Q&A: Donatella Arpaia

Tools of the trade: the restaurateur, on-site at her eponymous soon-to-open pizzeria

Q&A: Andrew Zimmern

TV's extreme eater talks street food, funky grub and the NYC...

Donatella Arpaia is a busy woman. So far this year, she’s written a cookbook, launched a buzzing meatball cart, and studied pizza making in Naples for her soon-to-open Chelsea pizzeria aptly called, well, Donatella. (She's shooting to open it on Sept. 24.)

As if that weren't enough, she also has a reality show in the works and will be returning as a judge on "The Next Iron Chef." And, come October, she'll make her debut at the NYC Wine & Food Festival with two appearances—first, at a sit-down chat with Frank Bruni and a panel of fine-dining bigwigs to talk about the restaurant biz, and at the Meatball Madness event, where she'll put her meatball-cart experience to good use.
 
We rang up Donatella on her cell phone and she picked up from Central Park, where she’d just fallen off her bike.
 
Are you OK?
I’m fine. I stupidly decided to do a triathlon six weeks from now, so I need to get in shape. All that pizza, you know?! 
 
Is this your first involvement with the NYC Food and Wine Fest?
I’ve done South Beach, but this is the first time that I’m doing a big event at the New York festival. And of course I couldn’t say no to Meatball Madness, especially with what’s happening with my little meatball cart. It’s become quite a phenomenon.
 
What can we expect from your Restaurant Buzz Times Talk?
I’m doing it with Frank Bruni, Danny Meyer and Ken Friedman. I’m excited to actually talk to Frank Bruni instead of pretending I don’t recognize him. He’ll be asking us what it’s like to be in the industry today and how to create that “it’ quality.
 
How would you define that “it” quality?
Sometimes the food at a restaurant is incredible, but you just don’t want to go back. And sometimes the food is mediocre, but you go back and don’t know why. Certain restaurants just have the draw. There’s a lot in the details, from the music you play, to the linens, to the way the bathroom looks. Everything should reflect the message you’re giving.
 
What message can we expect from your latest project, Donatella, and why Neapolitan pizza?
I know everyone’s saying there’s a bandwagon here. But as a restaurateur, you have to have a vision that feels authentic to you. Otherwise you’re just a restaurant that serves chicken. Donatella is a very personal and real project for me—it's the cuisine of Naples, where my father was born and where I spent every summer growing up. Of course, it’s important to know that not everyone’s going to like my restaurant, although I don’t know how that’s possible!

Will you be making Naples Neapolitan pizza, or New York Neapolitan?
Naples Neapolitan. I’m using the right flour, San Marzano tomatoes, and the pizzas will cook in 90 seconds at a really high temperature. I’ll have about nine pizzas—four really classic pizzas like a Margherita, and the rest with some creativity.
 
You actually studied pizza making in Italy, right? 
I studied under Enzo Coccia, the master. I was there over New Year's for three weeks, and again in early summer for another three weeks. I brought two of my guys, who studied for three months. Enzo will be coming for the opening and first 10 to 15 days, and two of his staff will stay with us for six months.
 
Tell me about your oven.
It’s pretty spectactular. I imported all the rock and volcanic sand from Naples and convinced Enzo to come to New York and build it by hand. I had to reinforce my floor because it weighed over five tons.
 
You’ve traditionally been one of the only female restaurateurs on the scene. Is this changing at all?
I’d like to say that it has changed, but no, it hasn’t. I think people make it more of an issue with me because I’m not afraid to look and act like a woman. I embrace my femininity. But I’m moving toward the chef arena—I was really involved in creating this menu. And I’m not partnering with a chef this time. 
 
Why go solo after prominent partnerships with David Burke and Michael Psilakis?
There was a cuisine that I knew well, and I really wanted it to be my way and not be interpreted. You can’t tell a seasoned chef, “I want it this way.” He’s going to want to interpret it, which he should. But now I’m on my own path.
 
How are your relationships with David and Michael these days?
Davidburke and Donatella [the UES restaurant that's now become Davidburke Townhouse] was a tremendous, bright point in my career, but I think we always knew we would go in different directions. I have only good feelings about him—we're not friends, but there’s no bad blood. And Michael and I still have Kefi together. But he has his vision and I have mine—we’re two creative people that have very strong opinions, and this is my next venture. I’m sure he has many more up his sleeve too. But Kefi remains something that is very important to us, and very successful.
 
I hear there’s a TV show in the works? 
I start filming a pilot with the Food Network in October that should air in January. We’re still finalizing it, but they want me to go into restaurants and be a sort of restaurant doctor, to help from both a front and back perspective. Basically to apply what I do, to other restaurants. There will be some of my own reality in there too, but we’re not talking "Real Housewives"!
 
How about a little "Real Housewives"?
The problem is there would be too much of it! There’s too much personal drama in my life, I don’t need it on TV. I have to keep the mystery going.


Photo by Kelly Neal