A Sunshine Coast restaurant owner has been crowned Queensland Pizza Chef of the Year at a premier culinary competition.
Antonio Masella, who owns Maiori Pizzeria at Peregian Springs, won the Queensland Pizza Championships at a Food and Hospitality Queensland event at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
He impressed judges with a classic Napoletana pizza and also a creative pizza that included a faba bean puree base, topped with mozzarella, pancetta, Italian sausage, spicy ricotta, a parmesan crisp and caviar.
“This win means so much to me,” he said.
“Pizza has been part of my life and my culture for a long time, so to receive this recognition here in Australia is something I’m incredibly proud of.
“But I don’t see it as just my win. It belongs to (my wife) Sarah and our entire Maiori team. Every person who works with us puts something into what Maiori has become, so we all won this together.”
He said he went into the competition without expectations.
“I just wanted to make my pizza, represent Maiori and show the judges what we believe in,” he said.
“I was nervous but, once I started making the pizza, I just focused on doing what I do every day. There were some amazing pizza makers competing so when they announced that I had won, it was honestly an incredible feeling.”
He won $1500 and a berth at the Australian Pizza Championships at Food & Hospitality Week at Melbourne in May.
Head judge Johnny Di Francesco praised Mr Masella’s work.
“The winner’s dough was light, airy, easy to chew and practically melted in your mouth,” he said.
“Antonio’s ingredients were beautifully balanced, and he really followed the less is more approach. You could really taste the quality in the anchovies and in every ingredient.
“The standard of the competition was really impressive this year. I’d say it was 150 per cent better than last year, so it was a solid win against competitors who were also exceptional.”
The Masellas moved from Sardinia to Australia in 2016 and opened restaurants at Nambour and at Peregian Springs, before the former closed to make way for a development earlier this year.
Mr Masella said customers at the latter can expect authentic pizza “made with passion and without shortcuts”.
“We make everything from scratch, our dough goes through a long fermentation and every pizza is stretched and made individually,” he said.
“Winning won’t change who we are. If anything, it motivates us even more to keep improving and give our customers the best experience we can.”
Mr Masella said he was eager to further showcase his skills and the restaurant.
“My next goal is to keep pushing myself and Maiori forward,” he said.
“Winning this competition has given me even more motivation to learn, experiment and compete at a higher level.
“I’d love to take Maiori and our pizza to bigger competitions and represent the Sunshine Coast on a national, and hopefully one day international, stage.”
Antonio told Sunshine Coast News, in April, that the business could expand in the region.
“We are actively searching for a new location on the Sunshine Coast, as we are committed to staying local and continuing to grow,” he said.
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