Giorgia Caporuscio was once mostly known as the daughter of a pizza legend—Roberto Caporuscio of Don Antonio and Kesté fame. But, even though she knew nothing about cooking when she first moved with her Italian family to the United States, she was destined for greater things.
Now she has been named Pizza Maker of the Year by the high-prestige 50 Top Pizza. That accolade came along with another—Don Antonio was ranked No. 7 in the Italy-based organization’s latest 50 Top Pizza USA guide.
As one of the few recognized women pizza makers both in her native Italy and adopted home of New York, the award builds upon Caporuscio’s growing list of accolades, which include winning first place in the World Championship Classic Pizza Category out of a staggering 500 competitors. Additionally, she was just 22 when she won the Caputo Cup in 2013, becoming the youngest woman to ever take home the trophy.
Related: This New Yorker’s pizza is still the best in the U.S., says 50 Top Pizza
Caporuscio’s dad also chose her to take over the reins at Don Antonio in January 2024, and PMQ featured her on the May 2024 cover. So you might say she’s on a roll.
50 Top Pizza presented Caporuscio with its coveted Ferrarelle Award—Pizza Maker of the Year 2024 at a packed ceremony in New York on June 25. It was hosted by Scott Weiner of Scott’s Pizza Tours and broadcast live on various social media channels.
Don Antonio has been credited with bringing authentic Neapolitan pizza to the United States, kicking off a nationwide boom for the style. You can’t swing a pizza peel in any major city (and some smaller ones) without breaking a window at a Neapolitan pizzeria nowadays.
Along with safeguarding Neapolitan pizza tradition, Caporuscio also hopes to encourage other women to join the field. She serves as an ambassador of Women in Pizza, a movement that empowers women in the pizza industry.
It should also be noted that Don Antonio rose 30 spots in this year’s 50 Top Pizza USA guide. It was ranked at No. 37 in 2023.
Don Antonio descends from Naples oldest pizzeria, Starita a Materdei, inaugurated in 1901 by the Starita family. Caporuscio first studied under her father and his mentor, maestro Antonio Starita, before embarking on lengthy and intensive internships around Italy. She recently assumed ownership from the pair, who together opened Don Antonio NYC in 2012. Today, the pizzeria reigns as a bastion of Neapolitan tradition and has become a beloved destination in Manhattan.
