Jacopo Mercuro

In just a few years, Jacopo Mercuro has become a recognised and respected representative of Italian pizza. And of Roman pizza in particular. With his work, first in Rome with Mani in Pasta, then with his next creation 180g, and finally with the Pizzottella in Milan, opened with entrepreneur and host David Ranucci, Mercuro has contributed to the rediscovery of a deliciously crunchy product, both the baking tin version, and in the round format.

His story is an unusual one. His passion for pizza disrupted what seemed to be a well-defined career: “I was doing something else altogether,” Mercuro confirms, “I was working as a lawyer in my family's law firm. But I wasn't happy, that wasn't the life I wanted to lead: at 26, I started experimenting with pizza, in which I had a growing interest. But I started in the home kitchen, that was my first gym: then the results I was getting told me that maybe it could be the right path. So later I trained professionally, and I also got into the chemistry and physics of dough, and I found further confirmation: that was the life I wanted for myself.”

The next step was a real gamble: “I had no master pizzaioli, I had never worked for anyone: I started with my own small pizzeria al taglio, Mani in pasta. It was a big challenge. I tried it out on my own straight away, and I made more than one mistake, especially from a managerial and entrepreneurial point of view. If you want to open your own pizzeria, it is not enough that you know how to make pizzas well, there are many other aspects that require careful attention. In any case, despite a few mistakes along the way, only a few months after opening we ended up in Gambero Rosso's Guida Pizzerie d'Italia and got two pizza wheels. It was a great surprise and an extraordinary satisfaction". So the story of Mercuro and his adventures continues at great speed: first came the idea of 180g in Rome, which opened in January 2018 and is still a great success. Then, just a few months later, in September 2018, Pizzottella also opened its doors in Milan.

The pandemic crisis did not stop him, quite the contrary: 180g’s first location was transformed into a place dedicated exclusively to take-away, while Mercuro, with the courage that has distinguished him throughout his career, chose to invest in a new location while waiting to reopen to the public. The result? First of all, a new location in which Mercuro and his brigade have an (open) kitchen that allows them to express the full potential of a close-knit team. And then a steadily growing success, both with critics and the public, which today makes booking a table at 180g a small feat.