On Thursday, October 1, 2026, from 8 to 10 p.m., Modus Pizzeria at via Andrea Maffei 12 in Milan hosted the “When Cilento Meets Japan” evening. The event was born from the meeting of two cuisines rooted in their origins: that of Paolo De Simone, who brings the Cilento where he was born to Milan, and that of Aya Yamamoto, founder of Gastronomia Yamamoto, the Milanese restaurant dedicated to home-style Japanese cuisine.
The menu included an appetizer, three pizzas created for the occasion, and a dessert, with wine and sake pairings, for 70 euros per person with reservation.
Two cuisines, each with its own identity
“We wanted to tell a different story of Japan, one of everyday family dishes,” Aya Yamamoto explained. “In Paolo’s work, I found an equally strong connection to his own roots.”
“Cilento is the starting point of my work,” De Simone explained. “Every pizza tells the story of this encounter and tries to build a meeting point between Cilento and Japan.” For him, pizza became “the ideal canvas to bring together different ingredients while making them instantly recognizable.”
The three pizzas of the evening
- Yatai Pizza. Fried pizza with cacioricotta and broccoli rabe, served with teriyaki chicken. The name comes from yatai, Japanese street food stalls.
- Chashu and Provola. Chashu, the braised pork belly typical of ramen, with potatoes and provola cheese.
- Umami Buffalo. Buffalo mozzarella, anchovies, and lemon, with katsuobushi, nori seaweed jam, and wasabi. It is built around umami, the fifth taste.
What the press wrote
- Eroi del Gusto, September 4: “Cilento and Japan meet in three pizzas by Modus and Gastronomia Yamamoto.”
- De-gustare, September 14: “Cilento and Japan meet in three pizzas at Modus.”
- MilanoToday, September 17, by Mauro Marconi, in the events section: “‘When Cilento Meets Japan’: Three Unprecedented Pizzas by Modus and Gastronomia Yamamoto.”
- Zarabazà, September 21: “When Cilento Meets Japan: Three Unprecedented Pizzas by Modus and Gastronomia Yamamoto.”
- Vivimilano, September 25, online and in newsstands: “Japanese-Style Pizzas,” by Valerio M. Visintin.
- Agenda Viaggi, September 30: “Cilento and Japan: The Encounter at Modus,” by Alice Ventura.
For one evening, on via Maffei, broccoli rabe and teriyaki chicken ended up on the same pizza.
Sources: Eroi del Gusto · De-gustare · MilanoToday · Zarabazà · Vivimilano · Agenda Viaggi
