Pizza selling for... €1,800!
Pizzaiolo Giovanni Staiano and restaurateur Claude Camilleri are trying to sell the most expensive commercially available pizza in the world. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli
Pizza may have become a common feature of the Maltese diet, but one being sold in Valletta is way beyond the reach of most people.
A gourmet pizzeria is selling a pizza with white truffles and 24-carat gold leaf and buffalo mozzarella over a thin, traditional crust – for €1,800.
Claude Camilleri, owner of Margo’s Pizzeria, said the idea came about last winter when, together with pizzaiolo Giovanni Staiano, he was handling truffle at Mistra’s Palazzo Santa Rosa, which Camilleri also runs.
“We were nosing the truffle and enjoying its smell, and said, wouldn’t it be nice if we had this on a pizza, and bring out the amazing flavour of truffle – and if we really want to be vulgar, put gold leaf on it?”
Mr Staiano went ahead with the plan, and according to Mr Camilleri the pizza has already been ordered twice by a local hotelier, who had to be persuaded not to have tomatoes on the pizza, as the acidity clashes with the taste of the truffles.
It is sold by the weight of the truffle – currently at €6,500 per kilo. The chef says 50-100 grams of white truffle are placed on the pizza, so the experience can be shared by as many diners as possible.
“We’re trying to draw attention to the quality of the food. Having truffles on a pizza which is not the best pizza possible would be a travesty, a sin. And to put truffles on a Margo’s pizza, you need to be confident that what you are creating is an exceptional masterpiece,” Mr Camilleri said.
Culinary excellence is not the sole purpose of the pizza and, as the price tag suggests, Margo’s is vying to cook its way into the Guinness Book of World Records for selling the most expensive commercially-available pizza in the world.
The record is currently held by Gordon Ramsay’s thin-crust, wood fire-baked pizza topped with onion purée, white truffle paste, fontina cheese, baby mozzarella, pancetta, cep mushrooms, freshly picked wild mizuna lettuce and fresh shavings of a rare Italian white truffle, which retailed at £100 on his Maze restaurant menu.
The pizza can only be ordered a week in advance, and the truffle is delivered via courier especially for the pizza. It is, however, available on the menu, as this is one of the prerequisites for it to be eligible for the Guinness world record.
Despite the hefty price tag, Mr Camilleri claims the restaurant will not make any profit from the pizza, and “even if we make money from that pizza, we are determined to give that money away. We get enough return from making that pizza through the exposure we get”.
The burning question, however, is what happens to the gold leaf once it has been eaten.
“It has no nutritional value whatsoever,” Mr Camilleri says, though it is often used in luxury food and drink.
“The nice thing is you can go to the toilet and say: ‘See, that shiny one is mine.’”
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Karl Curmi
Jan 13th 2011, 12:16
Whats so wrong about this pizza? too much for Malta? why cant people eat a pizza with such a mouth watering ingredient? People are so closed minded on this island. have u ever seen the restaurants that sells a burger for 5,000 in the USA? so whats wrong with a pizza of 1,800 on a beautiful island? nothing
Paul Micallef
Dec 28th 2011, 11:10
Mur ixtriha int mela siehbi
Dennis Zammit
Dec 28th 2010, 14:16
Some maths . . .
1 kg truffle costs € 6500 and therefore, 100 gr would cost € 650.00
Edible gold leaf 24 carats ; 25 sheets each size: 3-3/8" X 3-3/8" cost $44.00 (€ 57.00)
So how is it that this pizza sells at € 1800.00 ? The seller says that he is not making a profit . . . he is right as he is MAKING A MEGA PROFIT.
Kenneth Curmi
Dec 29th 2010, 08:26
e tinsix li hemm l-ghagina ta! :)
wendy mamo
Dec 27th 2010, 16:53
saaaddd !!! and to think there are people and animals out there starving to death :( what a complete and utter waste of money
Mr.Borg
Dec 28th 2010, 17:02
Why don't you sell your car and buy 1 cost 100Euro (You don’t need the body, I think you need it for work and so on) and feed the people and animals!!! and don't put cash in your bank because there is people out there very hungry....... what a comment I can't believe
DGalea
Dec 27th 2010, 15:32
Do Ehiopians eat pizza? I seem to remember a local news item not so long ago , where residents in a detention centre in Malta refused to eat Timpana, Lasagtna and patata fil-forn , referring it publicly as DOG FOOD.
