The Pizza

Enjoy unlimited samples of Detroit, Sicilian, New York and a dozen other unique styles of pizza from the city’s finest pizzaiolos, including Vincent Rotolo (Good Pie), Tony Gemignani (Pizza Rock), John Arena (Metro Pizza) and many more local chefs and pizzerias.

The Chefs

(Chefs/restaurants are subject to change)

Chef Tony Gemignani

Our first pizza chef needs no introduction. Originally from Fremont, California, Chef Tony Gemignani is all-time master at making pizza. Not only is he a 13 time World Pizza Champion and a restauranteur, he is also a world champion pizza tosser. You may have seen him on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Food Network, or even Good Morning America.

Chef John Arena

The Owners and Founders of Metro Pizza, John Arena and Sam Facchini, have brought NY style pizza to multiple locations around town and are a staple in the Las Vegas community. With half a dozen spots around town, chefs like Chris Decker shine bright with unique takes on slices.

Chef Vincent Rotolo

Brooklyn-raised chef Vincent Rotolo lives, breathes, and eats pizza. If you love your slice thin and crispy, Chef Vincent specializes in pan-baked Grandma-style as well as a Detroit-Style pizzas. His restaurant Good Pie is a staple in the Downtown Las Vegas community as Las Vegans everywhere. Vincent enjoys spending his time away from work cooking with his wife Mariana and kids Nico, Natalia & Ana Maria. Vincent enjoys spending his time away from work cooking with his wife Mariana and kids Nico, Natalia & Ana Maria.

Gigi Bonanno

Chef NICK BARKIN

Learning the restaurant life at such a young age (6) from my mother, turned into a craft and passion and I’ve been hooked ever since. I am now 25 years of age learning anything and everything I can! Being able to craft different pizzas/toppings has been one of the most fun challenges I’ve had! Of course, it could not have been done without watching others and learning from the best of the best!

Chef FRANK VENTO

Born in Brooklyn New York, raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, since the age of 2, so a Native for sure.

Eldest son to the man who brought pizza by the slice to Las Vegas and one of the Kings of Pizza, Carmine Vento.

Our family has been serving the community since 1975 when we started out as Villa Pizza.

Bartosz-Wawrzyszak_-Custom-Pizza-Truck-Headshot

Chef Bart Wawrzyszak

Bart Wawrzyszak brought his Custom Pizza Truck from Poland, after 4 years of operating on the same pizza truck he decided to bring his knowledge, equipment and passion to Las Vegas in 2020 to start serving wood-fired pizzas to the local community. Currently, Chef Bart has 2 trucks under the Custom Pizza Truck brand to service more private and corporate events with more ability to pop up at public locations.

Chef Alexander Quinn

Chef Alexander Quinn is still new to the pizza scene. His dedication to his craft shines brightly as he worked his way from culinary stand-out to Executive Chef of Dom DeMarco’s. Using nothing but the best ingredients he is following his passion by serving up handcrafted Di Fara inspired pizza in Summerlin. Everyday continuing to live by Domenico DeMarco’s creed of making every pie with “love and discipline.”

Erica Bell

Erica moved to Las Vegas in 2013 from San Francisco, where she worked in the medical field. A musician in her youth, she is also a published photographer, with her work featured in both Asia and California. Her journey into the local community began when she met a group of women producing events in DTLV, inspiring her to volunteer and eventually create her own event and photography company, IMYLG.com.

Erica has played a significant role in producing many notable community events, including LGBTQ Events, First Friday, Life is Beautiful, Market in the Alley, Pour in the Alley, Real Awesome Food Park, Freak the Beat, and various shows with We The Beat at Fergusons Downtown, among others.

For the last 11 years, Erica has been a passionate supporter of community events and a strong advocate for local small businesses. She spent five years with Ferguson’s Downtown, creating community-focused events for all age groups. Her most recent professional accomplishment is helping her team at Double Zero Pie & Pub earn a spot among the Top 50 Pizza Restaurants in the US within the restaurant’s first year of operation.

In addition to her event production work, Erica has volunteered for numerous local initiatives, supporting small businesses from DTLV to the Arts District. She dedicated her time to First Friday before becoming its Production Manager in 2014, volunteered at Three Square Food Bank, and mentored young professionals in her community. During the COVID pandemic, Erica and her family delivered water and meals to displaced individuals in the DTLV area.

Erica prides herself on cultivating a fun, safe, and productive team culture. She focuses on helping others master their tasks, allowing them to enjoy their work, grow, and eventually teach others. Over the past 11 years, she has consistently prioritized her team, celebrating their achievements and embodying the role of both leader and teammate. Achieving a Top 50 nomination for her restaurant was a team effort, driven by a commitment to hospitality and exceeding expectations.

When asked about her vision for the future, Erica says, ‘My career will always be community-based. Bringing joy and happiness to people is all I want to do. Whether through food and unique dining experiences or capturing moments through photography, I aim to create lasting memories for people.

Chef James Trees

Born and raised in Las Vegas, NV, James Trees began his culinary career as a teenager at the Mirage Hotel & Casino on the Strip prior to attending the Culinary Institute of America, then rising through ranks under legendary chefs including Heston Blumenthal, Eric Ripert, Bradley Ogden, Michael Mina, Akasha Richmond and Ray Garcia. He spent several seasons behind the scenes with Gordon Ramsay on Kitchen Nightmares and Hell’s Kitchen.

Within five years, his seasonal Italian restaurant, Esther’s Kitchen, has become a local and tourist must-visit in the Downtown Las Vegas Arts District. Trees has followed that with the refined East Coast Italian Al Solito Posto, and creative American Ada’s Food & Wine in Tivoli Village. Two more projects are expected in 2024. In addition to a lengthy list of local accolades,Chef Trees was named a Finalist for the James Beard Award: Best Chef Southwest in 2020.

