Canadian Pizza

The Canadian Pizza Summit and Chef of the Year Competition Faema Culinary Academy is where you'll meet dedicated pizza makers, movers and shakers, like our head judge, Diana Cline. Are you a Canadian pizzeria looking to connect with others in the business, pick up trends, sample delicious pizza from top chefs and give your team a break from the shop?

Register now! https://events.annexbusinessmedia.com/event/canadian-pizza-summit-toronto-2026/?oly_enc_id=

Give a nod to our Platinum Sponsor Faema Culinary Academy FAEMA Canada, Gold Sponsor Lactalis Canada Foodservice and Silver Sponsor Handtmann Canada for supporting this day celebrating innovation and independent pizzerias. Tag an independent you love!

Looking to build stronger roots in your local community?
We recently spoke with Nick Kokkoros of Barrel Restaurant in Simcoe, Ont., sharing how they approach local giving — from hospital fundraisers like their 'Tour of Italy' to supporting youth sports and employee-led causes.

It’s a thoughtful read on how active local investment helps both the community and long-term business sustainability.

🍕Check out the full story here:
https://www.canadianpizzamag.com/more-than-pizza-inside-the-barrels-playbook-for-giving-to-the-community-2/

"The ideal take-out and delivery ordering situation for every pizzeria in Canada? Online ordering only, used regularly by every potential customer in the area."

Where does your pizza business fall on the spectrum of ordering practices? Are you 10 years into an online system that's working well for you? Are you considering offering online ordering and wondering about the ROI?

Learn more from Treena Hein's information-packed article, in which experts The Fifteen Group D&K Consultancy Services Inc. and Enterprise Restaurant Consulting weigh in on best practices and getting the most out of online ordering systems.

https://www.canadianpizzamag.com/order-up-what-an-online-ordering-system-could-mean-for-your-pizzeria/

Photo: © ATHvisions / E+ / getty images PLUS

Meet our runnersup at Pizza Summit West!

Talented chefs Nick So of Mortadella on Main and Ezio Ranallo of Ranallo's Pizza Catering and Gelato won high praise from judges for their authentic pizza at Summit West in Vancouver in June.

Enjoy these profiles of talented pizza chefs and learn more about these passionate chefs and what keeps their businesses moving forward.

https://www.canadianpizzamag.com/pizza-from-the-heart-profiles-of-talented-pizza-chefs/

Want to come to a Pizza Summit? The next Summit will be in Toronto on Oct. 19: https://events.annexbusinessmedia.com/multi-event/canadian-pizza-summit-2026/

And watch for details of the next Summit West happening in Vancouver as part of Bakery Showcase April 25-26!

🍕 THE ULTIMATE CANADIAN PIZZA SHOWDOWN IS COMING! 🍕

On Oct. 19, 20 of Canada’s elite pizza chefs are heading to in Toronto to battle for the legendary title of Chef of the Year and a trip to the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas!

These top-tier competitors are ready to display their incredible skills:
* Giuseppe Cortinovis – Autentico Pizza & Co (Vancouver, B.C.)
* Alon F**s – Born and Raised (Hamilton, Ont.)
* Ethan Paxton – Cherry Ghost (Hamilton, Ont.)
* Sotirios Tzakis – Descendant Detroit Style Pizza (Toronto, Ont.)
* Adam Ward & Sara Amjad – Hooray For Pizza Day! (Toronto, Ont.)
* Jezza Morrison – Kindred Pizza & Provisions (Markham, Ont.)
* Meredith Egan – Lori Anne’s Pizza (Kingston, Ont.)
* Salar Madadi & Kyle Mackay – Maipai (Hamilton, Ont.)
* Steven Humphrey & Ragesh Vicneswaran – Mercasa Little Italy Eatery (Brantford, Ont.)
* Kishanth Jeyakumar – Otto Trattoria (Toronto, Ont.)
* Mathew Lemieux & Lisa Griffin – Pizza G Pies (Shediac, N.B.)
* Patrick Beatty & Sharid Sindhi – Risposta Bistro
* Mathew Mikhaiel – Son of a Batch Quality Goods (Toronto, Ont.)
* Marco Caveglia – Tuscan Wolf Pizzeria (Cambridge, Ont.)
* Mohdeep Singh – Tuscan Wolf Pizzeria (Whitby, Ont.)

📦 But wait, there's more action! We are also hosting The Great Pizza Box Fold-Off and Faema Culinary Academy Pizza-Eating Competition with great pizza from Master Chef Pasquale Ponticello and great prizes in the afternoon while results are tabulated! Register now at the link in our bio and indicate you'd like to compete or sign up at the front desk! 🏆

👇 Tag your favourite chefs or pizzerias in the comments, like this post, and share it with your pizza crew!

🎟️ Note: This exclusive event is for pizzeria/restaurant owners, operators, franchisees, and employees. Don't miss out on Canada's premier pizza competition and tabletop business event!

🔗 REGISTER NOW to attend and watch these skilled pizza artisans make the best pizza in Canada! https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/canadian-pizza-summit-toronto-2026-tickets-1988608247801?aff=oddtdtcreator

Thank-you to our host and Platinum Sponsor FAEMA Canada, our Gold Sponsor Lactalis Canada Foodservice and exhibitors Browne Foodservice, EDSS kitchen equipment, Les Moulins de Soulanges for supporting pizza innovation and community!

Innovation spotlight: Umami pizza magic 🍕✨

We are highlighting the work of Eiichi Kohno, owner of es pizza co. and the recently named Chef of the Year West. Kohno is gaining national attention for his "Japanese Umami Flavour" pizza, which showcases a technical fusion of Japanese, Italian, and Canadian influences.

You will be inspired by this talented chef's approach to flavour and operations particularly insightful:

Technical fusion: Balancing the five elements of taste using a 48-hour natural fermentation process and ingredients like kombu powder and yuzu citrus aioli.
Waste-to-profit strategy: Implementing a sustainable model that repurposes excess dough into a secondary revenue stream of high-quality frozen pizzas.

Read our profile of this fascinating, hardworking pizza chef – which will be our cover story in our September print edition, for a deeper look at the techniques and philosophy driving this award-winning craft: https://www.canadianpizzamag.com/umami-pizza-magic/

Creative for the cause: Fresh pizza marketing ideas for doing well, while doing good

As a pizzeria owner, operator or manager, are you looking to integrate cause marketing ideas and more community involvement into your business this summer?

Here are three practical and still-relevant takeaways from one of the first articles I wrote for Canadian Pizza magazine in 2014.

https://www.canadianpizzamag.com/creative-for-the-cause-fresh-pizza-marketing-ideas-for-doing-well-while-doing-good/

We just posted a photo album of Canadian Pizza Summit West. On June 1, top pizza chefs and operators gathered to celebrate professional pizza, crown a new Chef of the Year, have a pizza box fold-off and, most of all, share expriences and encourage one another in the art, science and business of pizza. Thank you to all who participated. We'll do it again in Toronto on Oct. 19 and in Vancouver April 25-26, 2027, as part of Baking Association of Canada Bakery Showcase! ://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1790519125253917&set=pcb.1790521021920394

Updated Post: Champion sandwich maker Selim Dahmane reflects on elements of ‘perfect sandwich’ https://www.canadianpizzamag.com/champion-sandwich-maker-selim-dahmane-reflects-on-elements-of-perfect-sandwich