Managing a pizzeria can prepare you for almost anything. But does that include winning on Survivor?
Fans of the long-running reality TV show will find out in the coming weeks as Justin Pioppi, who manages his family’s pizza shop, Luigi’s Pizzeria in Revere, Massachusetts, competes against 17 other castaways in season 48.
And there’s another good reason to root for Pioppi besides his roots in the pizza business: The 29-year-old is playing to win enough money so that his mother, who has been battling cancer, doesn’t have to work anymore.
Now if that’s not a classic pizzeria-family story, we don’t know what is.
Pioppi told Parade that his mom is his greatest inspiration. “From having founded and grown our family restaurant over 40 years ago to having battled (and beaten) cancer three separate times, she’s been playing Survivor her whole life,” he said. “Despite everything she’s been through, she never complains, still maintains a positive attitude and keeps a great sense of humor.”
Finishing as the “Sole Survivor” would mean a $1 million payoff for Pioppi. In his introduction video for the show, he said he wants to win the competition, hand over a “big check” to his mother “and just say, ‘Ma, for the first time in your life you don’t have to go to work tomorrow. You’re all set.’”
The family-owned Luigi’s Pizzeria celebrated its 43rd anniversary in December. That same month, Dave Portnoy reviewed the restaurant and gave it a score of 7.5.
Pioppi graduated from Yale University with a degree in political science and became the youngest legislative aide ever hired at the Massachusetts State House. But when his mother was diagnosed with leukemia four years ago, he returned to the family business to pitch in. His family are all diehard Survivor fans, too, especially his mother.
Asked by Parade about one life experience that best prepared him for the contest, Pioppi said, “Believe it or not, working at Luigi’s! We’re graced every day with customers who hail from every corner of the globe! No two people are alike in their tastes and preferences, but we always leave them feeling full and happy!”
Pioppi also told Parade he thought he could win Survivor “because I never back down from anything I’ve done in my life. The word ‘quit’ is not in my vocabulary! I don’t see that attitude changing on the island.”
Survivor’s new season premieres on Wednesday, February 26, with a special two-hour episode on CBS.
