Mihai Hogas
Hello and thank you for wanting to know more about me. I’ll be honest, it’s not easy to write about myself—I feel like it’s easier for people to get to know me face-to-face. And that’s because, beyond my professional experience as a Master Pizza Instructor, thousands of hours in the kitchen as an Executive Pizza Chef, graduation diplomas from prestigious academies in Italy (such as the Pizzaioli Academy, where I have also been a student, than a trainer and an examiner), three values have shaped the way I teach at Emerald Pizza Academy: LOVE, PASSION, CONNECTIONS.
I’m Mihai Hogaș, and I invite you to learn more about my story.
Pizza with Love
I remember exactly the moment I first smelled freshly baked dough. I was only 4 years old and went with my grandmother to the bakery every day to buy bread. I was born in Iași, a large university city in northeastern Romania and at that time, we were still in the communist era. It was hard for us back then, but this multi-sensory memory has changed my life 360 degrees. I could have become an athlete, but I chose to finish my high school studies, also in Iași, majoring in Baking and Pastry Arts.
I started working young in pizzerias in Iași until I had the opportunity to go to Italy. There was the Pizza Capital of the world. It’s been almost 30 years since I first entered a kitchen.
Pizza with Passion
I want to become better. I always tell myself that, and the motto has helped me seize opportunities that have come my way. I believe you can be successful in any field, and one of my goals is to make the image of the pizza maker better—not just some guy behind the counter in a cap – but a passionate man who has learned, who knows the secrets to a good dough, and who offers you the joy of a quality product.
I’ve had a journey of almost 30 years, from Iași to Torino to Rome to Milan to Dublin, with many beautiful experiences but also challenges conquered, turning points. It’s not easy following your dream without compromising on what you know to be truth and respect. Towards yourself and others.
Pizza Creates Connections
The first and most important connection is between the consumer and the creator—it’s important to remember that behind every delicious pizza with quality ingredients is the pizza maker. I created Emerald Pizza Academy to improve the image of the pizza maker and to provide adequate training, customised for each student, not by the book, restrictive procedures, but by my heart, while relying on my entire expertise.
I support local producers—in Ireland, at our company, we used only stone-ground wholemeal flour, and cheese made from Irish milk. Course ingredient kits also contain local produce. I have partnered with local producers both in Ireland and in Iași, my hometown, where, each time, I am eagerly looking forward to hold the academy’s courses.
Pizza is fun, brightens faces, instills confidence and joy, integrates. This is why I offer free cooking classes for people living with disabilities. You can find more information about why I provide free courses for people with disabilities here (link articol de blog dedicat).
Above all else is the love of people.
Mihai Hogaș
a Emerald Pizza Academy StoryEconomic School No. 2 in Iasi, Romania, majoring in Baking and Pastry Arts—I learned how to make bread.
I started working as a pizza maker in Iasi at Pizzeria Calabrese (Tray-baked pizza by the meter and classic), Pinocchio Restaurant Pizzeria (Classic pizza), Al Diavola Pizzeria (Classic pizza).
Turin, Italy, Pragelato village, Al Mulino (link către site https://www.almulinoplan.it/menu/)—I was excited – it was my first time in Italy and everything looked wonderful. I learned to use a wood fire pizza oven and I was making 300-400 pizzas a day.
Pizzeria Ristorante “Da Rambo” (link site) in Tor San Lorenzo, Rome, Italy. I learned from Adel, the pizzeria owner, the secrets of Italian cuisine – fish, pasta, lasagna, supli, croquettes, arancini, using only fresh products, bought every day. Customers were like family to him. After a year, I managed the restaurant: the kitchen and two types of pizza – the classic round pizza and the pizza alla pala (pizza by the meter on a brick oven). Adel gave me confidence and showed me what it means to respect your clients and employees.
Executive chef at Circolo Sportivo Fioranello Restaurant (link site) in Rome, Italy. Here I met Monica, the owner’s daughter with Down Syndrome. I started to wonder why people with disabilities aren’t more encouraged to work in the kitchen – why are they marginalised and how can we as chefs contribute to bringing them joy.
