Daniele Uditi is a LA-based master pizzaiolo and Executive Chef / Founder of Pizzana, a Neo-Neapolitan pizzeria from Candace & Charles Nelson and partners Chris & Caroline O’Donnell with six locations in California and Texas.
Originally from Naples, Italy, Chef Daniele was raised in a culinary family — his mother was a chef, his aunt is a bread maker, and his grandfather was a pastry chef. He began his career in the industry at the age of 12, cleaning the pizza ovens and baking loaves of bread with his aunt at the family bakery before school each morning. After developing a strong expertise working with bread and pizza dough, Chef Daniele honed his culinary skills under the guidance of Chef Rosanna Marziale at the Michelin-starred restaurant Le Colonne in Campania. At Le Colonne, he immersed himself in the artistry of crafting soulful, Southern Italian cuisine while exploring new techniques to elevate the region’s more traditional dishes.
In 2010, Chef Daniele traveled to the United States to work as a consulting chef for various Italian restaurants in the Los Angeles area. What was meant to be a six-month stint turned into a permanent move, as he fell in love with the bounty of produce that California has to offer, and with a woman who would eventually become his wife, Jaqueline. During this time, Chef Daniele began making pizzas for private parties on the side, returning to the roots of his culinary upbringing in Italy where food was always the centerpiece of family gatherings and celebrations with friends. He cultivated his signature “slow dough,” meticulously prepared with a blend of imported Italian flours, and quickly garnered a dedicated following including actor Chris O’Donnell, who first introduced Chef Daniele to the Nelsons.
At Pizzana, Chef Daniele shares his distinct interpretation of a Naples classic with a menu that finds inspiration from the local Los Angeles farmers’ markets, as well as the traditions of his native Italy.