Mama Della’s brings NY to BR

Walk into Mama Della’s New York City Pizzeria on Jefferson Highway and it hits you right away—the smell of real New York pizza. Chef-owner Barry Kalt hails from the Empire State, getting his start as a teenager washing dishes in his family’s Long Island restaurant. From there he worked nearly every job in the restaurant industry possible—from maître d’ to caterer. He served in the Navy during the Vietnam War, working as a cook and baker on submarines. Eventually he made his way to Tennessee, then Baton Rouge, bringing with him his family recipes—the same recipes now on the menu at Mama Della’s. “Everything is authentic,” Kalt says with pride. “And my commitment to the highest-quality ingredients is unwavering.” The tomatoes for the sauce come from Italy. The Italian salad dressing is his mother’s recipe, the one Kalt grew up eating at home. Even the spice on the roasted chicken wings and the blue cheese marinara come from family traditions dating back decades. Kalt’s exacting standards have led to temporary frustration in some cases, when he’s been unable to find certain ingredients of the quality he desires. “I’m most concerned about the food, about the flavor,” he says. “I’m a chef; I want to know what’s going on inside your mouth.” Kalt pays homage to his family with the logo and name of the restaurant—his mother, Adele, was nicknamed “Mama Della” by customers at the Long Island restaurant, and the image of the smiling woman on the restaurant’s logo is based on her wedding photo. Kalt hasn’t told her about the restaurant yet; he hopes to present it to her next month for her 85th birthday. Check out their full menu at mamadellas.com.