The Wood-Fired Blog

Press Release 051704

May 17, 2004Posted by Forno Bravo

May 17, 2004

Contact Information

James Bairey
james@fornobravo.com
39 333 175 0459 (Italy)
1 800 407 5119 (U.S.)

Forno Bravo Brings Italian Brick Oven Cooking Experience to American Chefs and Families

California Company Combines Authentic Hand-Made Italian Pizza Ovens with Space-Age Thermal Technology to Bring Old-World Cooking Experience to American

Healdsburg, CA and San Gimignano, Italy a^??g May 17, 2004. Forno Bravo, a California company that marries old-world cooking traditions with new-world technology, today announced that it has begun importing modular brick ovens from Italy to the U.S., and producing of a line of fully assembled wood fire ovens. Forno Bravo provides ovens for American homeowners, caterers, restaurants, bakeries and party equipment rental companies. The company’s goal is to bring the joy of authentic wood fire cooking to mainstream America.

The wood fire masonry oven has been with us since prehistoric times, and was perfected nearly 2,000 years ago by the ancient Romans. There are beautifully preserved brick ovens in Pompeii and Herculaneum that if restored, could produce perfect bread today. In modern Italy, the wood fire oven is nearly as popular as the BBQ, because of its unique ability to cook the world’s best pizza, bread, roasts, grills and vegetable dishes. In Naples, where Pizza was invented, the brick oven is an integral part of daily life, and in Tuscany, a terra cotta or brick oven can be found in the courtyard of virtually every farmhouse, and in the best restaurants.

It’s a shame that the American market has been lead to believe that the masonry oven is a luxury item, — something that only the wealthy can afford,” said James Bairey, a former Silicon Valley marketing executive living in Tuscany, and founder of Forno Bravo. “Our goal is to bring this fabulous cooking experience, and this essential part of our common cultural heritage, to every American chef. The wood fire oven is the perfect compliment to the BBQ grill that we all love, and we want to see one along side the grill — in every American backyard. I find myself driving through the Tuscan countryside counting all of the brick ovens, and I cannot help but think how perfect these ovens are for the outdoor lifestyle of the American family.”

To make it easy for anyone to own a wood fire oven, Forno Bravo has created a series of innovative products that make it easy to install an oven. By taking advantage of space age thermal and insulation materials, and by providing the parts that make it easy for homeowners to assemble a modular oven, Forno Bravo is working to break down the barriers owning a brick oven. The company’s innovative hearth and stand, which is available as an option for the modular ovens, is easy to install, and weighs a fraction of traditional sand and concrete designs a — while at the same time providing a superior cooking experience.

“Making installation fast and light-weight is key for the American consumer,” continued Mr. Bairey. “In the past, installation alone could take weeks, and cost thousands of dollars. We are taking advantage of range of thermal and insulation products invented for other high-heat applications, such as furnaces and kilns, to make installation both easy and affordable.”

Forno Bravo sells both pre-assembled ovens, which only require finish, and modular ovens, that are installed by the homeowner or a professional builder. The company’s ovens include both handmade brick ovens, built in the traditional freestanding dome shape, and prefabricated ovens made from refractory materials.   By providing the choice between a brick oven and prefabricated oven, and between a modular oven and a pre-assembled oven, the company is making is possible for homeowners and restaurants to find the exact oven they are looking for.

Home oven sizes range from a 31.5″ circular cooking surface to a large 45″ x 55″ oven capable for cooking many pizzas at a time, or a Thanksgiving roast and multiple vegetable platters. Commercial oven sizes start at 60″, and these ovens are capable of operating 365 days per year and producing hundreds of pizzas per day.

Practical Details

Forno Bravo modular ovens start at $1,350 for a package that includes the oven chamber, cooking surface, vent and chimney, insulating blanket, steel door, internal BBQ grill and oven tool set. Shipment is from Healdsburg, CA.

About Forno Bravo

Forno Bravo imports handcrafted Italian wood fire ovens to the U.S. The company has developed relationships with leading producers and artisans who produce these wonderful ovens, and has created innovative installation products based that make it easy and affordable to own a masonry oven. The company has offices in Tuscany, Italy, and Healdsburg, California, and can be found at www.fornobravo.com.

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