i. Biography
In Japan’s capital, a Roman-style dough craft is built from a narrow set of controls: flour, water, yeast, fermentation, heat, and service rhythm. At The Pizza Bar on 38th, inside Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo, the dough is specified with Italian organic flour, one gram of yeast, 80% water, and a 48-hour fermentation, worked toward a crust designed to be very light and digestible. Daniele Cason, an Italian chef from Rome and Executive Chef associated with the restaurant, uses that base for an omakase built around slices: a disciplined service of dough, bake, cut, topping, and season, with each portion treated as part of a tasting sequence rather than a shared pie.
The Trajectory
Hotel-kitchen discipline shaped the early foundation. From 2003, Daniele Cason worked as sous-chef at a five-star hotel in Rome, Italy, where consistency, polish, and repeatable execution were daily requirements. A later move to the kitchen team at La Pergola in Italy kept the work close to Italian culinary standards while extending the range of professional kitchens behind him. Luxury-hospitality cooking then widened the frame through chef roles at Four Seasons properties in Cairo, Egypt and Bangkok, Thailand. Those kitchens required Italian technique to operate inside different dining cultures, climates, and guest expectations, without losing the composure and identity expected in hotel service. Japan added another register of precision. As Executive Sous Chef at Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo, Japan (2013–2016), Cason worked in a city where restraint, seasonality, and repetition carry practical weight in the craft. That period connected his earlier international hotel experience to the more focused counter work later associated with the restaurant. The current hotel role continues that line. Since 2016, Daniele has been Executive Chef of the property, with a practice shaped across Italy, Egypt, Thailand, and Japan: Roman roots, hotel structure, international service fluency, and exacting counter work.
At Work Now
The omakase format gives a familiar form a stricter service architecture. Since 2016, Cason has served as Executive Chef at the hotel, and within that role he wanted to bring this craft to the property through the restaurant, where the work centers on a counter-led tasting sequence. The format moves the product away from a whole pie at the center of the table and into a progression where texture, temperature, aroma, and balance can be read slice by slice. The service rule is clear: eight varieties are served in slices, with each guest receiving one slice of each type. “Omakase kitchen is nothing more than a tasting menu that offers the best of the products on the market, and that is how I decided to create this type of experience with pizza.” In Cason’s hands, Italian tradition is filtered through Japanese seasonality, precision, and craftsmanship; the counter becomes a working station for timing, portioning, and immediate eating. Dough remains the central control point. His house dough is leavened for 48 hours and uses a mix of five different flours. Hydration and slow fermentation set the structure for a crust that must carry both classic and more elaborate toppings without heaviness, keeping the base airy, stable, and legible under service pressure. Two signatures show the range of the format. Pizzino is a double-baked square cut into portions, stuffed with mascarpone, provolone, and mozzarella, then topped with chopped spring onion and fresh truffle. Bufala stays closer to the classic line, with fresh Buffalo mozzarella, tomato, and basil on an organic crust. The working principle is stated plainly by Cason: “We must not only refine our existing concepts but also remain open to creating new ones that our guests of diverse background and cultures can all enjoy.”
Distinctions
The recognition has centered on The Pizza Bar on 38th and the craft position it occupies in contemporary pizza service. The Pizza Bar on 38th ranked first in Top 50 Pizza Asia-Pacific (2024), ranked third in 50 Top Pizza World (2023), and Daniele’s honors include Pizza Maker of the Year (2022).
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Daniele
What is Daniele Cason's current role?
Daniele Cason is Executive Chef associated with The Pizza Bar on 38th.
Where did Daniele Cason work before?
Earlier in their career, Daniele Cason worked at five-star hotel, La Pergola, and Four Seasons properties.
