Pizzaioli from around the world—including dozens of luminaries in American pizza—will vie for top honors in the fourth annual edition of The Best Pizza Awards, taking place September 30 in Milan, Italy. The project is organized by The Best Chef and powered by Molini Pizzuti. It takes place at the Spazio Antologico-East End Studios, a stage for several television programs and numerous events of all kinds.

Unlike the annual 50 Top Pizza awards, The Best Chef Pizza Awards are determined by voters that include professional pizza makers and an international panel of 60 experts, such as food journalists, critics, bloggers, photographers and other notable individuals with a connection to the pizza world.

Potential award winners include the top 100 candidates from last year’s list as well as 100 new pizzaioli selected in early 2024. The final list of 200 candidates boasts 35 American pizzaioli.

Click here to learn more about the voting process for The Best Pizza Chef Awards.

Last year’s overall Best Chef Award winner was Franco Pepe, owner of Pepe in Grani in Caiazzo, Italy. American pizza makers in the running for 2024 include:

Additionally, a series of special prizes will be awarded in the following categories:

The Best Pizza Science Award: This award goes to the pizza chef who has distinguished himself or herself through research, technical experimentation and transformation of the raw material. 

The Best Pizza Art Award: Food is art, and pizza is art. This pizza chef is celebrated for their exquisite dedication and mastery in making dishes into works of art that are “almost too nice to eat.”

The Best Pizza Next Award: This award is dedicated to an up-and-coming young pizza chef who shows truly exceptional talent and is on the verge of great success. 

The Best Pizza Pastry Award: Every great meal should end with a dessert. This prize is awarded to the pizza chef who manages to present the best version of sweet pizza.

The Best Fried Pizza Award: This award goes to the pizza chef who has created the most delicious interpretation of fried pizza, combining tradition and evolution.

The Best Pizza Experience Award: The pizzeria that offers an exquisite experience through impeccable table service will be awarded this prestigious prize.

The Best Pizza Margherita Award: It’s time to celebrate the queen of pizzas. This award is dedicated to the pizza chef who creates the most delicious Margherita pizza, despite the simplicity of the ingredients.

According to a press release, the main theme of the event will be “The Future of Pizza,” focusing on how technological advancements can align with sustainable practices. Additionally, the event will highlight pizza’s journey as an ancient and traditional dish, which, over the years, has managed to spread to even the most remote culinary corners, adapting with versatility to various gastronomic cultures.

Over the years, The Best Chef and The Best Pizza organizations have increasingly shown interest in “conscious choices” and “hold deep admiration for culinary professionals who contribute to the preservation of local producers, maintaining regional excellence in harmony with nature,” the company said.

“This year, we continue with pride in our project, which increasingly aims to represent internationally the taste, growth, and evolution of our beloved pizza,” said Antonio Ruotolo, director of The Best Pizza project. “On September 30, we will have the opportunity to discuss the future of pizza with guests who have written and continue to write the history of global gastronomy. It will be an occasion rich in insights and reflections, guiding us toward an ever-more conscious future.”

Featured, Pizza News