Luis Peralta has always been passionate about the world of pizzas. Almost to the point of becoming an obsession. He was born in Chaco, northeast of Argentina. There he took his first steps in hospitality to land 27 years ago in Barcelona, where he began working in the … kitchen of El Huerto del Cura. In this establishment they made pizzas and little by little his concern to find the “perfect” one grew. His head chef encouraged him to investigate further and told him about a place in Venice. «And that’s where I went. It was an establishment where they prepared it live and that way I was able to learn more. “I realized that the perfect mass I was chasing was not so much due to quantities, but rather to temperature.” With extensive experience preparing this typical Italian dish, Luis Peralta has taken charge of Pizzería El Moral, in Daroca de Rioja.
– What took you to Daroca?
– I came to La Rioja for love. This bar (El Moral) was run by Paco and Elena. They love me like a son. I am an immigrant and I have almost no one here. Yes, it is true that my two children are here now, since I just got divorced. I have surrounded myself with people who are making this process a little easier.
«I make it with so much passion that each pizza is personalized; “I haven’t eaten anything like it here.”
– Who did you learn to cook from?
– I have never studied anything related to cooking. I would have liked it, because now I would know more things. I was lucky enough to train at that restaurant in Barcelona and without almost realizing it, I had learned a lot. At the age of 27, I set up my first establishment in Sabadell and from there I have worked in almost all of Spain, except in Galicia, until I reached La Rioja. In Logroño, where I arrived fifteen years ago, I have had two bars, Atenas and Búhos.
–And why pizza?
– I am obsessed with few things and one of them is pizza. It’s my passion. I went to Venice, to that establishment where they prepared live. At that moment I began to dedicate myself more seriously to its preparation. It is a very particular pizza. The dough we make is influenced by temperature and time; Depending on these two aspects, it needs more or less time.
– Isn’t your dough the same as other pizzas?
– My dough ferments contrary to everyone else; He does it cold. All masses have to rise, mine does not. I have a granulated yeast that they bring me from Italy and it ferments cold. And I use a stone oven for cooking.
– How does it affect the behavior of the pizza?
– The dough in winter needs more strength, but in summer it needs less yeast. And it goes to days. I check the weather daily. But it is done so willingly that it doesn’t matter. It’s what feeds me and my children.
– Where lies the secret of a good pizza?
– I am going to break all the canons, because it is not just one thing. They are the dough and the oven. I have a stone oven and if not, they wouldn’t come out the same. If you don’t have the right oven, you wouldn’t get the same thing.
– You learned self-taught. What makes it special?
– For me, I make the best in the world. I stretch it by hand; I make it with so much passion that each pizza is personalized. I really look forward to it. I haven’t eaten anything like it here.
– Which is the one that clients demand the most?
– Florence. It has fresh arugula, goat cheese, mozzarella, natural tomato and grated parmesan. It’s very elegant. Although, for me as a pizza maker, the perfect one is the Margarita. A good pomodoro, a good mozzarella, oregano on top, oil and you have it. I bring the yeast from Italy, but not the rest. I do like that the mozzarella I use has a little more fat. And in ingredients I don’t look at the price. I have to admit that the entire town and the region have given their all and are faithful. In winter it is a little more difficult, but in summer we cannot cope.
– What advice would you give to those who, like you, want to dedicate themselves to the hospitality industry?
– That he is well convinced that it is his thing. If you like him and he is sincere, because the hospitality industry is very slave, it will be better. If you are not passionate about it and do not know how to convey your work, it is complicated. If you like it, you will be very happy and you will make people very happy. If you do it without desire, it’s not your thing.
