Winners

The Canadian Pizza magazine Chef of the Year competition has seen many changes over the years. In 2014, the competition merged with the Canadian Pizza Show, and in 2015, it expanded to include several divisions. One thing is for sure: there is always lots of excitement centre stage where talented, creative pizza professionals from across Canada never fail to shine!

2023

Chef of the Year West

1. Giuseppe Cortinovis, Pizza Lab and Nightingale Restaurant, Vancouver, B.C.
2. Aaron Gehrman, Emilio Finatti Pizzeria, Langley, Port Coquitlam, White Rock and Port Moody, B.C.
3. Steven Che, Wild Flour Pizza Co., Burnaby, B.C.

2022

Chef of the Year East

1. Giovanni Campisi, Red Door Cucina, Dundas, Ont.
2. Salar Madadi, Maipai, Hamilton, Ont.
3. Jeremy Paone, co-owner of The Lock Wood Fired Oven Pizza in Port Colborne, Ont.

Chef of the Year West

1. Luca Colasanti, Mordimi Bite of Italy, Vancouver, B.C.
2. Steven Che, Wild Flour Pizza Co., Burnaby, B.C.
3. Andy Finlayson, 70 Pizzeria/Rebellious Tomato, North Vancouver, B.C.

Great Pizza Box Fold-Off
Jayden Collins, Tuscan Wolf Pizzeria Inc. in Whitby, Ont. (10 large boxes folded in 46 seconds)

2020

Chefs of the Year
Rodolfo Santo, Mastro Roberto Trattoria, Woodbridge, Ont. (Traditional)
Michele Casale, Redipizza, Montreal, Que. (Open)

Traditional
1. Rodolfo Santo, Mastro Roberto Trattoria, Woodbridge, Ont. (Chef of the Year)
2. Jason Pizzolongo, Restaurant Fuoco, Varennes, Que.
3. Maurizio Mascioli, Maurizio’s Inc., Parry Sound, Ont.

Open
1. Michele Casale, Redipizza, Montreal, Que. (Chef of the Year)
2. Thomas Schneider, Timmy Tom’s Pizzeria, Winnipeg, Man.
3. Sunny Singh, Lina’s Italian Market, Calgary, Alta.

Great Pizza Box Fold-Off
James Timothy, Zen’Za Pizzeria in London, Ont. (10 large boxes folded in 42.55 seconds)

Mystery Ingredient Challenge (pickled green beans with garlic)
Dean Litster, Armando’s Pizza, Windsor, Ont.

2019

Chefs of the Year
Giuseppe Cortinovis, Ignite Pizzeria, Vancouver, B.C. (Traditional)
Dean Litster, Armando’s Pizza, Windsor, Ont. (Open)

Traditional
1. Giuseppe Cortinovis, Ignite Pizzeria, Vancouver, B.C. (Chef of the Year)
2. Giorgio Taverniti, Frank’s Pizza House, Toronto, Ont.
3. Giovanni Campisi of Casa Mia Ristorante, Niagara Falls, Ont.

Open
1. Dean Litster, Armando’s Pizza, Windsor, Ont. (Chef of the Year)
2. Marco Caveglia, Tuscan Wolf Pizzeria, Whitby, Ont.
3. Maurizio Mascioli, Maurizio’s Inc., Parry Sound, Ont., took third place.

Great Pizza Box Fold-Off
James Timothy, Zen’Za Pizzeria in London, Ont. (10 large boxes folded in one minute, 3.7 seconds)

2018

Chef of the Year
Matteo Cesarotto, Buco Pizzeria & Vino Bar, St. Albert, Alta.

Traditional
1. Matteo Cesarotto, Buco Pizzeria & Vino Bar, St. Albert, Alta. (Chef of the Year)
2. Mike Giresi, Giresi’s Pizza, Sarnia, Ont.
3. Marco Zambri, Slopes of Vesuvius Mobile Pizzeria, Uxbridge, Ont.

Open
1. Giuseppe Cortinovis, Nightingale Restaurant, Vancouver, B.C. (Runner-up, Chef of the Year)
2. Alon Zohar, XO Pizza, Concord, Ont.
3.Antonio Rupolo, Gusto Pizzaria, Brampton, Ont.

