Overview
Here's some saucy news. Melbourne Chef Johnny Di Francesco of 400 Gradi has just been ranked in the top five globally at the 2026 Campionato Mondiale della Pizza, or the World Pizza Championship.
It's not the first time that Di Francesco has found success at the competition in Parma, Italy. Several years back, he took out the number one spot at the championship. After taking several years off to focus on building the Gradi Group, Di Francesco's remarkable success upon returning to the competition cements his global status as one of the best in the business.
"Having made pizza since I was 12, my passion for pizza and cooking has only intensified over time, and being named fifth in the world is an incredible honour. After more than a decade of not competing, I was anxious and excited to see what the outcome would be, and I am so thrilled to still be considered among the top five in the world. I'm so blessed to be able to do what I love, and I try to ensure that joy infiltrates everything that I make," says Di Francesco.
The World Pizza Championship is a global event that celebrates the traditions, creativity, skill, and passion of the world's best pizza chefs. The chefs battle it out across many categories, fighting to win titles ranging from best classic pizza to best pan pizza, best Neapolitan pizza to best gluten-free pizza.
Images: Supplied.
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