Sorry Naples, but the best Neapolitan-style pizza is in Australia.
At the World Pizza Championship, held in the Italian city of Parma, a Melbourne chef carried off the prize for the best Neapolitan-style pizza.
Johnny Di Francesco, owner of 400 Gradi in Lygon Street, East Brunswick, travelled to Parma to compete against hundreds of pizzaiolos from around the world.
"Producing the right pizza comes from the heart - real Neapolitan-style pizza is just a beautiful thing," says Di Francesco, who is nicknamed "Mr Pizza".
Di Francesco's family originally came from Naples, in southern coastal Italy, and the chef trained there at the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana.
"It's so exciting for me as an Italian-Australian to be able to embrace both cultures through my love of food," he said in a statement.
The second-place prize for the best Neapolitan-style pizza went to Marco Fuso of London's Franco Manca. Third place went to a chef from Italy.
Neapolitan pizza is made with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.
Di Francesco's dedication to making world-class pizza has also seen him appointed as Australasian Principal of VPN, an international association based in Naples that is dedicated to protecting and promoting authentic Neapolitan pizza.
Only two chefs in Australia have been awarded this honour.
