A German couple relocates to Italy and opens a pizzeria, bringing their own touch to traditional pizza-making

Living the sweet life in Italy isn't just about finding an affordable home in a quaint village. It's also about basking in the sunshine, savoring fine food, and enjoying exquisite wines.

For some, it even means pursuing a career in pizza-making – with a distinctly German twist.

While many foreigners are drawn to Italy's stunning landscapes, serene atmosphere, and beauty, a couple from Munich had a unique dream: to serve a classic Italian dish to the locals.

But it's no easy feat. Crafting authentic pizza in Italy and meeting the expectations of Italian food lovers is a tough challenge.

Thomas Hartke and Irene Horbrand, both in their 60s, operate A Teira, the only pizzeria in the rural Ligurian village of Airole that stays open throughout the year. The village has a population of just 450, with 150 of them being foreigners.

What began as a holiday nearly five decades ago has evolved into a new life filled with unforeseen culinary successes.

“We fell in love with this place back in 1975 during our first visit,” recalls Hartke, a former stonemason who later became a waiter. “We returned several times, and 23 years ago, we decided to settle here permanently, moving into a rented house.”

“The locals are warm and welcoming, the village has a charming, close-knit atmosphere, and we left nothing behind in Germany. Why would we ever go back?”

The couple has always maintained an active lifestyle, and for them, living their dream is challenging yet incredibly fulfilling work.

After running the village's main bar for a few years, the couple took over the pizzeria in 2016.

The bar was much more demanding, according to Hartke, requiring 18-hour workdays. However, managing the pizzeria also brought its own set of challenges. With the complexities of permit renewals and everyday red tape, Hartke found the simplest solution: asking for help from the town hall, joking, “I’m a clueless German, I don’t know what to do.”

How to win over Italian pizza lovers

The biggest challenge was crafting a pizza that was not only good but acceptable, all while hoping the locals wouldn’t find it revolting.

“We knew serving pizza to Italians wasn’t going to be easy – it's such a revered, sacred food – but we never hesitated to try, and our bravery paid off,” says Hartke.

“Our customers really appreciate our pizzas, many of them become regulars, and it's not just the foreigners – even locals come here.”

A Teira, which means “the earth” in the local dialect, sits on land once cherished by farmers for its rich, fertile soil.

The pizzeria is a popular choice for dinner and weekend aperitifs, especially in the winter when most other restaurants and bars in Airole close for the season. The only other place open year-round is a restaurant serving local cuisine but no pizza. Their only competition is a taverna offering takeout pizza during the summer months.

Airole is a hidden gem, tucked away from Liguria’s lively beaches, surrounded by untouched forests and picturesque valleys.

It feels like a step back in time. The village is filled with narrow, cobblestone lanes known as caruggi, just wide enough for donkeys, pastel-hued houses with wooden doors, and medieval columns draped in ivy.

Thanks to the Germans' unexpected pizza-making expertise, A Teira has gained popularity. It’s fully booked in spring and summer when beachgoers from the coast flock to Airole for a break from the heat and hustle.

With only 10 tables for 50 guests, the pizzeria operates with no staff other than Thomas and Irene. She’s the pizza maker, while he manages the tables and greets customers.

What sets their pizza apart are the inventive twists on traditional recipes, with each one given a unique name that breaks away from classic Italian conventions.

Beyond the traditional pizzas, Irene has mastered the art of blending non-Italian ingredients, creating a fusion of culinary traditions.

Kebab pizzas and sauerkraut pies

Honoring her German roots, Irene crafts pizzas topped with sauerkraut, sausages, and veal shank, accompanied by a tomato salad. Other unique offerings include pizza kebabs, goat cheese pizza, and salmon pizza – the latter being the most popular among customers.

Irene, a former fur designer, had never made a pizza before she and her husband decided to take on the challenge in Airole. She learned the craft almost overnight, taking an intensive course in Germany led by a Neapolitan pizzaiolo.

Each evening, alone in their tiny kitchen where even her husband isn’t allowed, Irene bakes 60 pizzas between 6 and 10 p.m.

“I shop for fresh, local ingredients every morning at the market in Ventimiglia, just 13 kilometers (8 miles) away. There, I find everything from cheese and tomatoes to vegetables, fish, and cured meats. I enjoy creating new pizzas based on what’s in season, and each pizza tells its own unique story,” she explains.

One of her creations is Pizza Irene, topped with mozzarella, gorgonzola, arugula, and mushrooms. As the name suggests, it’s Irene’s personal favorite.

Pizza Thomas, on the other hand, features simple tomato sauce without mozzarella (since he’s not a fan), with capers, tuna, and ham – a bold combination, especially since in Italy, it’s unheard of to pair fish and meat.

Italians are known to be particularly protective of their traditional dishes, especially pasta and pizza, but somehow, the German couple’s inventive creations have managed to win over the locals in Airole.

“We were worried that clients would be put off by the combination of ham and tuna, but to our surprise, they absolutely loved it. It’s a one-of-a-kind pizza you can only get here,” says Irene.

The idea of creating a salmon pizza with lemon juice and grated lemon peel seemed like an extravagant gamble, designed to attract the North European migrants in the area. However, it unexpectedly gained popularity among Italians as well.

Pizza Maxima, named after the Dutch Queen Maxima, was created for the Dutch community in Airole. It features mozzarella, brie, speck, and nuts. Irene also makes a pizza with pears, as well as one with mushrooms and garlic.

The most “outrageous” pizza of all, which often makes Italians cringe, is the one topped with pineapple – a combination that Irene admits is particularly popular with foreign customers.

What the locals think

For Irene, the secret ingredients are “love and passion,” combined with an artistic touch. She enjoys experimenting with the colors of the ingredients, saying, “Pizza is love; we eat with our eyes first, and then with our mouths.”

“I simply love getting my hands into the dough, shaping it, and topping it with fresh, everyday ingredients. I never use anything that’s been sitting in the fridge.”

She recalls that everything went smoothly from the very beginning: “At our opening, I baked a variety of pizzas and offered everyone a slice. It was like a little test, and I was thrilled when they told me I had made a real Italian pizza – thin and crispy.”

The creative twists at this German-style pizzeria have won over the locals. No one looks down on A Teira – perhaps because it’s the only genuine pizzeria in the village.

Even other restaurateurs are fans of A Teira’s pizzas. Tiziana Spinosi, co-owner of the nearby U Veciu Defisiu (“the old olive press”) restaurant, is a regular customer.

Although Tiziana’s traditional Ligurian rabbit and stockfish dishes couldn’t be further from German-style pizzas, she deeply admires Irene’s innovative creations.

“Her pizza is always seasonal, using fresh ingredients, and every time she updates the menu with a new creation, I’m eager to try it,”

Tiziana’s husband and co-owner of the restaurant, Marco Molinari, takes a more practical approach.

“Honestly, we don’t have many options, but we always visit when we’re closed. Irene and Thomas make a fantastic pizza – the best in town.”

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