Andrea’s story

I had the good fortune to travel to Italy several times a year during the mid 1980’s. During this time I connected with my family roots in Lucca, Tuscany. When you immerse yourself in Italian culture you are immersing yourself in the world of food and the way of life that surrounds it.

In stark contrast to my American ways I discovered the kitchen to be the heart and soul of family life and quite often this was centered around the wood-fired oven. I fell in love with this live and interactive style of cooking and knew immediately I had to bring this home with me.

In 1988 I had the opportunity to build a new home and made sure to plan for my outdoor wood-fired oven. Naturally I tried to buy one when I was in Italy but I was encouraged to purchase one in America instead.

Well, my excitement turned to frustration when my new oven could not duplicate the delicious results I had experienced throughout Italy. Determined to fulfill my dream I returned to Italy with the sole purpose of finding the best oven available. No matter whom I asked I was told “You want to buy a Valoriani oven. It’s the original with the cotto refractario cooking floor that you need if you are going to cook like us.”

19 years later I am still cooking with the same Medio 110 oven I purchased in that Tuscan hillside town of Reggello. Who knew that my original dream of a pizza oven would develop into my life’s work of bringing this heartfelt style of cooking and living to America.

Andrea Mugnaini