Head Pizza Chef Bam Bam Ristosauro (link site) Rome, Italy. Franchise with 11 restaurants, 1000 pizzas a day – with over 100 types of pizzas on the menu. The challenge was to handle multiple customers at the same time in a restaurant with 450 seats.
Diploma for Master Instructor at the Pizzaioli Academy in Gruaro, Veneto, Italy. Pizza Specialties – Neapolitan pizza, Gluten-free pizza, Pizza in Pala (paddle pizza)
I was a Master Instructor for the Pizzaioli Academy. I taught pizza courses for Italians at the EuroTaverna Pizzeria Restaurant (link site) in Desio, Milan, Italy. (2000 seats) https://www.eurotaverna.it/
I love making sweet pizza, so I came up with the Paradise plate that has 22 different types of sweet pizza, at my wife’s urging. I dedicated it to my then unborn son and won the Master Pizza Chef contest.
I went to Dublin, Ireland to rediscover myself.
Head Pizza Chef Al Vezuvio Restaurant in Dublin. This was the first venue where I gave a live demonstration of how to make pizza in front of 40 people. That’s when I announced that I would be teaching at Emerald Pizza Academy, my soul project that was about to come to fruition.
When I opened Roberta’s Restaurant, I also registered Emerald Pizza Academy with CRO Ireland.
Group Executive Pizza Chef. In these 3 years, I’ve opened for Press UP Entertainment Group nine pizza sections: Angelina’s Restaurant, Sophie’s Restaurant, Roberta’s Restaurant, Dollard Market, Layla’s Rooftop Restaurant, Isabelle’s Restaurant, Union Cafe Mount Merrion, Union Cafe Churchtown, Union Cafe Beacon Sandyford, Machenzie’s Restaurant (linkuri site-uri). I handled all 10 pizza sections and 27 pizza chefs. I have developed an efficient work system based on using the same pizza dough recipe, local ingredients, and the concept of Happy work place. The company used mozzarella from Irish milk, produced in Cork and with Toons Bridge Diary. https://toonsbridgedairy.com/
After 8 years of unanswered questions and searches, my dream of helping people with disabilities and showing them how beautiful it is to work in the kitchen came true – I received support from CEO Press Up Entertainment Group Angel Birt – I hired more people with disabilities in the company.
I held my first free course for people with disabilities. We hired Declan Convery, Adam Al Amidi and Andreas Garcia after the course and they still work at the company today.
Niamh Hackett, Melanie Phelan, Daniel Owens have all completed work experience of at least 3 months at Press Up Entertainment Group restaurants. Orna Megannety worked as a chef from 2019 to September 2022 for Dollard Market.
before the pandemic occurred, the dough recipe also used stone-ground whole wheat flour ground from Ballyminane Mill, Curraghgraigue, Wexford.
Executive Chef Oliver Byrne from Press Up Entertainment Group has always supported me and been by my side and I started teaching pizza classes at the company. Since then, the pizza business in Press Up Entertainment Group and Emerald Pizza Academy have grown together. I used to hold entire courses in 3 kitchens, at Union Cafe Mount Merrion, Roberta’s Restaurant, and Dollard Market.
Currently, the classes take place in 2 locations—Roberta’s Restaurant and Dollard Market, both in the same building in the heart of Dublin, Temple Bar. (de adaugat link-uri pentru seo https://robertas.ie/ https://dollardmarket.ie/)
I have developed and transformed the New York-Style Pizza from Dollard Market into a brand (working system, recipe, dough, procedures for hiring personnel, training for pizza chefs). We already implemented the system in 5 locations: Dollard Market, Angelina’s Delli, Dollard Pizza, Blanchardstown, Dollard Pizza Union Cafe, Dollard Pizza Captain America Grafton. (linkuri site-uri)
In this department, in 2022, I’m in charge of 10 pizza chefs, of which 2 are special needs independent.
My mission is about LOVE, PASSION, and CONNECTIONS.
My goal is to bring the joy of making pizza into anyone’s home. Up until now, I have focused on professional pizza makers. But as of 2023, I will be cooking alongside everyone who wants to learn how to make a good pizza at home, using local ingredients and whatever they have on hand. It’s a pleasure, it’s a way to socialise and spend time with family and friends, it’s about flavor and integration–I will of course continue to provide free courses for people with disabilities.