CHRIS BIANCO
When Chris Bianco started Pizzeria Bianco in the back corner of a Phoenix grocery store in 1988, he had no idea that he would become a driving force in the artisanal pizza movement. All he knew was that his food would reflect the respect and sincere intention that he brings to each of his recipes, as the result of his relationships with farmers, local producers, customers, and staff.
Now the chef-owner of Pizzeria Bianco, with multiple locations in Phoenix, Arizona and Los Angeles, California, Bianco has come a long way from the back corner of that grocery store.
Bianco first won the James Beard Award for Best Chef (Southwest) in 2003 —the first pizzaiolo to receive the honor— and helped spawn a generation of independent and artisanal pizzerias, lending his advice, wisdom, and food philosophies to dozens of fellow chefs and restaurateurs. In 2022, Chris again won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restauranteur.
Chris developed Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes, an organic lineup of tomato products from California with partner Rob DiNapoli. He continues to be active in all his restaurants, and to inspire cooks and food lovers around the world.
→ follow Chris on Instagram @pizzeriabianco
Featured in
Netlfix’s Chef’s Table: Pizza
Chris was the focus of the first of six episodes in the 2022 season of Chef’s Table, a documentary-style show that focuses on the beauty and complexity of chefs and the food they create. Watch now to learn more about Chris’ journey with pizza, and how he got to where he is now.
Bianco released his first book, Bianco: Pizza, Pasta and Other Food I Like in 2017.
A full-color, fully illustrated cookbook that illuminates the fundamentals of pizza making and the philosophy behind Chris’s cooking. The book features recipes for his signature pizzas as well as strategies and techniques for translating chef’s methods to the home kitchen.