Chef Spotlight: How Matthew Slotover Discovered Rare Citrus for His Pizza Menu

When one rare citrus changed a pizza menu — and how you can use it to stand out

Hungry diners in 2026 want more than a safe, familiar pie: they want stories, provenance, and a flavor that stops the scroll. Yet many pizzerias struggle with inconsistent sourcing, scattered supplier options, and menus that blur together. Matthew Slotover solved that by bringing back-to-kitchen the most unexpected ingredient from the Todolí Citrus Foundation — and turning it into signature pizzas that sell, delight, and tell a sustainability story.

In this chef spotlight I sat down with Matthew to trace that discovery from the Todolí 'Garden of Eden' to the oven, and to pull out practical playbooks any pizza chef or owner can use to source rare produce, test dishes, scale them for delivery, and market the result in 2026's competitive landscape.

Why this matters now (short version)

• Differentiation wins: diners are paying premium for provenance and unusual flavors.
• Resilience matters: rare citrus varieties can carry genetic traits that help groves adapt to climate change — a story guests want to taste and support.
• Practical impact: the right citrus can lift a pizza — as a finishing zest, a finishing oil, or a compressed condiment — with tiny cost and big perceived value.

Meet Matthew Slotover and the Todolí moment

Matthew Slotover — chef, pizza innovator, and hands-on menu developer — first encountered the Todolí Citrus Foundation on a trip to Spain's east coast. The foundation maintains one of the world’s largest private collections of citrus, with hundreds of varieties from Buddha’s hand to finger lime, bergamot, and kumquat.

"Walking into that grove felt like walking into a kitchen pantry of future flavors," Matthew told me. "I kept thinking, which of these can make my pizza sing without breaking my margins?"

Why Todolí matters to chefs

The foundation is more than a catalog of novelty. In late 2025 and early 2026, chefs and agricultural scientists increasingly pointed to diverse heirloom collections as sources of climate-resilient traits. For a restaurateur, that means two things: unique flavor opportunities and a compelling sustainability narrative to share with guests.

Interview: Q&A with Matthew Slotover

Q — What citrus grabbed you at Todolí, and why?

Matthew: "Buddha's hand stopped me first — it's all aromatic peel and pith, no juice. But it was the finger lime and sudachi that changed my thinking. Finger lime 'caviar' gives texture and a bright, popping acid that works beautifully on a pizza as a finishing element. Sudachi's aromatic tartness plays like a vinegar substitute, but lighter. Bergamot peel gave me complex perfume notes to pair with creamy cheeses."

Q — How did you translate a fleeting taste into a reliable menu item?

Matthew: "Start microscopic. I do three small tests: sizzle test, cold-affinity test, and delivery test. For the sizzle test I try the citrus with a hot element — say, a slice with guanciale — to see if heat mutes or amplifies. Cold-affinity is how it pairs with cured fish or burrata. Delivery test checks how the finishing holds up in a box for 20–35 minutes, which is crucial for takeout-focused pizzerias."

Q — Any surprises when you first put these on a pie?

Matthew: "Guests often expect citrus to be sour and aggressive. When I used finger lime pearls on a smoked salmon pie the reaction was the opposite — they loved the texture more than the acid. Bergamot zest elevated the aroma; a tiny whisper goes further than a heavy squeeze of lemon."

Q — What are the top operational lessons for other pizza chefs?

1. Source small, test fast: buy a few kilos from a specialty supplier and run 30-50 covers of a limited pie.
2. Preserve smart: turn surplus citrus into peel confit, preserved slices, or a cordial — these last weeks and lower waste.
3. Train staff on finishing: a microgram too much zest can pivot a pie from sublime to unbalanced.

Practical playbook: How to bring rare citrus into your pizzeria

Below is a step-by-step, actionable checklist you can implement this week.

1) Where to source rare citrus (supply channels for 2026)

• Specialty importers: firms that moved into rare produce after 2023 now offer curated lots. Ask for sample boxes, not pallets.
• Foundations & gene banks: contact organizations like the Todolí Citrus Foundation for referrals — they often work with small growers or can point you to licensed distributors.
• Local nurseries & micro-producers: micro-orchards and regenerative farms in your region may grow unusual cultivars — perfect for seasonal features and event collabs.
• Preservation partners: if fresh supply is inconsistent, work with a co-packer to create preserved peel, marmalade, or concentrated cordials under your label.

2) Kitchen techniques that work on pizza

• Finishing pearls: Use finger lime pearls as a cold finish to add pops of acidity; apply 3–6 pearls per slice.
• Zest sparingly: Microplane zest over the pie right before service — ~0.2–0.3 g per slice is often enough.
• Compressed citrus: Quick-pick or compress thin slices in a 5% salt + 3% sugar brine for 24 hours to make a bracing condiment.
• Citrus oils & cordial: Create a citrus finishing oil (zest-infused neutral oil) or a syrupy citrus cordial to drizzle; they travel better than raw juices.

3) Recipe starters (ratios and pairings)

• Smoked salmon, crème fraîche, finger lime: 220g dough base, 40g crème fraîche, 40g smoked salmon, 3–4 g red onion, finish with 6–10 finger lime pearls and a whisper of dill.
• Guanciale, burrata, bergamot: 220g dough, 25g guanciale crisp, 60g torn burrata, finish with 1–2 thin bergamot zest strips and cracked black pepper.
• Cooked mushroom, robiola, sudachi oil: 220g dough, 70g mixed wild mushrooms, 30g robiola, drizzle 4–6 drops of sudachi-infused oil per pie after bake.

