Restaurant manager to represent company on national stage after becoming first ever head of flair

The general manager of an Italian restaurant chain’s Lynn branch has become the first ever head of flair for the brand.

Danny Hamilton, the general manager of Lynn’s Pizza Express, has been appointed as the company’s first head of flair, which will see him become its “ultimate brand ambassador” with both customers and restaurant teams.

From helping to promote new menu items to starring in campaigns and on social media, his most important job will be working closely with Pizza Express’ learning and development team to inspire and teach the art of dough flaring for the pizzaiolos (pizza chefs) across the company globally, including live tutorials and tips and tricks videos.

The art of flaring began in 1965 when Pizza Express invented the role of the pizzaiolo.

A spokesperson said: “Artfully flaring dough is something Pizza Express’ top pizzaiolos pride themselves on, flawlessly stretching the dough to preserve the small air bubbles needed to ensure the perfect balance of soft dough and a crispy base.

“The creation of the head of flair role represents Pizza Express’ commitment to continuing to serve up the very best pizzas – all created with passion and flair.”

They said Danny was selected for the role after he beat the competition with his dough flaring skills, and his “passion for all things pizza clearly showed” throughout the selection process.

“Danny’s expertise from his 15 years as a Pizza Express team member makes him the perfect fit for this new role,” they added.

He began his career as a trainee pizzaiolo at the Lynn restaurant – the same restaurant he manages today – before being promoted into a range of positions including working as a restaurant team trainer.

Danny said: “Flaring isn’t just about throwing dough in the air.

“It’s about how you present yourself and your personality – and to me, true flair is the day to day of actually interacting with our customers and team – and if I can throw in a few flaring tricks along the way, then that’s an added bonus.

“At Pizza Express, we like to say dinnertime is our showtime, and I can’t wait to join with restaurants across the country in my role as head of flair and put on a true show.”

Pizza Express’ chief marketing officer Stephen Taylor said the brand was thrilled to welcome Danny into the role of head of flair.

“At Pizza Express, we’re passionate about helping our team members have successful and rewarding careers, and once we saw Danny’s love for the brand, combined with his exceptional flaring skills, we knew he was perfect for our head of flair position to inspire our teams,” he said.

As part of his new role, Danny is also one of the leading stars in a new out of home campaign in iconic locations across the North West of the country.

The campaign features Danny along with three other Pizza Express team members as the stars of the show, paying homage to those who are dedicated to serving pizza with pizzazz.

Danny said: “It was great to take part in the campaign and showcase what PizzaExpress and flaring is all about. It was incredible to see the finished photo displayed on the big screen.”

He can be seen in the campaign across Manchester and Liverpool until Sunday, July 16.