Lactalis launches Galbani Professionale Premio pizza mozzarella at chef-centred event

Lactalis Canada hosted a lively tasting and learning event at Toronto’s Ritz-Carleton hotel on Jan. 22 for more than 100 chefs, restaurateurs and the press, to launch their new Galbani Professionale Premio Pizza Mozzarella.

Afrim Pristine, owner of The Cheese Boutique, was emcee and moderator for industry and chef panels discussing what they’re seeing in the restaurant landscape followed by sampling of a variety of dishes from savoury to sweet featuring Premio pizza mozzarella.

The cheese, which has 26 per cent milk fat and was described by Pristine, company experts and other chefs in attendance as rich, buttery and creamy with good stretch, was developed to provide an indulgent experience.

Samay Bhardwaj, senior brand manager at Lactalis Canada, said trends come from food service through their menu and ingredient choices. In this way, launching the new Premio brand to an audience of accomplished chefs made sense.

Photos: Canadian PIzza

Iven Zanardo, general manager, and Andrew Davis, vice-president of marketing, for Foodservice and Ingredient Exports, joined chef Ryan Marquis, national president of the Canadian Culinary Federation, and chef Luciano Schipano, president of the Association of Italian Chefs of Canada, on stage to talk about the new product, food trends and goals for 2024. Davis said Premio, which is geared to chefs, has been two years in the making and is a high-quality cheese with good stretch and consistency for preparation using any oven.

Three chef ambassadors took the stage to discuss what trends they’re seeing and what they’re doing in their own businesses: Thomas Schneider, owner of Tommy’s Pizzeria in Winnipeg, Maurizio Mascioli, owner of Maurizio’s Pizza Inc. in Parry Sound, and Anthony Sestito, owner of Sestito Foods and the Pastaio pasta brand. Mascioli said he wants to “reset” that idea of pizza as an unhealthy food by serving high-quality pizza with nutritional attributes. The chef, who is lactose-intolerant, said he now uses Galbani’s lactose-free mozzarella across his pizza menu. Sestito sees Premio as enhancing pasta with white sauces, Mascioli highlighted its stretch and melting attributes and Schneider noted its consistent quality.

As for upcoming trends, Sestito expects to have a focus on stuffed pasta shells. Mascioli is promoting the use of organic, farm-to-table, nutritious ingredients. Schneider pointed to tavern-style pizza, the closely related grandma-style pizza and lactose-free pizza as promising areas of interest for his business.

Guests at the launch had an opportunity to sample a savoury and sweet menu featuring the new Premio cheese prepared by the Ritz-Carleton chef Liezle Espejo. On offer were formaggio pizza with grana padano, rosemary and tomato sauce, gourmet grilled cheese, classic tiramisu and strawberry tartlets with balsamic reduction and micro basil and other mozzarella-forward creations.

Premio will be available in the coming weeks along with an AI-powered portal called Premioso to assist registered customers.