Get your pizza from a film star

 A Melbourne couple is wooing customers of its new mobile pizza catering business with a unique and original ingredient - a film star. 

The big screen star is a tiny, totally Italian little catering vehicle - The Piaggio Ape (bee) scooter-based vehicle that is widely used in Italy as a snappy form of transport. 

The Ape's compact size allows it to negotiate narrow streets, park easily, and serve as an impromptu market stall.

The tiny Ape was first seen on Australian roads in the 40s and 50s and it has appeared in dozens of films, ranging from Return of the Pink Panther to the more recent 500 Days of Summer.

Signorino Pizza partners Gianna De Luise and Vincenzo Lobosco use the Ape to service corporate and private events. 

“Vincenzo’s grandfather actually owned a Piaggio Ape when Vincenzo was a child - and he zoomed around in it quite frequently," says Gianna. 

"He loves the idea of using the vehicle to bring something everyone can love and enjoy – pizza. We also wanted to give our two sons similar experiences, even if we are so far from small town Italy.” 

Signorino Pizza’s Ape is fitted out with all the mod cons. 

 

“We wanted Signorino Pizza to be about amazing quality food, uniqueness, authenticity, and of course Italian passion and flair for life, la bella vita (the good life)," says Gianna. 

"We want to bring amazing memories and experiences to people’s events."

The Ape is equipped with an Australian-engineered compact and light Aqueous 10-litre 240V hot water heater from Aus J Hot Water Solutions - ideal for operating in a small space. They were the people who alerted me to the story.