Seasonal Pizza Challenge
Maurizio Mascioli, Maurizio’s Inc., Parry Sound, Ont.

Great Pizza Box Fold-Off
Jason Seitanidis, Matador Pizza and Steakhouse, Calgary, Alta.

2017

Chef of the Year
1. Carlo Raillo, Buco Pizzeria + Vino, St. Albert, Alta.
2. Rodolfo Santo, Mastro Roberto Trattoria & Pizzeria, Woodbridge, Ont.
3. Mateusz Rzeszutek, Queen Margherita Pizza, Toronto, Ont.
4. David Jimenez-Sanchez, Queen Margherita Pizza, Toronto, Ont.
5. Daniel Alay, Milano’s Pizza, Etobicoke, Ont.
6. (Tied) Meghan O’Dea, Pi Gourmet Eatery, St. John’s, N.L.; Giovanni Campisi, Le Cascate Pizzeria & Caffe, Niagara Falls, Ont.

Great Pizza Box Fold-Off
Antonio Rupolo, Gusto Pizzaria, Brampton, Ont.

2016

Chef of the Year
1. Joe Leroux, Amadio’s Pizza, Port Credit, Ont.
2. Giuseppe Cortinovis, Trattoria/Glowbal Group, Vancouver
3. Steve Silvestro, Scaddabush Italian Kitchen & Bar, Toronto

Junior Chef of the Year
Antonio Rupolo, Gusto Pizzaria, Brampton, Ont.

Champion of Champions
Carlo Raillo, Buco Pizzeria and Vino, St. Albert, Alta.

Great Pizza Box Fold-Off
Breanna Gray, Gabriel Pizza, Ottawa

2015

Chef of the Year
1. Carlo Raillo, The Parlour Italian Kitchen & Bar, Edmonton
2. Vito Dachile, Enoteca Mozza Pizzeria Moderna, Laval, Que.
3. Fernando D’Agostino, That’s Italian Ristorante, Woodbridge, Ont.

2014

Chef of the Year
1. Carlo Raillo. The Parlour Italian Kitchen & Bar, Edmonton
2. Steve Silvestro, Alice Fazooli’s, Toronto
3. Don Letendre, Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria, Vancouver

2013

Chef of the Year
1. Rocco Agostino, Pizzeria Libretto, Toronto
2. Rick Nixon, Itza Reistorante & Pizzeria, Nelson, B.C.
3. Justin Connors, Fired Pizza Co.. Fredericton, N.B.

2012

Chef of the Year
1. Cory Medd, Two Guys and a Pizza Place, Lethbridge, Alta.
2. Marina Rondinelli, Rondo’s Pizza Plus, Bright’s Grove, Ont.
3. Richard Ames, Daddio’s Pizzeria, Grande Prairie, Alta.

2011

Chef of the Year
1. Pasqualino Oliveri, The Grand Pizzeria and Bar, Ottawa
2. Marina Rondinelli of Rondo’s and Pizza Plus in Bright’s Grove, Ont.
3. Tom Stankiewicz, Bondi’s Pizza, London, Ont., and Rick Nixon, Itsa Ristorante & Pizzeria, Nelson, B.C. (tied)

2010

Chef of the Year
1. Dave Housman, Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria, Edmonton
2.Adrien Vachon, owner of Fat Cat’s Pizza, Welland, Ont.
3. Jeff Hughes, Diesel Pizza & Wings, Riverview, N.B.

2009

Chef of the Year
1. Tom Stankiewicz, Bondi’s Pizza, London, Ont.
2. Diana Coutu of Diana’s Gourmet Pizzeria, Winnipeg
3. Stephen Goddard, Pomodori, N.B.

2008

Chef of the Year
Cory Medd, Two Guys and a Pizza Place, Lethbridge, Alta.

2007

Chef of the Year
Liliane Sibonney, Kensingtons, Toronto

2006

Chef of the Year
Diana Cline (Coutu), Diana’s Gourmet Pizza, Winnipeg

2005

Chef of the Year
Diana Cline (Coutu), Diana’s Gourmet Pizza, Winnipeg