4) Costing and pricing (practical math)

Rare citrus can look expensive per kilo but the amount used per pie is tiny. Use this simple rule: calculate the cost per gram and multiply by the grams used per pie. Add labor and preservation overhead, then aim for a 3–3.5x menu multiplier on ingredient cost for premium, limited pies.

Example: finger lime at $60/kg. Cost per gram = $0.06. If you use 0.5 g per pie (6 pearls), ingredient cost = $0.03. Preservation & overhead add $0.20, total incremental cost $0.23; charging $3–$5 extra for a featured pie is reasonable and perceived as high value.

5) Delivery-friendly execution

• Finish at pick-up: for in-store pickup, finish on demand. For delivery, package pearls, oil, or zest separately in single-use vials/containers with clear reheating/finish instructions.
• Stability tests: run timed delivery tests with your in-house drivers or third-party platforms to validate texture and aroma after 30–60 minutes in a box.
• Communication: add a short note to the box on how to finish the pie (e.g., "Sprinkle pearls across cuts after 2 minutes out of box"). This increases perceived care and drives better reviews.

Marketing, events and storytelling

Turning a rare ingredient into revenue depends on story packaging. People don't buy a bergamot—they buy a narrative about place, care, and the chef's craft.

• Limited runs: launch as a one-week feature, marketed as "Todolí Series: Bergamot & Burrata" to create urgency.
• Tasting flights: offer a citrus flight — three slices with differing citrus finishes to drive upsell and social shares.
• Event collabs: host a farm-to-oven dinner with a citrus grower or a virtual walk-through of a supplier's orchard to elevate the educational value.
• Short-form video: show the microplane, the pearls popping, the chef's first reaction — these are high-performing moments on Reels and TikTok in 2026.

2026 trends & future predictions (what to watch)

Late 2025 and early 2026 solidified several patterns that affect how chefs source and sell rare produce:

1. Traceability matters: diners demand provenance. Blockchain-backed traceability and QR codes that show orchard details have moved from novelty to expectation in premium segments.
2. Climate-smart sourcing: restaurants increasingly partner with gene banks and regenerative growers to tell a resilience story — the Todolí collection is a prime example of why diversity matters.
3. Flavor microdosing: Chefs are using microgram-level finishes (zests, pearls, oils) to create premium moments with minimal cost impact.
4. Experience-first dining: in 2026, the consumer wants to be part of the narrative; interactive finishing kits for delivery and table-side finishing are growth areas.

What this means for pizzerias

Invest in traceable, small-batch ingredients and communicate the story. Use rare citrus for high-margin add-ons and experiences rather than trying to make it the base of a mainstream pie. The ROI isn't just in immediate sales — it's in elevated brand perception and repeat visits from curious foodies.

Real-world case study: The 'Bergamot & Burrata' run

When Matthew debuted his 'Bergamot & Burrata' pie as a 10-day limited run, he followed a three-step launch:

1. Soft test: 40 covers on staff night to calibrate finishing amounts and packaging for delivery.
2. Limited release: 120 pies across two days with an online pre-order system — sold out in 6 hours.
3. Post-launch scale: negotiated a small regular allocation with his supplier and created a preserved bergamot zest line for stability.

Business outcome: the item sold for a $4 premium, had a 4.8/5 guest rating, and drove a 22% increase in new guest accounts for the week. The narrative also earned local press and several high-value social shares.

Risks and how to mitigate them

• Supply volatility: hedge by preserving surplus and securing multiple small suppliers rather than one large buyer.
• Guest education: use in-box cards and menu copy to explain unfamiliar ingredients — a little education converts hesitation into excitement.
• Cost creep: track incremental ingredient costs and limit rare-citrus pies as specials rather than permanent low-margin menu items.
• Allergen and labeling: ensure accurate labeling; some citrus oils may intensify sensitivities in sensitive guests.

Quick-reference checklist: Launch a rare-citrus pizza in 10 steps

1. Identify 1–2 target citrus varieties and a small supplier.
2. Buy a sample lot (2–5 kg) and run kitchen sizzle and cold affinity tests.
3. Decide preservation method for surplus (cordial, preserved peel, infusion).
4. Create 2–3 prototype pies and price using the 3–3.5x ingredient multiplier.
5. Do staff tasting and a delivery stability test.
6. Prepare marketing assets: short video, tasting notes, and a QR provenance tag.
7. Launch as a limited run and collect feedback via a QR survey.
8. Negotiate ongoing supply if sell-through is strong.
9. Introduce a citrus flight to upsell and increase AOV.
10. Document outcomes and iterate every 60 days.

Final thoughts from Matthew

"The best innovations are small and repeatable. It wasn't about revolutionizing pizza — it was about adding a tiny, unforgettable finish that compelled guests to ask, 'What's that?' and come back for the answer."

Actionable takeaways

• Start small: you don't need a pallet of rare citrus to test a concept — a kilo is often enough.
• Preserve value: turn surplus into preserved products to reduce waste and protect margins.
• Tell the story: provenance and climate resilience matter in 2026 — put the story on the menu and the box.
• Price smart: microdosing creates premium perception with very low incremental cost.

Want to try Matthew's approach?

Book a tasting, try a limited run, or sign up for our monthly supplier roundup to discover where to find Todolí-sourced citrus and trusted specialty importers. If you're a pizzeria owner ready to pilot a rare-citrus pie, start with one of Matthew's starter recipes above and run a 3-day limited release — capture feedback, measure sell-through, and scale if demand proves real.

Join the conversation: share your experiment with rare citrus on social and tag us — we'll feature the best takes on pizzahunt.online and connect you with suppliers who can scale your success.

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