Pizza University provides intensive master classes designed to guide restaurant owners, caterers, and other aspiring pizzaioli to cultivate the best pizza-making practices and industry support. Headquartered in Beltsville, Maryland, Pizza University has brought on Leo Spizzirri as the new Director of Education in March 2024.
Spizzirri brings vast accomplishments including his experience as a successful pizza maker, instructor, and industry consultant. Pizza University’s long relationship with Spizzirri brought him into the fold officially at the start of the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas in March 2024 but this has been decades in the making. This partnership will enhance the experience of our valued customers, empower our dedicated employees, and foster stronger connections within our thriving pizza community.
As a first-generation Italian American, the significance of delicious, well-crafted food is practically part of Leo Spizzirri’s DNA. His love for pizza was fed by his earliest childhood memories. He spent hours watching, and assisting, his mom and Nana Gilda 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.
Spizzirri’s wealth of expertise comes from a lifetime of supporting the pizza and baking industry with a focus on dough rheology. 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. Chef Leo is also a member of the World Pizza Champions Team and he holds the distinction of being 1 of only 100 worldwide Master Instructors from the Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli in Venice, Italy.
Chef Leo Spizzirri in his famous pizza Garage
The “Ask Chef Leo” social media channels and “The Pizza Garage” YouTube channels were created to offer tips, tricks, recipes, and tutorials for both the pizza professional and the at-home foodie. Chef Leo created these channels to bring some of himself into your home and your life.
“My brother and I started Pizza University because pizza is a part of our culture and heritage. We want the pizza industry to thrive and grow in America. The best way to support that growth is through education. We offer classes on making a variety of styles but also on business strategy and structure. We enjoy giving back to the community by supporting those new to the industry as well as training the existing community in best practices and the history of pizza.” stated Francesco Marra, CEO and co-owner of Marra Forni and Pizza University and Culinary Arts.
“I am pleased to make our partnership and continued collaboration official. I look forward to supporting the pizza community through this business relationship to a greater extent and sharing my passion for pizza with our students,” said Spizzirri.
