The most acclaimed pizzerias in Malaysia and Indonesia both turn ten this month, marking the milestone with a celebration that unites two regional forces of fire, flour and fermentation.
A decade after launching in 2015, KL's Proof Pizza + Wine and Jakarta's Pizzeria Cavalese recently linked up to offer their cities a taste of cross-border craftsmanship. Proof and Cavalese remain their nations' sole representatives in 50 Top Pizza's ranking of the Asia-Pacific's 50 best pizzerias this year.
First, Proof's head chef Kim San travelled to Cavalese in August for a bilateral dialogue in dough. Then in October, Cavalese's chef-founder Dicky Tjhin returned the favour by heading to APW Bangsar for two exclusive nights.
The flavourful summit in KL spanned Cavalese's signature star-shaped Piedmont Stellata Pizza to Proof's kulim aioli-studded Jungle Wild Marinara. Guests also savoured Klepon Tiramisu, a unique Indonesian ode to onde-onde, marrying mascarpone with pandan and palm sugar.
The pièce de résistance: A Dolomites-meets-Campania Four Hands Pizza created by both chefs, with cured meat and cheese influences from Italy's north and south.
While the October collaboration has concluded, enthusiasts can return to Proof for other limited-time pizzas in the months to come, charting the course for the next decade and beyond.
Finished with flair at the table, the Four Hands Pizza was a thoughtful tribute to chefs Kim and Dicky’s influences, layering salt and smoke with citrus and cream.
Kim revels in southern Italy’s bold, bright flavours, channelling the intensity of Sicily's sun and sea into sleek sophistication. Dicky traces his pizza-making roots to northern Italy’s ski-slope commune of Cavalese, with cool, subtle refinement.
Their pizza embodied north and south on one crust: An alpine-Mediterranean meeting of Speck Alto Adige IGP from the Dolomites with fior di latte and burrata by Sorrento's Latteria Sorrentina and Amalfi lemon zest, lushly lifted by the sweetness of wildflower-thyme honey, rounded out with provola, pesto and mushrooms on a bianco base.
For the first time ever, Cavalese rocketed into KL with its luminous flagship, the Signature Piedmont Stellata Pizza, a constellation of ricotta-filled points, playfully orbiting champignon mushrooms, mozzarella, a runny egg and truffled olive oil.
Folding in aromatics with acidity, Proof responded with the Jungle Wild Marinara, imbuing Italian traditions with Malaysia's botanical bounty: A classic foundation of Solania San Marzano DOP tomato sauce, basil and oregano, deepened with dabs of confit aioli with the kulim oil kick of Malaysia's 'forest garlic.'
Dinner reflected each kitchen’s rhythms.
From Cavalese, the Beetie Orange Salad was a study in freshness and form, beetroot with the citrus clarity of fresh orange, candied orange and orange vinaigrette.
From Proof, the Mosaico di Salmon took a more meticulous route of slow-poached salmon, supple with seaweed powder, avocado and sour cream mousse, and finger lime caviar.
Pasta warmth revealed each chef’s comforting perspectives.
From Cavalese, the Pollo Scottato con Spätzli, tender baked chicken in mushroom cream sauce, served with spätzli, the soft, eggy pasta typical of the Alps.
From Proof, Gnocchi Slipper Lobster, pillowy with crustacean fleshiness, vibrantly shaded in orange-mint tomato sauce with cherry tomatoes.
To wrap up these wonderful evenings, every table enjoyed a complimentary slice of the Cavalese Klepon Tiramisu, a showcase of how Southeast Asia's talents infuse their identity into global gastronomy without losing their sense of place, a statement on how Proof and Cavalese continue to blaze fresh culinary trails in their cities.
Proof Pizza + Wine
APW Bangsar, Jalan Riong, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.
Open Wednesday-Friday, 12pm-2:30pm, 5:30pm-10:30pm; Saturday-Sunday, 12pm-10:30pm.
Tel: 03-2201-3613
