International Pizza Expo Chef Talks Hottest Trends, Kids Show Off Dough-Slinging Skills

Tony Gemignani, the 11-time World Pizza Champion, talks pizza trends on "GMA."

ByABC News via logo
March 9, 2016, 9:44 AM

— -- The 32nd annual International Pizza Expo is taking place in Las Vegas right now. It’s the largest gathering of pizza professionals on the planet.

Tony Gemignani, the 11-time World Pizza Champion who is giving a keynote speech at the event tomorrow, joined us on “Good Morning America” to explain why pizza is more popular now than ever before.

“You grow up with it,” Gemignani, who owns 13 pizzerias, said. “When you think about your slice concept or that pizzeria you grew up with, everyone loves it. It brings you back to when you were a kid and things were so easy and simple in life. It’s worldwide. Pizza is so worldwide right now. It’s incredible with over 40 billion dollars in sales. Pizza is where it’s at.”

He also explains two of the hottest trends in pizza right now: chef-driven pizza and grandma-style pizza.

“Chef-driven trends have been really, really popular lately,” he said. When you think of buying local, not just buying regional, but buying local from small farms and updating your menu, it’s not that pepperoni pizza that’s been on your menu for the rest of your life. Guys are turning their menus differently, they’re using ingredients that you’d never think of. When it comes to pizza now, and the renaissance of pizza, it’s really chef-driven places like Franny’s in New York.”

The grandma-style pizza is cut into squares.

“Frank at Prince Street Pizza is amazing. He makes a Soho square there,” said Gemignani. “Grandma-style pizzas have really originated in Long Island. It’s gone across to the boroughs [and] grandma-style has gone all the way to the West Coast. Grandma pizza is hot right now.”

Michael and Nicolas Testa, who are only 11 and 8-years-old, also showed off their impressive “pizza acrobatics” skills. Their father owns Carmine’s Pizza Factory in Jersey City, New Jersey, which means they get lots of practice in their dough-slinging skills.