About Tony Gemignani
Where it all began
Gemignani’s childhood was filled with boisterous, family dinners. Growing up, he spent much of his time cooking alongside his mother, who would only use the fruits and vegetables that came straight from the family farm. This culinary philosophy of utilizing only the freshest ingredients has stayed with Tony throughout his life and is reflected throughout his menus.
Gemignani has had a passion for the pizza industry since 1991. His humble beginnings began at his brother’s acclaimed Pyzano’s Pizzeria in Castro Valley. Fresh out of high school, Tony took on the task of a primary pizza maker and soon began entertaining the restaurant crowds with his wily tricks. A few years later, he entered into his first pizza throwing competition in Las Vegas and quickly became the top in the world.
Pizza Mastery & Global Fame
Since his days at his brother’s pizzeria, Gemignani has received a number of accolades. He is president of the World Pizza Champions; the first and only Triple Crown winner for baking at the International Pizza Championships in Lecce, Italy; and, his most prestigious title to date, the 2007 World Champion Pizza Maker at the World Pizza Cup in Naples, Italy, where he was the first American and non-Neapolitan victor. He has appeared on popular shows like Good Morning America, and is a regular on Food Network.
Gemignani also received his Master credentials from the Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli and is the proprietor of the International School of Pizza where he certifies chefs from around the world for over 15 years. His most impressive accolade to date is being named the official U.S. Ambassador of Neapolitan Pizza by the city of Naples, a prestigious title only given to three people in the entire world.
In 2011 and 2012 Tony won two world titles in cooking, making him a 13-time world champion.
Cookbook Author & World Record Holder
In an effort to share his talent and passion with aspiring connoisseurs, Gemignani collaborated with acclaimed cookbook writer, Diane Morgan, on his first cookbook PIZZA, which was showcased on Emeril Live and The Rachael Ray Show. Following the success of PIZZA, he wrote his first children’s book, Tony and the Pizza Champions, a fictionalized telling of a pizza team’s journey to compete in the International Pizza Lovers’ Competition. In 2014, Tony released The Pizza Bible, the definitive book on pizza, followed by The Pursuit of Pizza in 2024.
Tony was also inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records 4 times, 2 including creating the largest pizza, as well as the most consecutive rolls across the shoulders, a unique throwing trick which involves rolling the pizza dough along the back of the shoulders.
Building a Pizza Legacy
In 2009, Gemignani fulfilled his lifelong dream by opening Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood. The pizzeria also offers several styles of pizzas, including Classic American, Italian, Sicilian and Neapolitan pizzas artfully made with artisan flours, an array of authentic sauces, and seasonal ingredients and finished in seven different, regionally-specific ovens.
The restaurant was met with immediate success upon opening and was named the best pizzeria by USA Today and top pizza restaurant by the Travel Channel. It was also ranked one of the world’s top 10 pizzerias by 50 Top Pizza, where Gemignani’s “Mission Impossible” vegan pie earned “Pizza of the Year.”
Tony's Growing Pizza Ventures
In 2010, Tony opened the adjacent Tony’s Coal-Fired Pizza & Slice House next door to his flagship pizzeria, serving an array of authentic pizzas by the slice, in addition to classic sandwiches. The following year, Pizza Rock in Sacramento opened with nightclub entrepreneur George Karpaty, a creative new concept that pairs gourmet pizzas with specialty cocktails.
In November 2012, Gemignani opened Capo’s, a Chicago-style Italian pizzeria and whiskey bar in the North Beach neighborhood.
His most recent opening is Giovanni Italian Specialties which is a retail shop selling hand made and imported Italian Specialties such as olive oil, flour tomatoes and ceramics. Giovanni’s hand makes, piadina, sandwiches, focaccia, fresh pasta and raviolis daily. It’s also a cafe that serves local Italian coffee.
Today, Gemignani culinary ventures span over 40 restaurants, with 150 Slice House franchises currently in development. His licensed locations bring his signature flavors to venues such as Graton Rancheria Casino, the elegant Green Valley Ranch Resort & Spa, and iconic sporting arenas, including Oracle Park (San Francisco Giants), Chase Center (Golden State Warriors), Levi’s Stadium (San Francisco 49ers), and Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas Raiders).
Gemignani resides in San Francisco with his wife and son, where he continues to innovate and share his passion for hand crafted dishes with an ever-growing audience.
