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Tony Gemignani's Bio
9 Time World Pizza Champion
8 Time World Champion Pizza Acrobat 1995,1996,1997,2000,2001,2005,2006,2007
1 Time World Champion Pizza Maker 2007
Restaurant Owner, Author, Cooking Teacher, Consultant
President of the World Pizza Champions Inc.
Co owner Pyzano’s Pizzeria Castro Valley CA
2 Time Food Network Gold medallist
2 Time Guinness Book World Record Holder
Tony Gemignani was born on August 23, 1973. He grew up on a farm with mostly apricot and cherry orchards in Fremont California. Coming from an Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese family when his mom cooked she really cooked! Family dinners were always full of food and fun. Growing up with fruits and vegetables right from the farm, fresh ingredients were a staple in the Gemignani house. In 1991 when Tony was eighteen, his brother Frank who was twenty-two had the idea to open a pizzeria in Castro Valley, California. Frank asked Tony who was just out of high school, to come help him out. Soon Pyzano’s Pizzeria was born. Tony carried the title as pizza thrower, which wasn’t much until a kid came into the restaurant one day and asked him to do a trick. Tony said, “I can’t do any tricks”, and the kid said “we’ll you should practice some tricks!” Tony then started to do tricks for customers as they came in and the rest is history.
In 1995 Tony entered his first pizza throwing competition in Las Vegas and won. He then won in 1996, and 1997 and became the best pizza thrower in the world. The two brothers became partners in the business and Pyzano’s was named one of the Top 100 Independents Pizzeria in the nation. With such notoriety Tony toured the world tossing pizzas. He was a guest on shows like the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Good Morning America, Early Show, The Today Show, CNN and the Food Network. Pizzerias from all over the world asked him to make appearances and train there staff. Celebrity Pizza tosses rolled in and Tony started to toss pizzas with stars such as Michael Douglas, James Caan, Steve Young, Howie Mandel, Francis Ford Coppola and Robert Duvall. Working with companies such as Marriott, Sun Microsystems, and Disney for grand openings and world movie premiere parties. Tony entertained with the best. He participated in many charity events, Meals on Wheels, commercials and cancer camps routinely. Tony started the first instructional videos called Throw like the Pro’s and sold them worldwide. Most pizza throwers around the world use the Tony G method that set the foundation for all throwers.
Tony performed and trained chefs with one on one training in such places as Thailand, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Sicily, England and the all over the US. Working with pizza makers from around the world Pyzano’s menu has become a lesson in pizza geography. With this knowledge of global pizza, recipe development became some what of a staple in his life. This led Tony to become a teacher at some of the finest cooking schools in California and Oregon.
In 2000, Tony was asked to compete at the World Pizza Championships in Italy. A team was created and the three best pizza makers were sent. Tony won two consecutive years in 2000 and 2001. Tony was the first American to ever win in Italy's World Championships. Tony, a Five Time World champion became a judge of the world competition and the coach/co founder of the US Pizza Team. Tony led the US team for three years and departed to form the World Pizza Champions, Americas # 1 Pizza Team.
The World Pizza Champions America's # 1 Pizza Team are a group of the best pizza acrobats and bakers from around the US. They travel the world performing, competing, and the founding members organize the World Pizza Games in Las Vegas, New York, and Atlantic City. No other team in history has won more titles than the World Pizza Champions who dominate the Championships in Italy each year.
The World Pizza Champions team took the gold at the World Games in 2005 and again at the World Pizza Championships in 2006 & 2007 making Tony a 8 – time world champion.
In 2005 Tony collaborated with acclaimed cookbook writer Diane Morgan and wrote PIZZA. Their book skyrocketed in sales and was showcased on The Today Show The Rachael Ray Show & Emeril Live. In April of 2006 Tony and his teammates were showcased in the movie documentary Pizza the Movie that was accepted in eight major film festivals. Tony is also a 2 Time Food Network Gold Medallist. In the summer of 2006, Tony was invited on the Food Networks/Guinness “Pizza Champions Challenge.” He won first place for Best Pizza in the US and was also inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records twice for “Biggest Pizza” and “Most Consecutive Rolls Across the Shoulders.
In 2007 in Naples, Italy at the World Pizza Cup Tony became the first American to ever win a baking championship bringing home the gold cup for then best Neapolitan pizza in the world. This made Tony a 9 Time World Champion.
Tony is certified in Classic Italian Pizza and Pizza In Pala from the Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli in Caorle, Italy. Pyzano’s was named one of the Top 10 Pizza destinations in the nation by the Travel Channel and receives awards each year. No other person in the pizza industry had been featured on more shows or has won more titles than Tony.
Tony is recognized as being one of the most popular and influential figures in the pizza industry.