Kenneth Curmi
Dec 27th 2010, 08:27
Excellent! I'll ask an Ethiopian friend of mine, who just so happens to be literally dying for a pizza, to check this out!
Roger Tanti
Dec 27th 2010, 09:52
Your point being?
Kenneth Curmi
Dec 27th 2010, 11:08
oh, nothing. just making small talk.
If however you think that there should be a point to such a casual remark, then it must mean that there is indeed one, and that perhaps you have a clue as to what it is and need not ask me. On the contrary, you could perhaps enlighten us as to what it may be.
Pauline Abela
Dec 27th 2010, 12:34
Hmmmm, I'm confused!
Is the Ethiopian friend likely to beneift if the pizza didn't have gold and truffles in it?
How people spend their money is no one else's business as long as it's legal. How many of you have spent money on fireworks? (Don't get me wrong, I love fireworks - but am pointing out that it is literally money up in smoke) How many of you overeat, drink alcohol, smoke, buy branded clothes manufactured is some sweatshop in some God forsaken country? None of it is necessary so LIVE AND LET LIVE but always do your best to help others when the opportunity arises.
I'd better go see what Hugh's up to now! May everyone have a Happy, Healthy and Wealthy New Year.
D Vella
Dec 27th 2010, 07:42
Similar stunts all round the World have been around for years.so nothing new here. As in most e' happenings' on this Island,the only thing they have in common is that they are all devoid of original thought..I think it's seasonal to say 'Humbug'
Steven Cutajar
Dec 27th 2010, 03:42
Oki here are some maths following this quote:
"It is sold by the weight of the truffle – currently at €6,500 per kilo. The chef says 50-100 grams of white truffle are placed on the pizza" - (quite expensive truffles they are since in Italy they are sold at Eur 20 per 10Grms)
http://sentoridibosco.it/en/product/truffles
so 50grms = Eur 325.00
75 grms = Eur 487.50
100 grms = Eur 650.00
At 100grms there's still a difference of Eur 1150.00 to the final price..
Nahhh... I'd rather take a plane, go to Italy and have - The flight, a good hotel for 2 nights, a night out and last but not least I'll be able to eat a nice 130 grms of White Truffles at Eur 20 / 10 grms on a very nice pizza. This whole trip should cost around Eur 1800.
It's a nice initiative and defo a good business there *sigh* but some people really have cash to throw. Take away the gold leaf and just give us the price of the real pizza ( and the profit margin too whilst we're there ). WHAT A JOKEEEEEEEEEE
Mr. Borg
Dec 27th 2010, 09:00
If you don`t like it don`t go there!! Thats all !!! They are not waiting for you to give them cash for the pizza!! Maltese how difficult it is to say nothing and complain about nothing! if you don`t like something avoid it ...................
Steven Cutajar
Dec 27th 2010, 13:00
@ Mr. Borg
I never said I did not like it as I never tried it - and never will of course. I'm just being realistic and giving a REAL figure of the prices around and unless you might have a % of that margin of (huge) profit based on my calculations, then you should get my point and not moan about my post.
Happy feasts to all!
DGalea
Dec 27th 2010, 01:12
Metallic gold is approved as a food additive in the EU Gold was used extensively in medieval times as a medicinal. Some gold salts have anti-inflammatory properties and are used up to this day as pharmaceuticals in the treatment of arthritis and other similar conditions.Gold leaf, flake or dust is used on and in some gourmet foods, including sweets and drinks as a decorative ingredient. Metallic gold is a component of the alcoholic drinks Goldschläger, Gold Strike, and Goldwasser.
Marton Saliba
Dec 27th 2010, 17:44
"Gold was used extensively in medieval times as a medicinal" Must be the reason why the Medieval times were as wacky as wacky could get hehe
chantal sciberras
Dec 27th 2010, 00:18
lmfao the last line cracked me up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Claude Scicluna
Dec 26th 2010, 20:40
The most expensive pizza was made by Domenico Crolla in 2006 and was auctioned for 2150 Sterling !! see link http://most-expensive.net/pizza
Dion Borg
Dec 28th 2010, 10:58
..that was not "commercial"..it was a one off..this one is on the Menu.! anyway if you've got it flaunt it as the saying goes..and to all the people moaning here about Ethiopians and money being wasted,have you not noticed that L-Istrina was a big success.??.so why not buy something extravagant if you can afford it..that's not a crime!..the rare and good things in life come at a price..it's called LUXURY....Happy 2011 anyway.
