A Q&A with Michael Hanna, chef/owner, St. Vito Focacceria in Nashville, Tennessee
Concept:
St. Vito is a Sicilian pizza concept that pays homage to “Sfincione” style pizza out of Palermo, Sicily. Alongside pizza, St. Vito offers an ever-changing seasonal menu of Sicilian and Italian-American-inspired plates.
Pizza Style & Dough:
The pizza is cooked in 10x14x2 steel Lloyd pans, naturally leavened and cold fermented for up to three days. The dough is always 100-percent hydrated and we never use commercial yeasts. All pizzas are par-baked without any toppings and later reheated through and dressed. One whole pizza is six slices and we sell by the slice and whole. Every pizza is studded with fontina cheese and topped with Pecorino and bread as an homage to the original style found throughout Sicily.
What is the key to a perfect SFINCIONE?
The key to a perfect sfincione, in regards to how we make it, is a crunchy bottom, soft and airy wide crumb, gooey fontina cheese bite, and fresh toppings. When the dough is perfectly stretched and fermented the result is heaven-like.
With so many competing restaurant options in downtown Nashville, what is the best way you’ve been able to reach the market?
Just make really good consistent food. It all speaks for itself; word of mouth is the best marketing.
What made it possible for you to go from a pop-up to a brick-and-mortar location?
Preparation and failure, I was always ready for a meeting with potential inventors. I went through multiple different suitors before landing on the partner that I felt comfortable doing business with. I also have to give some credit to my kids or kids at the time. Before my daughter came along I didn’t have much patience or much long-term planning ability. I realized soon after experiencing fatherhood that time was a bit of a marathon and to slow down, and stop being so reactive. The food was good and different considering the market I was attempting to start the business in so I had time to figure it out.
What’s next?
Keep trucking along and make St. Vito the best it can be. We have a lot of potential and we are a very different style of restaurant compared to others. We only seat 43 people and have a very small staff. Our pizza is sort of an educational experience for some residents in our city so I feel it’s our job to be as consistent and persistent as possible for our customers.
