Story by Alexandra Mortati | Photos courtesy of Rebecca Scaramuzzino
This article is part of PMQ Pizza’s “12 Women to Watch“ series, in partnership with Women in Pizza and in celebration of Women’s Pizza Month. It’s an expanded version of the profile on Rebecca Scaramuzzino featured in PMQ’s March 2026 issue.
Update: Rebecca, who discusses her passion for pizza-making competitions in the article below, won sixth place in world in the Non-Traditional category at the 2026 International Pizza Challenge in Las Vegas. Congratulations to Rebecca!
As a youngster living in San Leandro, California, Rebecca Scaramuzzino’s local pizza place was Porky’s Pizza. “It was the spot everyone went to,” she recalls. “We went with friends to play arcade games, we went for birthdays, we went with our parents while they watched the game and drank beer. I would watch all of the pizza makers in front of the window. I always thought it looked cool and fun. I’d think, ‘I hope I work here when I’m older.’”
When her high school offered a work experience program, her best friend, who was working at Porky’s, invited her to meet the boss. At 15 years old, after a 10-minute conversation, she was hired on the spot. Scaramuzzino ended up staying at the pizzeria for 20 years, teaching herself the craft and working her way up to management—she’s now assistant GM at Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco under the legendary Tony Gemignani. But her path often felt like swimming upstream.
“Back then, it was kind of segregated,” Scaramuzzino says. “The girls were on one side making pasta and salad and running the counter, and the boys were on one side making pizza. I started making my own pizzas during breaks. I would go over and watch the boys closely.”
Eventually, Scaramuzzino was sometimes allowed to work on the line. When she became a manager, not wanting anyone else to harbor untapped potential, she immediately started cross-training. “We had so many younger women working at Porky’s, because most of the time we hired high school or college students,” she says. “It’s amazing to have so many young women look up to you. You encourage them and get to watch them grow. To be part of their growth, even if they don’t stay in our industry, shows how powerful it is to inspire other women.”
Meeting Tony Gemignani
After leaving the company to sample other culinary avenues, including fine dining, she always found her way back to pizza. She loved working for a family-owned place, side by side with the owners every day. One year, at a pizza trade show, she met Tony Gemignani. “I remember watching him, and I was just in awe,” Scaramuzzino recalls. “I never knew this could be a career. I had been wondering, ‘Am I going to be a manager for the rest of my life?’ I realized, ‘No, I can do more with this. I can make something of my life.’ I started looking into Tony’s International School of Pizza and decided to take the leap and sign up. About three months after I signed up, I found out I was pregnant.”
Unsure of her future, Scaramuzzino spoke with Gemignani about dropping out. Then COVID hit, just as her daughter was born in April 2020. After being out of work for five months, she’d already returned to Porky’s when Tony messaged her, asking if she wanted a job in North Beach. “I started racking my brain and thinking, ‘How am I going to make that work?’” Scaramuzzino says. She found a babysitter and went in for an interview.
Scaramuzzino has now been working with Gemignani for four years. “I was always looking for the place where someone was going to invest in me, so I knew I had to make it work,” she says. “I’ve had the opportunity to compete now and have for the last three years in a row. I’ve traveled with Tony and have done some events in Hollywood and helped train staff for the SFO [airport] location. It’s been a dream come true to be celebrated and inspired every day. There is no better mentor than Tony. The way the staff looks up to me and supports me, the vendors we work with, the regular customers, the people who come to learn about the craft…we have so much to offer. It’s such a blessing to embrace doing what I love.”
‘I Need to Be Growing’
Scaramuzzino also represents the industry by serving on the planning committee for the San Francisco Pizza, Bagel and Beer Festival and working for Gemignani’s Pizza Expo appearances. “I see the work it takes on the back end to make it the experience you see on the other side,” she says. “It’s where ‘respect the craft’ comes into play. It’s hard, and there are so many little details that go into making things so great. It’s such an adventure.”
Now with three years of competing under her belt, Scaramuzzino hopes to place at the top—even though she hesitated when first approached by Gemignani about the possibility. “I didn’t know if I could or if I qualified,” she admits. “We had a meeting where he stood behind me and watched me stretch, top and bake a pizza. He said, ‘You’re really great, and you should give yourself more credit. You really have what it takes, and I believe in you.’ Every Saturday, we would come in early and practice, practice, practice. That first year, I was nervous as heck. I remember when I walked up and everyone is just staring at you. I placed 12th or 13th in the region that first year in Traditional and realized I can do this.”
Back at work, Scaramuzzino juggles numerous responsibilities at Tony’s. “I overlook all locations, including our bakery and Capo’s,” she says. “I also work as the expediter [when needed]. I work on the line, as quality control, running food. I oversee the whole operation: the kitchen, back of house, and front of house. It’s hard to balance all of it—there’s always something to do. I’m very happy doing what I’m doing, and I get to dabble in everything. I get to travel and network and do cool events and festivals.”
While she loves her job, Scaramuzzino is also focused on continuing to grow. Working her way up from manager, she now works on perfecting her dough at home. “I’m working my way up and hope to secure some kind of award at the Pizza Expo,” she says. “I hope I can be recognized for my efforts. I would rather take on pressure than just sit here. I need to be learning. I need to be growing. I always figure it out. With my background, I had to be self-taught. If I wanted something, I was going to teach myself how to do it. You have to take initiative on your own. Why do I need someone to show me when I can figure it out? How you learn is how you grow.”
In the future, the sky is the limit for this pizza veteran. “Maybe at some point I’ll open my own little shop and have my daughter work with me,” she says. “I don’t know if it will happen, but I have come this far already. What better thing can you do than be a successful woman and shape a route for your kid to follow? It’s an important part of who I’ve become. I want to show her what women can do.”
Unsurprisingly, Scaramuzzino’s best advice is born from her own experience. “If there is something you are passionate about, you should absolutely embrace it,” she says. “My passion led me to where I am today. It took me far beyond what I ever imagined. You have to do it 110%. Not halfway. With your whole heart. You can tell the difference in someone who does something because they love it and have a passion for it versus when it’s just a job. It’s in the way you carry yourself and perform, and it shows.
“I don’t dwell too much on challenges, as they are what make you better,” Scaramuzzino concludes. “If they didn’t happen, I wouldn’t be where I am now. It takes trial and error to get to where you are, so I try to focus on my achievements more. Pizza is a universal language. Everywhere you go, pizza is celebrated. To be a part of something so big that is going to continue to grow is crazy.”
Alexandra Mortati is the marketing director for Orlando Foods and founder of Women In Pizza, a not-for-profit organization that empowers women in the pizza industry to share their stories, display their talents, inspire innovations, and connect with one another and the world. The article has been edited from the original version that appeared on the Instagram account for Women In Pizza. Click here to learn more about the organization.
