Pizza has become a popular gourmet food recently. But what makes it so popular and irresistible? Is it the dough?
The sauce? The toppings? Or is it perhaps a combination and balance of all three? Ask any pizza connoisseur, and you’ll likely hear a different answer.
In this post, I’ll introduce you to the best and most popular pizza chefs worldwide that you can follow on social media.
Whether you prefer the classic Margherita or experimental toppings, these chefs have taken the art of pizza making to a new level. They’ll amaze you with their skill, experience, and creativity.
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1. Tony Gemignani
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Tony Gemignani is the pizzaiolo to follow if you are an aspiring pizza maker.
He is the most famous pizza person in the world and an expert in Neapolitan, Sicilian, Chicago-style, and New York-style pizzas.
To add to his long list of resumes, Tony is a 13-time World Pizza Champion and owns Tony’s Pizza Napoletana and Slice House in San Francisco.
He is also a celebrated author, having written several books on pizza-making, including; “The Pizza Bible.”
The chef was also the founder of the International School of Pizza, which offered pizza-making courses.
Although the school has since closed, Gemignani still finds a way to teach about pizza to chefs and enthusiasts alike through other platforms.
Gemignani’s pizzas are known for their authentic flavors and high-quality ingredients.
Follow him on Instagram (@capopizza) for a visual feast of his award-winning pizzas, watch tutorials, and get tips for making the perfect pizza.
2. Chris Bianco
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Chris Bianco is a pizza chef who prides himself in attention to detail and crafting some of the best hand-made pizzas in the US.
He is a celebrated pizzaiolo and restaurateur based in Phoenix, Arizona. He owns Pizzeria Bianco, undoubtedly one of the best pizzerias in the United States.
The chef and his restaurant were featured in the first season of Chef’s Table: Pizza in 2022.
Bianco grew up in New York, where he first became interested in pizza-making while working at his Brother’s pizzeria.
He later moved to Phoenix and opened his pizzeria in 1988, quickly gaining a reputation for serving some of the best pizzas in the city.
The pizzaiolo is dedicated to using fresh and local ingredients in his pizzas. He is also particularly passionate about using high-quality, locally sourced flour to make his dough.
Additionally, he personally oversees every aspect of the pizza-making process – from creating the dough to choosing the toppings and cooking the pizzas in his wood-fired oven.
Chris Bianco is a James Beard award-winning chef widely regarded as one of the best pizza chefs in the world.
Bianco’s pizzas are known for their crispy, thin crusts and simple yet delicious toppings, such as fresh mozzarella and basil.
He’s also co-owner of Bianco DiNapoli Tomatoes. This California-based company produces some of the best organic canned tomatoes in the region.
You can learn a lot about chef Bianco’s recipes, tips, and latest creations on his Instagram page (@pizzeriabianco).
3. Ann Kim
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Ann Kim is a Korean-American chef based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Kim’s passion for cooking began at a young age, as she grew up helping her mother and grandmother in the kitchen.
She is known for her creative toppings and unique flavor combinations, often drawing inspiration from her Korean heritage. She also uses a unique blend of flours to create her signature crispy crust.
Kim’s Korean BBQ pizza is breathtaking, to say the least. It features short ribs, mozzarella, scallions, arugula, and sesame.
Her Sweet Potato Pizza, which includes fontina, leeks, rosemary, and grana Padano, is another of her winning creations.
Kim has received numerous awards and accolades throughout her career, including being named a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Midwest multiple times.
She now owns Pizzeria Lola, Hello Pizza, and Young Joni, which serve her delicious pizzas.
Kim’s Instagram page (@annbkool) also features her travels and food adventures worldwide.
4. Vito Iacopelli
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Vito Iacopelli is a master pizzaiolo who has been making pizza his entire life.
He grew up in the southern Italian region of Bari, where he learned the art of pizza-making from his family.
Iacopelli went on to own his first pizzeria at 16. His craft pays homage to traditional Neapolitan pizza-making techniques. However, he has also been quick to adopt new and innovative recipes.
The chef is an active member of the pizza-making community and was featured on the first episode of Pizza Wars in 2021.
He is involved in several initiatives to promote traditional pizza-making techniques and to support small business owners in the industry.
