Maestro Pizzaiolo Leo Spizzirri isn’t just a chef with some good recipes in his repertoire. He’s obsessed with all things pizza and shares his love and knowledge with all who encounter him. Leo’s passion towards pizza and Italian food have earned him the title “America’s ambassador of authentic Italian Pizza and Pasta products.”

As a first-generation Italian-American, the significance of delicious, well-crafted food is part of his DNA. Spizzirri’s love for pizza was fed by his earliest childhood memories.  He spent hours watching, and assisting, his mom and Nana in the kitchen while they created all kinds of traditional Italian dishes. They encouraged his love for food and tolerated his perfectionist manner as well as the messes that came with all his experimentation.

Since then he’s gone on to be trained by Head Master Graziano Bertuzzo and 13-time World Pizza Champion Tony Gemignani. Chef Leo Spizzirri holds the distinction of being 1 of only 100 worldwide Master Instructors from Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli in Venice, Italy. A Chicago-native, he’s had a hand in local pizza operations like Giordano’s Famous Stuffed Pizza, Francesca’s Restaurant Group, as well as Labriola Baking Company and Bakery Cafe.

Chef Leo has spent a lifetime supporting the pizza and baking industry with his expertise in dough rheology and high speed manufacturing. His responsibilities in commercial artisan bread and frozen pizza have led him to stand in the forefront of dough and pizza innovations where he has supported major national brands across the United States and Canada.

While his expertise has given Spizzirri the chance to travel the world, make regular appearances on television programs like Dr. Oz, and make pizzas for celebrities like Johnny Depp, Justin Timberlake, Mr.T, Ludacris, Kevin James, and boxing legend Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, ultimately he’s passionate about teaching people how to source better ingredients in order to eat cleaner, better-for-you food. “I grew up learning to eat the way my parents and grandparents ate in Italy.  We have all heard about the Mediterranean diet and it’s no wonder that people in Italy live as long as they do. This is the way I learned to cook and this is the way that I strive to feed others” says Spizzirri.

Spizzirri is the founder of Spizzirri Media LLC which is known for brands like “Ask Chef Leo”, “The Pizza Garage with Leo Spizzirri”, and a pizzeria consulting company where he helps build new pizza concepts around the United States for both independent and commercial restaurant groups.

His outer tattoo wearing, punk rock loving persona is unmatched by his technical knowledge when it comes to the kitchen. The pizzas that he makes, the dishes that he prepares, all share his one secret ingredient that has been passed down to him for generations: the love that he puts into everything that he makes.