For nearly four decades, Tony Gemignani has been rewriting what Americans think pizza can be. He’s a 13-time world pizza champion, a Guinness World Record breaker, the force behind San Francisco’s cult-favorite Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, and the growing Slice House empire. His new book, The Pursuit of Pizza, doubles as both a love letter to the craft and a technical manual for anyone who’s ever obsessed over dough, blistering, and the perfect bake.
This year, Tony cracked the Top 10 pizzerias in the world — a milestone even for someone who’s spent his life at the top of the game. We caught up with him to talk about the style that still keeps him up at night, the championship that changed everything, why par-baked dough deserves more respect, and what happens when you have to judge pizzas covered in insects.
1. Tony, you just cracked the Top 10 Pizzerias in the World — how does it really feel to see your name in the Top 10?
It feels great to be recognized as one of the top 10 pizzerias in the US. Tony’s Pizza Napoletana is a really special restaurant. It’s definitely a one of a kind with so many different ovens and styles we offer every day. My staff works really hard.
2. You’ve mastered nearly every style of pizza — which one still challenges you the most?
My contemporary Canotto Americano style pizza is always a challenge. The dough has to be perfect along with how you push it out with your hands. I really like to achieve micro to macro blistering, and sometimes it can be a little inconsistent. This is a style we only do at Tony’s.
3. When people call you “13x World Champ” — which championship win meant the most personally?
You always remember your first world title and that’s pretty memorable back in 1995, but I would say that winning in Naples for Best Pizza Margherita at the World Pizza Cup in 2007 was definitely one for the books. It was the first time that anyone from the US won in any baking competition in Italy.
4. Your new book The Pursuit of Pizza dropped this year — if readers take away one lesson about pizza, what do you hope it is?
It really shows how diverse pizza is, and it’s shown by so many amazing pizza operators who are on the World Pizza Champions team. It’s not only for beginners, but it’s also for the advanced pizza maker or enthusiast. This book is perfect for any professional and home pizza maker. The dough recipes are all fantastic and they are the foundation to any great pizza. It’s great because there are QR codes that go right to videos where you can learn several techniques from some of the best pizza makers in the industry.
5. You’ve broken 5 Guinness World Records — which one was the craziest to achieve?
Being on the Food Network and breaking the world’s largest pizza in two minutes was definitely my biggest Guinness record. It was a record that stood still for many years and we all felt during the competition that it was impossible to break. It was definitely my most memorable record. Longest pizza was also one that was incredible and I don’t think I would ever do it again. I did that with about 100 other pizza makers.
6. You’re expanding Slice House across the U.S. — what excites you about bringing pizza to more neighborhoods?
Bringing the diversity of many styles to different neighborhoods has always been something I wanted to do. It’s great to go to a suburb or to another state and offer a style that somebody may have grown up with and it was their favorite, or a style that they’ve never tried and they fell in love with it. Teaching the craft to my franchisees has been very rewarding so far.
7. If you had to choose: honest neighborhood slice joint or elite competition-level pie — which one wins your heart?
Man, that’s a tough one. I love what we do at Tony’s with so many chef‑driven pizzas and a full‑service restaurant, but standing, having a great slice on a sidewalk is pretty awesome as well.
8. Who’s the most underrated pizzaiolo you think deserves more love?
I don’t know about underrated, but I do feel that Eddie Stalewski makes some amazing pizzas along with Chris Decker, Thomas Schneider, Tommy Brockert, and the guys from Pizzata.
9. You’ve cooked with so many legendary ovens — do you believe the oven makes the pizza, or the pizzaiolo does?
Ovens are definitely important when it comes to making great pizza. Sure, you can make a few pizzas from that oven, but what’s it like after you make 100 or 500 out of that same oven on the same night? Recovery time is so important. Consistency of that oven along with the wear and tear. I can make amazing pizzas from a home oven at 500°, so there are a lot of factors involved.
10. If you could only use ONE ingredient supplier for life (flour, sauce, or cheese), who would you lock in forever?
I would say two for this question: Stanislaus for my tomato sauce and Grande for my cheese. Both of them are like the Ferrari and Lamborghini of our industry. They are definitely not the cheapest, but their quality, service, and consistency are unlike any other. I’ve been in the business for almost 35 years and I have used them since the beginning.
