Pizza Quest Season Three, Episode 8: Pane’ di Pala, the Birth of a New Product, with Michael Kalanty

Michael Kalanty was my faculty colleague when I taught at the California Culinary Academy back in the 1990’s. Since then, he and I have been on parallel tracks, both as educators, bread authors, and as product developers. In this episode, Michael shares his long and winding road from pastry chef, bread expert and educator, product developer for major food companies, and even how he became a “Certified Master Taster.” All of which brings us to his most recent project, developing a new kind of bread for Craig Stoll at San Francisco’s popular, award winning Delfina Restaurant and Pizzeria Delfina.  I got a sneak peek taste of this wonderful, light as air, addictively delicious new bread on a recent trip to SF. Michael fills us in on its back story and takes us through the creative process of how a new product develops from an idea into full manifestation. It’s a fascinating journey and you will hear all about here, just days before the new Pane’ di’Pala, hits the menu at Delfina. Remember, you heard about it here first, on Pizza Quest.