NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Frank Zabski spent more than three decades in the complex world of information technology. A year and a half ago, he decided to shift to something simpler – that included dough, sauce, and lots of cheese.
Zabski is now the owner of the New Haven Pizza School and his business model is built around the almighty New Haven-style “Apizza” pie.
“I took three that I love to do: No. 1, talk; No. 2 teach; and No. 3, make New Haven-style pizza,” he told FOX61 News on Tuesday.
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Zabski’s pizza school works out of the well-equipped wood-fired pizza oven inside the back dining area of “Next Door New Haven,” a restaurant on Humphrey Street in the Elm City.
There he teaches both the history and science of the local pizza that the city is renowned for.
“[We teach] how to make the dough, the sauce, launch it (toss it in the air), stretch it, and eat it,” he said.
Zabski stressed that there is no perfect way to make a New Haven pie, especially when it comes to the shape.
“This is an art -- 100 100% -- and that’s why I teach you don’t have to have a round pizza – it doesn’t matter, there is no taste in the shape,” he added.
Taking the New Haven Pizza School class for the second time, Mike Argiro, from Wallingford, said that in the 3-hour class, he learned to make pizza and so much more.
“You make friends, you learn how to make pizza and you just have a great time,” he said.
His fellow pizza classmate Bill Plotkin, from Fairfield, added: “There’s not much of a better experience, if you ask me, so it’s really great what you can do with a pie.”
Zabski said he is dedicated to both the power of New Haven Pizza and the community that it can bring together.
“One of my goals is to evangelize New Haven Pizza throughout the country,” he said with a laugh. “This is the pizza capital of the world!”
The New Haven Pizza School typically runs classes two to three times a week. The cost is $125 per person and classes run for three hours. To learn more click here.
Jimmy Altman is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at jaltman@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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