11. Your Margherita is world-famous — how many times do you think you’ve actually made it in your lifetime?
That’s a number that would take me an entire day to probably figure out. I’ve made so many over the years, it’s incredible.
12. Out of all pizza competitions you’ve judged or competed in, what’s the wildest creation you ever saw?
I would say when I was judging in France, there were pizzas that were extremely creative and almost over the top. But when I was in Mexico and was judging, I was given two pizzas from two different competitors that had several types of insects on it. Those were pizzas that I wasn’t thrilled about and they were definitely two that I will never forget.
13. Which matters more in 2025 — winning competitions or winning over Instagram/TikTok audiences?
That’s an interesting question. Competitions I think are always important, but I don’t really compete anymore. Social media can be your worst and best enemy. It’s great to be able to showcase something that you made, your restaurant or family, but it tends to be a little overwhelming.
What bothers me a lot is there’s a lot of information out there that’s incorrect. I watch posts about pizza where that person is teaching or talking about techniques or what they made and technically it’s wrong. I don’t comment on those because I don’t want to get in the middle of it, but people are genuinely watching these videos and learning, but unfortunately it is not 100% correct or slightly wrong.
I’m actually more of a Facebook guy, but I know that dates me. I do go on Instagram as well, but I’m personally not on TikTok that much. It’s nice to see the comments that are positive on any post and I try to avoid or get rid of the negative.
14. What’s the biggest pizza myth or misconception you spent years fighting against?
There’s a lot of them. I would say par‑bakes vs. raw dough when it comes to making certain pan pizzas. Par‑baked doughs are usually always crispier, are better baked, are faster during service, and are overall better for dine‑in, to‑go, and delivery.
You may see people put #neverparbake or something like that, and if you were to do side‑by‑side tests, typically nine out of 10 always say the pan pizza that was par‑baked is better. You also typically get no gum. Some people will disagree with me on this, but many have changed over the years.
15. If you hosted a dream collab — Tony x [insert chef] — who would be your ultimate pick?
Probably cooking with my mom for my grandpa, who are no longer with us unfortunately. It would be great if my grandpa was sitting at our table with my dad and brother. My grandpa was drinking his wine and I was able to cook a meal for him with my mom. I think that would be the ultimate collaboration.
16. You’ve been building pizza culture for decades — where does America stand today compared to Italy?
America is right up there with Italy and we have way more different styles to offer. We’ve had a Renaissance in the pizza industry for many, many years. There are so many great pizza makers in the US. It’s uncanny. I think both Italy and the US offer the best pizza in the world.
17. When you visit another pizzeria, do you go incognito to just enjoy it, or do people whisper “That’s Tony Gemignani” and the pressure’s on?
Unless I know the person well and I tell them I’m coming in, then they’ll know I’m there. Other than that, I don’t really say anything. It’s nice to get recognized and I just enjoy going out for pizza whenever I get a chance.
18. What’s your go-to pizza when you’re just hungry and not showcasing to the world?
My tavern‑style thin crust or one of my coal‑fire pizzas from Tony’s.
19. What’s the one pizza record or title you still want to chase before you retire?
There’s a competition called Pizza Due that I competed in with Laura Meyer back in the day and we never won it. I guess if you were to say if I ever wanted to start competing again, I would probably try to win that one.
20. Imagine your pizza going into the Pizza Hall of Fame — which one dish deserves to represent your legacy?
Probably the Margherita or Canotto Americano.
From Guinness records to insects on pizza, from Facebook loyalist to Top 10 in the world, Tony Gemignani sits at the rare intersection of technician, teacher, and true slice‑shop romantic. He’s as obsessed with oven recovery time and par‑baking debates as he is with the feeling of eating a great slice on a sidewalk.
Whether it’s a Margherita that’s traveled the globe in reputation or a Canotto Americano that still keeps him chasing the perfect blister, Gemignani’s work makes one thing clear: pizza isn’t a trend, it’s a lifelong pursuit. And he’s still not done.
