Our world-ranked Pizza maestro Chef Hem to open city eatery
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From April, years of hard work will pay off for a young Nepalese Chef who came to Australia on a student visa and has risen to world domination in the competitive field of pizza-making.
Thapa Magar Hemnath (or Chef Hem for short) is Canberra’s only chef (and one of two Australians) to hold a place in the Top 100 pizza-makers through The Best Chef Awards
And in the first week of April, he will open the doors to his brand new venue, Sliceria, on Marcus Clarke Street, just next door to our dearly-missed Miss Van’s.
Since his 2023 catapult to celebrity status in Canberra (the award is a big thing, judged by 200 people including pizzaiolos and other gastronomy professionals from six continents, 24 countries, and 74 cities around the globe), Chef Hem has been working at Pizza Artigiana as well as operating his two small Hem and Co Vans.
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The Jetty-based van by Lake Burley Griffin is a huge drawcard for Canberrans who simply cannot get enough of authentic Italian ingredients (Chef Hem gets the ingredients from a supplier who imports almost everything from Italy except for the fresh cheeses) and his uncanny ability to pull together the perfect disc – from the crispy base to the luxurious toppings.
We are talking hot salami, gorgonzola, fiore di latte, whipped ricotta, hot honey and parmesan (for his top-selling Hemazing) to the Truffle Shuffle of a creamy truffle base topped with mushrooms, fiore di latte, parmesan, olive oil and truffle paste.
But Sliceria will take things in a different direction, offering Roman-style pizza by the rectangular slice, as well as schiacciata (thin focaccia sandwiches) and a selection of Roman-style deserts, including maritozzo, cannoli, tiramisu, and those divine frozen lemon sorbet lemons we raved about here.
There will be a few tables inside and a few on the pavement, but Chef Hem imagines this will be a place to grab-and-go. He promises wide variety, seasonal produce, and a fresh deli section from which to choose ingredients.
The oven will be cranking and he expects to do a lunch, afternoon and early evening trade to everyone from office workers to ANU students who want a meal in a slice of pizza.
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Chef Hem uses high-protein Italian flour and proves his dough for up to 24 hours. He also keeps a close eye on the weather, which affects his pizza quality and requires him to tweak things constantly.
When asked what he puts his success down to, he says that high-quality ingredients chosen with care are the key to his success.
But he also acknowledges that he has worked incredibly hard to reach this stage.
Having arrived in Australia with his wife in 2018, he held down two or more jobs to keep a roof over their heads while she studied and they shared dreams of a better life together. After his wife completed her Master’s Degree, Chef Hem made the decision to follow his passion for cooking, enrolling in a culinary course and gaining formal qualifications in the industry.
He worked as a cleaner in the early mornings, studied during the day, and spent the evenings volunteering to make pizzas at a popular Sydney establishment so he could hone his skills and understand the business from the inside out.
“Yes, it was tough, very tough. I arrived with a small amount of money in my pocket that my father gave me…I worked very hard since then, and I am still working hard every single day to pursue my dream. And I have been waiting for this moment for seven years, grinding every single day.”
He pays tribute to his wife and baby daughter Leorah for providing him with the inspiration to keep at it and said owning his own shop was a dream come true.
“My journey is not just about making a living, it’s about creating a life – one that’s rich with purpose, love and the sweet taste of hard-earned success.”
“My entire family is very proud too.”
THE ESSENTIALS
What: Sliceria opening in the first week of April
Where:Marcus Clarke Street, Civic
When: Lunch and early dinner Monday to Saturday
Web Instagram : Slic.eria
