Sliceria will feature Roman-style pizza slices. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Chef Hem’s pizza has become a thing of legend in Canberra. The internationally ranked pizza maker runs the kitchen at Pizza Artigiana, and his food truck, Hem & Co, has become a favourite summertime fixture at The Jetty. Not content with this success, he is busily working on a new space by bringing a touch of Roma to the ‘Berra.
Hem (short for Thapa Magar Hemnath) is opening a new store, Sliceria, featuring an entirely different kind of pizza than what he’s known for.
“I wanted to bring something really different and exciting to Canberra. And it excites me to be able to do something different,” he told Region.
“Roman-style pizza is sold as rectangles by the slice, so it’s a really good lunch option.”
Chef Hem is ranked in the top 100 pizza chefs around the world by The Best Chef Awards. Photo: Kazuri Photography.
To realise this different pizza variety, Hem has altered his dough recipe. He’ll use high hydration and allow a lengthy resting time to make the dough super light (the long fermentation also prevents bloating, he says). The bases will be crispy, too, because Hem reckons he’s noticed this is the preference among Canberrans.
The shop will feature about seven or eight different toppings each day with rotating flavours; the price will sit at about the $12 to $15 mark. He’ll be open for lunch and into the early evening for those wanting to grab a slice or two on the way home from work. He’s expecting a steady flow of foot traffic from office workers, ANU students and passers-by through the City West area.
In addition to the slices, Sliceria will be baking fresh focaccia to make thin, crispy schiacciata sandwiches fresh to order from a cabinet full of deli meats and cheeses. There will also be a curated menu of drinks, snacks and desserts, including cannoli, tiramisu and maritozzi (Roman cream-filled brioche buns).
Chef Hem plans to open Sliceria in the first week of April. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
You might think working in a pizza shop, running a food truck and opening a new business would be enough for one person, but Chef Hem isn’t done yet! He’s the proud new owner of Pizza Artigiana in Jamison, which will now be known as Pizza Artigiana by Chef Hem.
“I’ve been working there for four years and owner Silvio [Miceli] came to me saying he wanted to sell. He’s got a young family and wants to spend more time with them,” he said.
Silvio will continue to own and operate Una Pizza at Verity Lane.
Chef Hem will be updating the menu and bringing in some new dishes based on popular specials from his career.
“I’ve worked really hard since coming to Australia in 2018, but it wouldn’t have been possible without my wife. She is so supportive; she’s my backbone. We have a daughter who gives me so much energy. Even if I’m stressed after work, I come home and see her, and it’s life-changing every time.”
Hem hopes to open Sliceria in the first week of April, but follow the shop on Instagram to stay up to date with progress. Sliceria is located at 115 Marcus Clarke Street, City West.
Pizza Artigiana by Chef Hem is located at 39 Bowman St, Macquarie. Follow it on Instagram.
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