THE TEAM

Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich meld their prodigious talents at Pizzeria and Osteria Mozza and now MOZZA2GO, all on the same block in the heart of Los Angeles, where their devout commitment to product, environment and hospitality is felt in every detail.

NANCY SILVERTON
Named one of the most influential people by the Los Angeles Times for "changing the way that Angelenos eat," Nancy Silverton applies generous focus and unparalleled dedication to all of her work. An award-winning bread baker, cookbook author and restaurateur, Nancy is also a champion of the Meals-on-Wheels program and is an active participant in Los Angeles's Garden School Project. A graduate of both London's Le Cordon Bleu and Paris's Ecola Le Notre Culinary Institute, Nancy established her career in the pastry kitchens of Michael's Restaurant in Santa Monica and Wolfgang Puck's Spago in Beverly Hills. Aching for the bread she discovered in Europe — loaves with the tang of all-natural starters, crisp crusts and soft, airy interiors — Nancy taught herself the ancient art of sourdough bread baking. She opened La Brea Bakery in 1989, developing hundreds of variations from her original sourdough, wheat and rye starters. Today, La Brea Bakery's breads are available in seven different countries. Nancy has authored seven cookbooks, is a member of the Marshall Fields Culinary Council, and has been the recipient of numerous awards, including being recognized by the James Beard Foundation for Who's Who in American Cooking in 1990, by Bon Appétit as a Food Artisan in 1999 and by the council for the International Star Diamond Awards for Outstanding Hospitality in 2004. Nancy's distinctive appreciation of food's intrinsic beauty, be it recognized in a torn piece of bread or a single lettuce leaf, is felt in all of her dishes, loaves, restaurants and books.

MARIO BATALI
A Seattle-bred, New York-based restaurateur, cookbook author, and television personality, Mario Batali is known for his signature style — brazen meets sophisticated, forward meets enduring. He was named Man of the Year in the chef category by GQ Magazine in 1999. In 2002, he won the James Beard Foundation's Best Chef: New York City award and in 2005 the James Beard Foundation awarded Mario Outstanding Chef of the Year. Mario is also one of the recipients of the 2001 D'Artagnan Cervena Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America, a prestigious lifetime achievement award. Most recently, he and Joe Bastianich were awarded the 2008 James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Restaurateur Award.  Mario splits his time between New York City's Greenwich Village and northern Michigan with his wife Susan Cahn of Coach Dairy Goat Farm, and their two sons.

JOE BASTIANICH
After studying finance and spending a year on Wall Street, Joe bought a one-way ticket to Italy and explored the country's small corners, keeping food and wine a top priority.  He came back to New York and opened Becco with his mother, Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, and then partnered with Mario to open Babbo, which garnered three coveted stars from The New York Times and the prestigious Best New Restaurant in America award from the James Beard Foundation — indeed, the prophetic beginning of their thriving collection of restaurants. Joe is also a passionate wine-maker and teacher and wrote, with David Lynch, Vino Italiano. In 2005 he was recognized as an Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional by both the James Beard Foundation and Bon Appétit. Most recently, he and Mario were awarded the 2008 James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Restaurateur Award. Joe feels fortunate to be "working within the vernacular of the Italian table."

MATT MOLINA
A graduate of the Los Angeles Culinary Institute, Matt began his career at Campanile in Los Angeles as a line cook and worked his way up to Chef de Cuisine. After 6 years at Campanile under the tutelage of Nancy Silverton, Matt went on to train at Del Posto in New York City in preparation for his role as Executive Chef of Pizzeria and Osteria Mozza. As Executive Chef of Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza, Matt has received three stars from S. Irene Virbila, the Los Angeles Times food critic, for both restaurants. In 2008, Matt was nominated for "Rising Star Chef" & "Best New Restaurant" in Osteria Mozza by the James Beard Foundation.

DAHLIA NAVAREZ
A native Angelena, Dahlia recalls her first pastry experience helping her mother punch out sugar cookies as a young girl. She began her professional career in the kitchen of Los Angeles' premier Cuban nightspot "The Conga Room". In 1999 Dahlia joined Nancy Silverton's formidable pastry team at the James Beard Award winning "Campanile." By 2002 Dahlia had been named Executive Pastry Chef, running one of the country's most distinguished pastry departments. She now serves as Executive Pastry Chef for both Pizzeria and Osteria Mozza. In 2008 Osteria Mozza received its first Michelin Star and was nominated for "Best New Restaurant" by the James Beard Foundation.

Dahlias work has been celebrated in publications including the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine Magazine, GQ, and Metropolitan Home.