In the chaotic glow of Las Vegas kitchens, where the scent of charred crust meets the rhythm of ticket printers, one chef’s story stands out not for its glamour, but for its grit. From scrubbing pans at Herbs & Rye to leading one of America’s most ambitious pizza empires, this chef’s journey is proof that passion, perseverance, and a perfectly baked crust can change a life.
As the Corporate Executive Chef for Pizza Rock and Slice House, he’s helped shape the identity of modern American pizza honoring tradition while testing boundaries. We sat down with him to talk about his journey from dish pit to the top of the pizza world, the lessons learned from working under Tony Gemignani, and why Grandma-style might just be the next big thing.
1. You started out as a dishwasher at Herbs & Rye — what was the turning point that made you decide to pursue cooking seriously?
The turning point that made me want to pursue cooking was witnessing the smiles on peoples faces after they have had a great meal. Patrons leaving Herbs and Rye always seemed so happy and content. It made me want to be the one who can make that happen!
2. From ramen and whiskey bars to fine dining to pizza, how did those diverse experiences shape the chef you are today?
These culinary experiences have done more than shaped the chef I am, they have shaped the person I am. Different culinary experiences have shown me discipline, respect, and knowledge. Learning different cultures’ cuisines has shown me how to adapt to almost anything and roll with the punches.
3. Working under Tony Gemignani, what is the biggest lesson you have learned about pizza?
Working under Tony G., The G.O.A.T., the biggest lesson I have learned about pizza is that there are always new things to discover. There are so many lessons to take in, but the most important are to always test the limits, try new things, and remember that pizza is universal—it connects people everywhere.
4. Pizza Rock offers multiple styles of pizza in one place — which style do you personally crave most at the end of a long shift?
After a crazy long lovely Pizza Rock shift I think I crave a crispy, crunchy, tavern-style cracker thin cheese pizza. It never seems to fail and always hits the spot!
5. The triple-stack oven system at Slice House allows you to cook Detroit, Sicilian, and New York styles simultaneously. What’s the secret to managing these different styles consistently?
There is no secret to managing all of these styles! Cooking slow and low, rotating pizzas and cooking them in the same exact spot the whole time so the bottom is just as crispy as the top are just some of the starting points!
6. Slice House is growing rapidly with more than 100 franchises in development — what’s the most challenging part of training new franchise kitchens to maintain quality?
The most challenging part of training franchise groups is breaking bad habits! When I say bad habits I mean the old habits employees bring from other jobs. The old habits may not be bad, we just want to teach a different way.
7. You have cooked pizzas at stadiums like Allegiant and Oracle Park. Which stadium crowd brought the most energy and excitement for pizza?
I have worked many events in my day so far, but the most energy I will say came this last year with Wrestlemania! It was jammed packed and the energy was electrifying! Pizza was flying out of the ovens! The fans were insanely great also.
8. If someone visits Pizza Rock for the very first time, what is the one slice or pie you believe they must try?
I believe the one slice or pizza a new person must try at Pizza Rock will be the Neapolitan Style Margherita pizza. Tony has won multiple championships with this pizza.
9. You rose in the kitchen without formal culinary school. What advice would you give to young chefs working through dish pits right now?
I would tell a young chef coming up in the kitchen, that there are long roads ahead, but stay motivated, read everything, gain as much knowledge as possible and grind it out, ask questions, and most importantly do not be afraid to fail!
10. What’s the wildest late-night order you’ve seen come through at Pizza Rock in Las Vegas?
Being downtown there were tons of crazy orders, but one that always sticks with me is a guest asking to spread ketchup on a cheese pizza and finish with anchovies.
11. How do you balance being hands-on in the kitchen with managing multiple city-wide and franchise operations as a corporate executive chef?
I am not sure if there is a proper balance! I love being hands on, so I will always make time for it. I think communication is the best balancing! Make sure to always respond to email, texts, and always answer phone calls! These tasks help ME balance!
12. Fast-paced Vegas kitchens are notorious. What’s a meltdown story from your early career that you can laugh at now?
This is a loaded question! Hahahaha! I think every cook across the globe can hear the printer going in their sleep! Valentine’s Day I was working sauté station and the tickets were coming in quickly! I prepared my station prior to the shift. I did not prepare enough shrimp for the Valentine’s Day Special! Tickets were ringing in and I was trying to clean shrimp to order. “The Perfect Storm” began to happen! To simply say I became defeated, disappointed and frustrated at the same time. I had to tuck my tail and ask two fellow coworkers to help me. I also had the busser peeling shrimp to order! Receipts were piling up on the ground! It was BAD!
13. If you were to design a pizza that best represents your personality, what toppings would you choose and why?
A pizza that represents my personality would be hard. I am a laid-back firecracker! “If you will!” I would be a Crispy Multigrain Dough, Sweet Arrabbiata sauce, Mozzarella and Scamorza blend, Microbasil. The crispy dough represents my tougher exterior, sweet and spicy sauce represents my attitude, cheese blend represents my smooth tranquil side, and the microbasil represents my freshness spunkiness!
14. Of Detroit, Sicilian, Grandma, and New York style pizzas, which do you think is about to explode in popularity nationwide?
I think Grandma style is beginning to make a comeback. It’s a great style and very diverse. The way Slice House makes the Grandma is thin and crispy, which is what I love! The style is underrated in my opinion.
15. Do you think Las Vegas has the potential to become a true “pizza capital” alongside cities like New York and New Haven?
Las Vegas already competes with other big cities! It may not have a specific style that is named after the city, but there are a lot of good pizza places in Las Vegas. We may never get the appreciation these other cities have, but there is a lot of great pizza in Las Vegas!
16. Which single ingredient or supplier do you rely on the most to elevate every pizza you make?
I think the one ingredient that I rely on the most is Tony Gemignani 00 Flour. This flour is so diverse and can be used for so many things on the menu. This one flour makes all styles of pizza at Slice House!
17. If you could collaborate with any chef, inside or outside of pizza, who would you want to design a pie with?
I would love to do a collab with Chef Marcus Samuelsson! He seems to know his way around a kitchen and just looks like he has a lot of fun while producing great food!
18. You’ve been involved in initiatives like #24Meals to give back to the community. What motivates you to keep community work so central to your career?
I think the motivation comes from knowing that someone may just need that last meal, jacket, or socks. If the shoe is on the other foot I am sure I would love to have a warm meal or even a hoodie or jacket!
19. With Pizza Rock and Slice House continuing to expand, what creation or innovation do you still want to bring to the brand?
You know I would like to bring some wood-fired food i.e. steaks and other dishes!
20. When you finally clock out after a long shift in Las Vegas, do you reach for a slice of pizza, or do you crave something completely different?
I think it just depends on weather and how I am feeling in the meantime! I can always eat a slice of pizza!
From his first night at the dish pit to leading a culinary empire, this chef’s rise mirrors the very spirit of pizza itself ; humble ingredients transformed through heat, patience, and passion. Whether training new franchisees or testing the limits of dough, his philosophy remains simple: never stop learning, never stop feeding others, and always keep the oven hot.
