For years now, Rudy’s Pizza Napoletana has built a fiercely loyal following by focusing on what matters: proper Neapolitan pizza, made the right way. Now, the Northern-born favourite is inviting pizza fans behind the scenes with the launch of a new hands-on masterclass experience at the Rudy’s Academy in Manchester.

Certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, the Naples-based organisation dedicated to preserving authentic Neapolitan pizza-making since 1984, the experience gives guests a proper introduction to the techniques behind Rudy’s pizzas, guided by the restaurant’s expert pizzaioli rather than a bloke who watched two YouTube videos and suddenly bought a dough scraper.

Guests are taken through the full process from start to finish, learning how Rudy’s dough is mixed, fermented and double-proved before stretching their own bases by hand and building pizzas using classic Neapolitan ingredients ahead of the all-important trip into Rudy’s fiercely hot ovens. No experience is needed, although anyone who’s ever confidently described themselves as 'basically a chef' after making garlic bread at home may receive a swift reality check.

The sessions are designed to feel relaxed and social, with small groups giving everyone the chance to ask questions, compare techniques and inevitably judge each other’s attempts at circular dough. At the end of the class, guests sit down together to eat their pizzas in true Italian style, with one creation crowned the best of the session for a little extra bragging rights on the journey home. Naturally, the experience also lends itself well to birthdays, celebrations, work socials and group events.

Neal Bates, Managing Director at Rudy’s Pizza, said: "We’ve always believed that great pizza is about more than just what ends up on the plate, it is about the process, the people and the atmosphere around it. The masterclass is about bringing those things together in a completely different way. 

"Guests will learn techniques inspired by the globally recognised standards of the AVPN, regarded as the benchmark for authentic Neapolitan pizza-making. It’s hands-on, relaxed and social, but guests are also learning the real techniques and traditions behind authentic Neapolitan pizza. 

'We want to create something that feels genuinely immersive, whether you’re a huge pizza enthusiast or just looking to try something different."

Find out more here.