Backyard pizza parties are one of our favorites parts of summer. And Ooni ovens allow almost anyone to create the pizza dinner of their dreams no matter their skill level or backyard space. Ooni’s sleek, compact ovens can cook up a delicious pizza in under 60 seconds; the versatile Karu 16 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven allows you to cook with wood, charcoal or gas and reaches 950°F (500°C) in just 15 minutes.
To test out Ooni’s Karu 16, we tapped Marco Niccoli, an accomplished chef and devoted family man based in Salt Lake City, UT. From a young age, Marco knew he wanted to become a chef. He grew up in a home where food was the centerpiece of everything, and his parents owned and operated Bruno’s Old World Italian Deli in Los Angeles for many years. Marco is now an author, restauranteur and co-founder of am. So who better to test out the pizza oven? We caught up with Niccoli at his home in Salt Lake as he prepared a pizza night for his family.
Gear Patrol StudiosFrom the Brand
“Ooni Pizza Ovens, a family-run business, is a values-led organization driven by passion, innovation, kindness, rigor and ambition, with an overarching belief that everyone deserves great pizza. As well as providing top-of-the-range ovens, Ooni also has a comprehensive range of must-have accessories and carefully curated ingredients for pizza cooks. Ooni stocks a range of Ooni Groceries made up of leading pizza ingredient brands, making authentic, flame-cooked pizza even more accessible at home.”
What We Like
Q: What inspired you to become a chef?
Marco Niccoli: I was inspired to become a chef from watching at a young age how food can bring people together. My mother and father always made it a point for us to cook together and eat dinner together.
