism of the cleaning cycle.** After many test runs, he found the perfect temperature of 810 degrees and slid the pizza, doused with a sweet, fresh sauce, and his home made mozzarella into the new pizza chamber. In under two minutes, he finally achieved what he believes is the perfect pizza! He has since hosted parties to test his fare on friends, family, and neighbors. The parties have grown in number from four and now top seventy in attendance. His method has been documented in THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER by food columnist, Rick Nichols.

So with a location secured and an oven on a ship from Italy, Ravanesi Pizzeria Napoletana is about to come to life!

**Ravanesi does not recommend cooking on the cleaning cycle of your home oven