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Papa Johns is feeling extra saucy.
The national pizza chain has set a far-fetched goal for itself: to become the first pizza establishment to earn a Michelin star.
While there are 70 pizzerias listed in the Michelin guide, no pizzeria has ever received a Michelin star — and Papa Johns believes it is worthy.
To prove that they deserve the recognition, the company launched a Pan Pizza with a new recipe, and the brand has laid out how it incorporates what Michelin looks for when giving out stars.
Papa Johns spent years perfecting the recipe, the company said, noting that it includes a garlic Parmesan crust, a six-cheese blend (mozzarella, provolone, fontina, asiago, Parmesan and Romano), Italian seasoning, and no artificial flavors or colors.
Jenna Bromberg, chief marketing officer at Papa Johns, said in a statement that the pizza, with its crispy edge and “cloud-soft” center, is “a love letter to a food that has shaped moments and memories for decades.”
Bromberg proclaimed that the quick-service ’za “belongs in a MICHELIN-level conversation” and “was built to impress.”
To prove it is a serious Michelin bid, Papa Johns is hosting a one-night-only restaurant dining experience, transforming one of its Manhattan locations into one of the “hardest-to-book” restaurants in New York.
On Thursday, Feb. 19, Papa Rewards members will be able to enjoy “an elevated, softly lit atmosphere” made to showcase “the artistry behind every slice.”
The lucky guests will get a three-course pizza-forward menu built around the new Pan Pizza, along with Pepsi-Cola pairing flights led by a “Soda Sommelier” designed to “intensify, brighten and complement” the pizza shop’s ingredients.
The intimate experience is reservation-only, rewarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