His YouTube channel is educative, with recipes, tips, and tutorials.
He also posts interesting videos about pizza, like this one showing how they made the world’s largest pizza for the Guinness World Record.
Other than YouTube, you can find chef Iacopelli on Instagram (@vitoiacopelli)
5. Sarah Minnick
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Sarah Minnick owns Lovely’s Fifty Fifty in Portland, Oregon, where she is known for her creative and sustainable approach to pizza-making.
Minnick’s pizzas are made with organic, locally-sourced ingredients. They feature unique toppings such as roasted squash and pumpkin seed pesto.
Her pizzas are innovative because she will change the menu to fit what is in season at the local food market.
Her goal is to preserve the farm-to-table experience in her food.
Minnick also serves some of the best ice cream and baked goods in Oregon and shares the recipes on various platforms
In addition to her work at Lovely’s Fifty Fifty, Minnick has also been involved in several initiatives to promote sustainable agriculture and support local farmers.
Sarah Minnick’s pizzas have received numerous accolades, including being a finalist for the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef Northwest in 2020.
You can follow her here (@sarahminnick_) for a behind-the-scenes view of how she makes her pizzas and other recipes.
6. Glenn Cybulski
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Glenn Cybulski is a master chef with over 100 international culinary awards.
As a highly accomplished pizza creator and maker, he believes passion is vital to success in any field.
Cybulski’s culinary career spans over 25 years, and his dedication to the craft of pizza-making is evident in his achievements.
He studied at the prestigious Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli – the oldest pizza school in the world – and is a certified Italian Pizzaiolo.
He is the perfect chef to follow for anyone hoping to learn how to manage a pizzeria restaurant business.
He has consulted on more than 50 restaurant concepts throughout his career.
Learn more about Glenn Cybulski, his pizza-making techniques, and the restaurant business here.
Don’t forget to follow him on his Instagram page (@glenncybulskiofficial).
7. Dan Richer
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Dan Richer owns Razza Pizza Artigianale, a popular artisanal pizza restaurant in Jersey City.
Richer’s passion for pizza-making began when he was just a teenager.
Although he started out raw, he came to hone his skills at several top pizza restaurants in the United States.
At some point, Richer moved to Italy to learn from the best pizzaiolo.
He also studied bread-making and fermentation techniques, which he has incorporated into his pizza-making process.
In addition to his work at Razza, Dan Richer is also a mentor to aspiring pizza makers.
He has written a book about pizza-making, The Joy of Pizza, which offers a step-by-step guide on how to make amazing pizza at home.
To learn more about the science of making pizza, follow Dan Richer on his personal Instagram (@danricher) or check out his business page (@razzanj).
8. John Arena
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John Arena is an American pizza chef and co-owner of Metro Pizza, a pizzeria chain located in seven locations around the United States.
With over 48 years in the industry, he is widely regarded as one of the top pizza chefs in the United States.
Arena’s passion for pizza-making began in his family’s pizzeria in New York City, where he learned the craft from his father.
He went on to study food science and technology, which allowed him to apply scientific principles to the art of pizza-making.
His award-winning dough makes his pizza irresistible. Fortunately, he has gotten pizza-making down to a science so others can learn from him.
In addition to his work at Metro Pizza, Arena teaches a class about pizza at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
He also shares his work occasionally on his Instagram handle (@johnnypizzaguy).
9. Tara Hattan
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Tara Hattan is an acclaimed pizza chef and an award-winning pizza acrobat.
She’s a World’s Pizza Champions member and co-owner of Zasa’s Pizza in Oklahoma and New York.
Hattan has competed in countless pizza competitions, including the World Pizza Championship, where she placed well numerous times.
The rising star has been on the cover of the prestigious Pizza Today magazine. In June 2022, she was also a guest on the Hot Slice podcast.
Follow Tara Hattan on Instagram (@tarahattan) and watch her fantastic pizza-making skills and dough acrobatics.
Conclusion
Pizza is an internationally beloved dish with various styles and toppings.
However, few pizza chefs have gained worldwide fame for their unique creations and techniques.
So if you want to know how to make the best pizza dough, sauce, or pizza slices, you should follow these famous pizza makers online now!