Alfred Grech
Dec 26th 2010, 20:33
I'd like to order 2 of them please. Have them delivered to 123 Triq Kawlata, Mosta.
axuereb
Dec 26th 2010, 18:51
The pizza has already been ordered twice by a local hotelier...I wonder how much he charged his clients for a slice!
Steve Sant
Dec 26th 2010, 18:29
There is a burger in New York with similar ingredients for $1,300, there is plate made of truffles and a steak for £900 in London, in Paris you could order a special fish (forgot the fish name) for 700fr on those days, you can pay for brandy at $500 a tot. So now we have Pizza for Eur1800, well done. But you can sit and enjoy a great pizza for Eur10 and enjoy the smell of the Eur1800 pizza from the guy next to you.
Marco Cremona
Dec 26th 2010, 18:24
What a ridiculous and disgusting way to break a record !!
Icing on the cake is the last comment “The nice thing is you can go to the toilet and say: ‘See, that shiny one is mine.’” Euro 1,800 literally flushed down the toilet and proud of it - and people cannot make ends meet (in Malta( and dying from hunger (elsewhere) !!
What a difference from Thomas Cremona's attempt to break the rowing-across-the-atlantic record, collecting funds for a good cause.
If it's free advertising Mr. Camilleri was looking for, he can certainly put me down as one customer who won't get anywhere near his pizzeria.
Envy? jealousy? absolutely not...... there's plenty of good pizzas around - and opportunities to gain 'fame' - without resorting to such extravagance
Juanita Cassar
Dec 26th 2010, 20:48
Said the man who, along with a couple of others, spent several thousands to climb the highest mountain in the world. I can't see world famine being solved by that, either.
Dion Borg
Dec 28th 2010, 11:06
@M Cremona..well said by the Lady..yours was a personal achievment and nobody gained..!!..okay there's a Maltese flag on top of the Mountain..whoopeee..!!..and trust me Mr Camilleri don't need your custom. Happy climbing..;)
Michele Borg
Dec 26th 2010, 17:01
You are all missing the point!! Like it or not its all free advertising!!! 50-100 grams of white truffle is a bit over the top though!
Karl Consiglio
Dec 26th 2010, 16:26
With a diamond filled crust. All goes down the toilet.
Adrian Cachia
Dec 26th 2010, 15:09
....that also includes overheads, water and electricity bills, VAT etc... :)
Neville Bezzina
Dec 26th 2010, 14:39
I once ate a pizza that cost over 9000!!
s buhagiar
Dec 26th 2010, 14:50
gd one ; )
J. De Bono
Dec 26th 2010, 14:23
I do not understand why so many commented so negatively below, seriously whats the point, if a man has an idea to make himself money that appears to be working just leave him to it, why so much criticism. I assume most below are simply jealous they cannot afford such luxuries and yes luxuries. Diva Vodka sells at over an million dollars, Certain Tequila at 1/4 a million dollars, it is a mans choice what he chooses to spend his money on not the opinion a jealous mob as that's what you appear to be. Yes the money can be used for better things but then again so can your time on this site commenting on other peoples success.
K. Miggiani
Dec 26th 2010, 15:20
uffffa how impossibly horrid - get a grip, and lets stop Malta slipping down the drain like the rest of the world when it comes to this sort of trash. Give your money to a local charity or worthwhile enterprise if you want to feel important, not ordering some disgusting concoction at the local pizzeria!
Joew Cassar
Dec 26th 2010, 15:37
What is worse, a "jealous mob" or people who bow and scrape before vulgar ostentation?
J. De Bono
Dec 26th 2010, 16:45
My point proven, more negative comments, what is the point? I very much doubt your opinion means anything to anyone, as for having Malta "Slip" is more likely ignorance that does this than a man’s attempt to make money and a name for himself, as for bowing and scraping to vulgar ostentation I very much doubt the man mentioned in the article purchasing two of these pizza’s is bowing and scraping for anything. Seriously read your comments before you post and save others time reading them. Personally I think it’s a massive waste of money and over the top but in your argument you might as well say that expensive cars are a waste of money because you can buy a Fiat for 1/20 of the price, what cant you understand about the word luxury, it’s really not that difficult. As for being charitable, what have you done this year and how much have you given. As I mentioned in my initial post why don’t you spend your time looking at ways to be creative and help others instead of negatively commenting on other people’s success.
