Chef Wylie Dufresne's New York Pizza Experimentation at Stretch Pizza

From Fine Dining to Pizza Roots

• 💡 Chef Wylie Dufresne, a New York native known for his innovative fine dining techniques, is returning to his roots with a focus on pizza.
• 🎯 He describes pizza as an "umami lasagna," with layers of flavor from the crust, tomatoes, and parmesan contributing to its universal appeal.
• 🧠 Dufresne's career, including his work at WD50 and Alder, has been defined by his imagination and ability to expand the possibilities of food.

Creative Pizza Concepts

• 🍕 Stretch Pizza features unique pies inspired by classic New York flavors, such as the "everything bagel" pizza with cream cheese, bagel spice, and chives.
• 🌟 Other inventive creations include "The Old Town" (grilled cheese-inspired with mushrooms and pickled shallots) and "The DL" (bacon and onion).
• 🌶️ Dufresne's approach to tomato sauce includes a touch of soy sauce to enhance umami and push flavors forward, a technique he developed during his fine dining career.

The Personal Journey of Stretch Pizza

• 🚀 The pandemic prompted Dufresne to learn pizza making, which eventually led to the opening of Stretch Pizza.
• ❤️ He states that pizza "saved him," providing a new direction when fine dining was uncertain.
• 💬 The restaurant emphasizes personal connection, with pies named after family members and inspired by personal memories, like his high school Latin teacher.

Expanding the Pizza Landscape

• 🍦 Complementing the pizzas, Stretch Pizza offers homemade soft serve ice cream with nostalgic toppings like crushed Butterfinger.
• 📍 With an outpost in Brooklyn and more planned, Dufresne aims to make Stretch Pizza stand out in a city with many pizza options.
• 💬 He believes New Yorkers appreciate great pizza and that there's a current enthusiasm and excitement for high-level pizza making.
• 🍕 The Brooklyn location focuses on slices, while the Park Avenue South location offers additional items like sliders and salads.