Pizza is more than just food. It’s a journey measured in flavors, flour, and the hands that have shaped it for generations. Once a humble neighborhood staple, pizza has become a global icon, carrying with it not just dough, but stories, identities, and a deep cultural exchange.
This is the essence of Storie di Pizza – The American Dream, the second season of the documentary series produced by REcarcano srl in collaboration with Amazon Prime Video and the Italian Trade Commission. Supported by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture and sponsored by the Campania Region, the documentary explores how pizza has evolved far beyond its Neapolitan roots.
At an event hosted by the Italian Trade Commission in New York, Raimondo Lucariello, head of the Food & Wine division, summed it up simply: pizza isn’t just a dish anymore—it’s a way of telling stories. Director Luca Carcano recalled how the first season focused on Naples, its narrow streets, the Margheritas, and the pizzaioli who treat dough as philosophy. This time, the story looks outward: What happens when pizza leaves home? What happens when it lands in the U.S., where 97% of the population eats pizza and three billion pies are every year?
To answer these questions, the crew followed pizza’s journey—through the Las Vegas Pizza Expo, the vibrant streets of Los Angeles, and into New York, where pizza is practically a second language. But they weren’t just filming ovens and slices. They were documenting a movement, something alive and evolving. Not just Italian pizza in America, but American pizza with Italian roots. And they didn’t just talk to Italians. That was the point. As Carcano put it, the real story is about Americans—some with Italian heritage, some without—who are making pizza with discipline, passion, and extraordinary skill. They’re not copying; they’re contributing.
One of the documentary’s central figures is Giorgia Caporuscio, a New York pizzaiola making her mark in a male-dominated industry. Starting the film with her wasn’t just a creative choice; it was a statement about those reshaping the pizza world from within. Alongside her are Giulia Adriani, Robert Caporuscio, and a new generation of American pizzaioli—no nostalgia, no clichés—just serious technique and impeccable flavor. Among them is Anthony Mangieri, ranked #1 on 50 Top Pizza World, an American making pizza on par with the best in Naples—some say even better.
The documentary also follows Andrea Belfiore—chef, host of the second season, and a rising star in New York’s food scene. When he arrived in the city 17 years ago, he was confident. But stepping into a Brooklyn pizzeria changed everything. Pizza, he realized, isn’t just about crafting the perfect dough. It’s a philosophy, a worldview. Every choice—the flour, the tomatoes, the resting time—tells a story of origins and identity. And you don’t master it by accident; you learn through trial and error.
Storie di Pizza – The American Dream will premiere in 1,300 cinemas across Italy this September before arriving on Amazon Prime Video in October. Carcano hopes audiences will experience it on the big screen. Vegas ovens, L.A. sidewalks, and New York’s neon-lit nights deserve cinematic depth and the weight of Dolby sound. Because pizza, like a great story, needs space to breathe.
Beyond the melted mozzarella and crisp crust, there’s a deeper message: Not every tale of Italian excellence should come from a multinational corporation. Real quality—the kind that starts with a single tomato, a grain of wheat, a ball of mozzarella—comes from people. From mid-sized businesses. From dedicated artisans who choose, day after day, to do things the right way.