Joe Cassar
Dec 26th 2010, 18:33
So what is YOUR opinion worth, Mr De Bono?
J. De Bono
Dec 26th 2010, 20:38
What my opinion is worth! To a man selling pizzas at 1800€, very little, to people who cannot understand the meaning of the word luxury, probably even less. I wish you all a great New Year.
Pauline Abela
Dec 27th 2010, 12:13
@ J De Bono - I loved your comments. I wouldn't buy it either but if others want to make it and have a buyer for it - good luck to them! I don't see what all the drama is about. Anyway, truffle is very expensive so you'd expect to pay a high price. As to the gold leaf, well fancy that - shiny poo! Why can't people just live and let live? If someone wants to flush their money down the toilet, it's up to them.
Are the people making negative comments prepared to always buy the cheapest of everything and hand over the money they save to charity? I doubt it.
Now, I will go and read the comments about Hugh Heffner and his 24yr old playmate/future wife. THOSE comments should be interesting!
Kristina Miggiani
Mar 13th 2011, 22:45
Kindly note that I, Kristina Miggiani, am not the author of the comments appearing under the name of " K Miggiani", whoever he/she may be.
G Falzon
Dec 26th 2010, 13:28
Gold leaf in food! Has this the approval of local Food Safety Agencies? I mean the agencies who a few days ago closed a shop in Sliema for selling soap (in a soap shop) that smelled like fruit!
R. E. Saliba
Dec 26th 2010, 15:58
It's gold not plutonium :)
Injected properly into a joint, it's actually good for arthritis.
As food, it doesn't do anything.... I once tried some Blue Nun special edition with gold leaf.
Not expensive (no change in taste either) and a good party joke.
Pule' Carmel
Dec 26th 2010, 13:16
There should be moderaton even in excess!
Pauline Abela
Dec 27th 2010, 23:08
Why? Are they hurting anybody? Whoever buys it can obviously afford it. If they are getting fleeced then it is their choice and their concern - not anyone else's. Granted, it's not how most of us would choose to spend E1800 but then how many people spend that much on alcohol and cigarettes over a year or two? Isn't that also a waste? Not to mention a large contributor to ill-health which may require costly medical attention? And how many turkeys and hams have gone to landfill this Christmas? At least gold leaf was never alive. And the truffles are getting eaten. The turkeys and pigs were killed for our enjoyment - which is fine if they served as nutrition but not so when people have so much that they throw it out because it goes off. Btw, the pizza would probably be cut into 12 slices, which means only E150 per slice. While I have no desire to taste it even if it was free, E150 is hardly going to break many people's bank!
Peter Cassar
Dec 26th 2010, 13:00
What wine would you suggest with that?
Andrew Schembri
Dec 26th 2010, 12:37
Can I have some BBQ Sauce with that?
axuereb
Dec 26th 2010, 13:13
NOOOOOOO! It will clash with the metallic taste of the gold leaf:-)
malcolm seychell
Dec 26th 2010, 12:23
Minn ma jridiex ma jixtrijiex. what's the problem???? kullhadd jghir ghall min ghandu lira
Roberta Gatt
Dec 26th 2010, 17:21
dan l-ahjar kumment
GHIRA. Lanzit.
Xejn aktar.
Min huma n-nies li jridu l-ugwaljanza? huma dawk in-nies li ma jridux jahdmu, jistinkaw u jekk hemm bzonn jirriskjaw xi ftit.
Min ghamel il-flus b negozju ghax ha riskju, investa meta ma kellu xejn...
Ghira biss ghandna
axuereb
Dec 26th 2010, 18:59
Tkellem ghalik jekk joghgbok u ddahhalx lil kulhadd fil-kredu.Veru hawn min jistinka u jitbaghal biex jghamel lira pero ma nahsibx li dan huwa l-kaz hawnhekk, jew qatt m ghamilt pizza? Ma tridx teghreq l-gharaq tad-demm biex taghmilha.Hawn hafna li jisolhu l-klijenti taghhom kuljum u f jumejn isiru sinjuruni, minn fuq darna.
