Ed LaDou

Ed LaDou
Born
Edward M. LaDou, III[1]

(1955-10-09)October 9, 1955
McChord Field, Pierce County, Washington, U.S.
DiedDecember 27, 2007(2007-12-27) (aged 52)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
OccupationPizza chef
Known forCalifornia-style pizza

Edward M. LaDou, III (October 9, 1955 – December 27, 2007) was an American pizza chef, who is credited with popularizing gourmet California-style pizzas.[2][3] Ed LaDou was the first pizza chef at Wolfgang Puck's Spago restaurant in Los Angeles.[4] He also developed the first menu for the American chain restaurant California Pizza Kitchen.[4]

The invention of the California-style pizza begins with a Berkeley, California, pizza restaurant, Chez Panisse, and its owner, Alice Waters.[5] Waters was the first to create pizzas with exotic and unusual toppings which were cooked in a wood-burning pizza oven.[4] However, LaDou was a major figure in the development and popularity of these types of pizzas.[4] LaDou was known for introducing very unusual ingredients into his pizza recipes at a time when such toppings were highly unorthodox.[4] Examples include duck breast and hoisin sauce pizza and barbecue chicken pizza.[4]

  1. ^ "Edward M. LaDou III Obituary (2008)". Legacy.com. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2022-07-09.
  2. ^ Balla, Lesley (2008-01-03). "Father of Gourmet Pizza, Ed LaDou, Dies at 52". Eater LA. Retrieved 2022-07-09.
  3. ^ Whitson, Craig; Gjesteland, Tore; Widén, Mats; Hansen, Kenneth (2015-03-17). Passion for Pizza: A Journey Through Thick and Thin to Find the Pizza Elite. Agate Publishing. p. 254. ISBN 978-1-57284-746-0.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Stewart, Jocelyn Y (2008-01-04). "Ed LaDou, 52; chef pioneered gourmet pizza revolution". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2013-01-27. Retrieved 2008-01-19.
  5. ^ "How California Changed the Face of Pizza Forever". Thrillist. Retrieved 2022-07-09.