New pizza experts join judging panel at Canadian Pizza Chef of the Year West at Bakery Showcase

We are pleased to announce new additions to our expert judging panel for Canadian Pizza Chef of the Year West in Vancouver May 14-15. We are honoured to have Diana Cline emcee our Chef of the Year Competition and four expert judges on board for Chef of the Year: Francisco Migoya, renowned chef and co-author of Modernist Pizza, Seattle, Wash., Marzia Molatore (Mamma Marzia), cookbook author and chef in Langley, B.C., Peter Jacobs, Certified Master Baker and consultant/owner of The Baker’s Workshop in Newmarket, Ont., and Hassi Sadri, respected international pizza judge and founder of Napoli Culinary Academy and Café Napoli in Sacramento, Calif.!

Champion pizza chef and owner-operator Diana Cline will emcee the competition – which she has judged multiple times and won herself twice back in 2005-06.

Meet our emcee!

Diana Cline, Owner and Partner, Diana’s Cucina and Lounge, Winnipeg, consultant to pizzeria owner/operators

Award-winning pizza chef Diana Cline is a two-time Canadian Pizza magazine Chef of the Year champion, three-time winner of “Canada’s Best Pizza Chef” at international pizza competitions and a judge for international pizza culinary competitions in Las Vegas, Italy and France, and for the Canadian Pizza magazine Chef of the Year competition. Diana is partner with Diana’s Cucina & Lounge in Winnipeg and a consultant to other pizzeria owner/operators in menu development, creating operational systems and marketing to help operators grow their business strategically.

Meet our judges!

Francisco Migoya, Chef and Co-Author, Modernist Bread and Modernist Pizza

Francisco Migoya is the Modernist Cuisine head chef and co-author of Modernist Bread (2017), and Modernist Pizza (2021). Modernist Bread has won many awards, including: James Beard Foundation, International Association of Culinary Professionals, and Gourmand cookbook awards. Together with Nathan Myhrvold, he directs culinary research, including the development of new techniques and recipes. He has been recognized as a top U.S. pastry chef and chocolatier, with accolades that include the Medal of Master Artisan Pastry Chef (2013) from Gremi de Pastisseria de Barcelona. Migoya owned Hudson Chocolates in New York and worked at both The French Laundry and Bouchon Bakery as executive pastry chef. Prior to joining the Modernist Cuisine team, Migoya was a professor at The Culinary Institute of America, where his areas of instruction included bread, viennoiserie, pastry, and culinary science. Migoya’s book The Elements of Dessert (John Wiley & Sons, 2012), won a 2014 International Association of Culinary Professionals Cookbook Award in the Professional Kitchens category.

Peter Jacobs, Certified Master Baker, Bakery Application Consultant at The Bakers Workshop, Newmarket, Ont.

An RBA Certified Master Baker, Peter Jacobs has worked more than 40 years in the bakery and food production industry in North America and Europe. His passion for baking started in Europe in the 1980s where he earned dual diplomas as journeyman baker and pastry chef by the age of 20. He moved to North America in 1990 where he became proficient in bread, bun, cake and pastry production. Since then he has built his skills, training and wide network in a variety of positions in the baking industry.

Peter is the owner of The Bakers Workshop, a bakery-specific consulting company that provides such services as production optimization, efficiency evaluations, formula adjustments and collecting data during the baking and freezing process using an oven M.O.L.E. He is passionate about helping bakeries and pizzerias develop products, improve their production-line efficiencies, develop formulas and mentor new recruits.

Marzia Molatore, Mamma Marzia, Bella Cibo, Langley, B.C.

Mamma Marzia, founder of Bella Cibo, born in Naples and grew up in the Valtellina in northern Italy, moved to Vancouver in 2003 to follow the big love of her life. Growing up in Italy homemade food was a big part of her culture. She learned how to cook with passion from her mom, nonna and aunts.

In February 2003 she hosted her first lasagna cooking class. Inspired by the enthusiasm of her students, she made it her goal to teach people how to cook real food while they have fun. She launched a social media campaign and started to teach authentic Italian cuisine to other people. The name of her company, “Bella Cibo,” literally means “beautiful food.” Mamma Marzia now hosts classes from her kitchen. Bella Cibo is well known for making donations to schools and various local charity events. In 2018 Bella Cibo won the Service Excellence Award from the Langley Chamber of Commerce. Mamma Marzia published a cookbook in 2020, a collection of her family recipes.

Hassi Sadri, Napoli Culinary Academy and Café Napoli, Sacramento, Calif.

Hassi Sadri is an award-winning chef and the founder of Napoli Culinary Academy and Café Napoli, an international restaurant and hotel consultant, Head Judge at the Annual International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas and Pizza and Pasta Expo in Atlantic City.

 Chef Hassi has an extensive international background in the culinary arts, food and beverage, and hotel management. He has a PhD in industrial management and experience as director of food and beverage of a premier hotel and casino in Reno, and international hotel and restaurant consultant. 

He appeared on the cover of Pizza Today magazine as one of the “Top Pizzas in the Nation,” in addition to making the restaurant one of the “Top 100 Unique Restaurants In The Nation.” Chef Hassi’s regular customers have included everyone from prominent local business, local TV personalities, to the governor’s office, and the Sacramento Kings.  Chef Hassi donates thousands of dollars in scholarships, classes, and food, annually to local charities, schools, and low-income and at-risk students, and has been honoured with the distinguished Domestic Violence Prevention Collaboration Award by the District Attorney’s Office and local law enforcement, for his donations and dedication to helping his community.

Did you know?

Any pizza maker who meets eligibility requirements may compete for Chef of the Year West! You don’t have to live on the west coast – as long as you are eligible and haven’t won Chef of the Year in the last three years, we welcome you to enter!

REGISTER NOW TO COMPETE IN THE PIZZA-MAKING COMPETITION AND GREAT PIZZA BOX FOLD-OFF!

See you at the show – two shows in one!

Join us at the Canadian Pizza Summit and Chef of the Year Competitions at Bakery Showcase May 14-15, 2023. Summit sessions and demonstrations happen on Sunday, May 14, and the competition takes place on Monday, May 15. Don’t miss this chance to watch top chefs in action, sample their pizza, pick up ideas for your own pizzeria and meet other operators!

REGISTER NOW TO ATTEND CANADIAN PIZZA SUMMIT AND COMPETITIONS / BAKERY SHOWCASE!