Mr. Borg
Dec 27th 2010, 09:07
Whats the problem if you don`t like don`t buy it pffffffffffffff
axuereb
Dec 26th 2010, 11:57
“The nice thing is you can go to the toilet and say: ‘See, that shiny one is mine.’” .....This last sentence really takes the bullet!!
Joe Cassar
Dec 26th 2010, 11:02
The "local hotelier" who is reported to have ordered this obscenity twice must be just about the biggest "fanfarun" in Malta.
Probably someone who spent most of his life in poverty and now wants to show off his new found wealth.
PS: Is that all you have to do to get in the Guinness Book of Records? Take something which someone else can produce (probably much better) for £100 and slap an €1,800 price tag on it?
Not that difficult, is it?
Jon Fenech
Dec 26th 2010, 10:49
David Beckham bought a hundred dollar sandwich recently, maybe we should check if he likes pizza too...
David Grech
Dec 26th 2010, 10:27
look like CLAUDE CAMILLERI has been to the maze in london Gordon ramsey restaurant to bad the same iteam is sold 100sterling there.....
Henry J Bonett
Dec 26th 2010, 10:25
Any form of excess is vulgar - especially so in the times we live in. How much more rewarding it is to hand a leaf of gold to a needy person than to watch it being flushed down the drain. Should be a tad too low in after taste at least, I would say.
Joe Grima
Dec 26th 2010, 11:53
Brash and vulgar to a degree. Some people just have no culture or manners to guide the way they behave. This story has the same effect on me as if I had seen Mother Theresa drive around in a Rolls Royce. .
dick hertz
Dec 26th 2010, 10:21
but then again. this might have the 300% margin like we know in most shops these days. what do you expect!!!...it is simply overprice.
Henry Mifsud
Dec 26th 2010, 10:14
I am not surprised! But does it have to be nearly 1700 times more than Ramsey's to be in the Guiness Book of Records? It takes a Maltese together with one of our Italian brothers to be more ostentatious than an Englishman! Let's face it, gold is at its peak.
Unfortunately the price tag makes it prohibitive for most as otherwise it would have made much sense to sell it by the slice and proceeds go to Istrina today.
Henry Mifsud
Dec 26th 2010, 10:34
I meant "nearly EUR 1700 more...."
R Grixti
Dec 26th 2010, 10:06
" Margo’s is vying to cook its way into the Guinness Book of World Records for selling the most expensive commercially-available pizza in the world."
If this is the case, than the Guinness Book should be chockablock with Maltese retailers, agents, distributors, importers...
What a sad case of publicity-seeking.
Anthony_Borg
Dec 26th 2010, 09:58
"....being sold in Valletta is way beyond the reach of most people."
Yes but not quite out of the reach of a sector of our population!
Let's see, an increase of €600.00....emm, yes, why not combine amongst three of them - bingo a shared pizza of €1800 - afterall, they are accustomed to slicing up.....
(Darn, am still looking for a christmas present worth €1.16)
R Saliba
Dec 26th 2010, 10:29
x int brainwashed man. mohhok fil politika.
Kevin Borg
Dec 26th 2010, 11:19
Go get a life man.
Charmaine Marmara'
Dec 26th 2010, 09:53
even Pizza Hut is expensive here in malta let alone a 1,800 euro pizza ,even if i had the money for such luxuries i wouldnt go waste them on a pizza. biex umbad ghal got toilet U HALLUNA ,FANFARUNATI GHANDNA KIEKU !!!!!! NUMBER 1 JOKE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN GEJNA...
Maria Camilleri
Dec 26th 2010, 09:52
WHAT A WASTE!
A. Saliba
Dec 26th 2010, 09:50
Will I get a free bottle of wine if I order two of them?
M, Vella
Dec 26th 2010, 09:48
...or one could sell it to one of the traders now buying gold.
simon amato
Dec 26th 2010, 09:42
Do you think i have money to waste?? i use that sum to travel and not to go to the toilet and say what you said!! u hallina!!
Juanita Cassar
Dec 26th 2010, 12:51
No one is asking you to - it's a pizza which is lavish and expensive just for the sake of it. The rest of the pizzas they sell, which are equally as good or better (no stupid gold) are probably well within your reach.
YOSEF SCERRI
Dec 26th 2010, 09:32
do you deliver?
what a joke!!!!!