Richard Verhagen

From his birth in Alberta, Canada, to Mazatlán, Mexico’s creole cooking tradition, to running The Hurricane Kitchen in Los Angeles, Richard Verhagen has an adventurous history in the culinary arts. His journey across countries have led him to a passion for organic, sustainable, bold, and multi-dimensional cuisine. He brings this passion for new and exciting flavors to Evel Pie, spearheading the creation of our Birria pizza, and enabling our crew to dream big and delve
deep into the possibilities of flavor.

Nicknamed “The Hurricane,” Richard has blown in and helped make Evel Pie a unique pizza destination on Fremont St, at the Speedway, and in Allegiant Stadium. His managerial talents, fostered by years in hospitality and kitchens alike, means he inspires and uplifts staff with the experience and expertise that comes from a mix of traditional kitchens and entrepreneurial exploration. What new, decadent flavors will Richard bring to our space? Only time and one Evel company knows.

Chef Gio Mauro

Chef Giovanni Mauro is a local pizza star who’s got a love and a passion for quality ingredients. Stepping inside of Pizzeria Monzú transports you back to old Italy. The open kitchen overwhelms your senses with the sight and aromas of classic Italian cooking.

Bryan Forgione

In 2008, Bryan Forgione headed West to Las Vegas to work with Wynn Resorts where he established himself as Executive Chef at Society Café, named one of 2009’s Top 20 Best New Restaurants by “Esquire Magazine,” after working a number of years under Chef Kim Canteenwalla of Blau + Associates. In 2013, Bryan teamed up again with Blau + Associates and Buddy “The Cake Boss” Valastro to open Buddy V’s Ristorante located in the Venetian Resort Las Vegas, where he holds the title as Executive Chef.

Chef Ricky Lewis and Ryan Perras

Rebellion Pizza is owned and operated by longtime friends and co-workers Ryan Perras and Ricky Lewis. In 2004, Ryan started his first restaurant job as a Host at the Macaroni Grill in his neighborhood. Ryan stayed for over 6 years and gradually learned nearly every position in the restaurant. Ricky had worked for several restaurants and a local pizzeria, Tony’s II for 5 years. Ricky ran the pizza shop through high school and college until he joined the Nevada National Guard in 2004.

Ricky and Ryan met at the opening of a Yard House as a part of the wait staff. Ryan and Ricky had been quietly drafting a road map to their success…
In May 2021, Rebellion Pizza opened in Henderson, Nevada.

Chef Carmine D’Amato

Carmine D’Amato, Master Pizzaiolo, has brought the art of Pizza Napoletana to the valley for over 15 years at Settebello Pizzeria. Born and raised just outside of Napoli, Italy, his creativity is fueled by old world traditions and flavors that transport you back to the streets of Naples. Carmine and Settebello have been featured on Food Networks Unique Eats and draw pizza lovers from all walks of life together.

8 times World Pizza Champion Chef Floriana

Chef Floriana Pastore

Floriana Pastore was born and raised in Salerno, near Naples, Italy. Inspired by the tradition of her homeland, pizza is Floriana’s greatest passion. She is 8 times World Pizza Champion and very well known in the pizza industry. After working in kitchens worldwide, Chef Floriana decided to start 2020 with a new adventure. Along with her family, Floriana moved to Las Vegas with the desire to create her first Italian pizzeria on wheels. Floriana is currently the owner and head Chef at Signora Pizza. Signora Pizza is a one of a kind mobile pizzeria that was designed and built in Italy before being shipped to the United States. The pizzeria is housed in a twenty-foot container that has been modified into a full functioning kitchen. The mobile pizzeria features a wood fired oven that can be admired by all of our customers through a glass wall. They offer Neapolitan pizza together with the oldest and most popular Neapolitan Street Food like Pizza Fritta and Pizza Portafoglio (Wallet Pizza). Signora Pizza was nominated at Las Vegas Weekly’s “BEST PIZZA REINVENTION” Best of Vegas 2022.

Madisen Saglibene

Madisen is a proud small business owner who loves to collaborate with the local pizza community. She started her pizza truck and catering business, “Pizza Stone’d” in 2018, and in six years, she’s built a fleet of mobile pizza teams and added gelato and ice cream to the menu. She’s proud to be a woman in the biz and enjoys opportunities to work with other fantastic women entrepreneurs. Being a mobile pizzeria, she gets the chance to see the best sides of what Sin City has to offer and she loves the excitement of having a new “office” each day. Life’s a pizza party, and she’s here to make sure everyone in Vegas can get a slice!

Dani Garcia from Yukon Pizza - Women in Pizza

Dani White

Dani began her pizza journey when dating her now-husband Alex White and joining his catering business Yukon Pizza in Las Vegas. It started with taking orders, and then eventually learning to make dough, stretch and top a pizza, and everything in-between. During the pandemic, Alex and Dani began making pizzas and selling them on Instagram, along with Alex’s brother Cameron and friend and chef Justin Ford. In December 2020, Yukon Pizza joined the incubator space Vegas Test Kitchen. Two years later, Yukon Pizza opened their own brick and-mortar in the historic Huntridge Neighborhood. During this nearly 5-year pizza journey, Dani has found a passion for making pizza and the pizza business. Dani is so thankful to work alongside her husband, brother-in-law, sister, chef, and friends, and proud to say Yukon Pizza employs 50% women on their team.

Alex White

Alex White is a Las Vegas resident of 16 years, and the 5th generation heir of a family sourdough starter dating back to the Klondike Gold Rush in the Yukon Territory, over 125 years ago. He spent a decade working in the film and television industry, while also building his skills as a backyard pizza maker. When the pandemic happened Alex, his wife Dani, brother Cameron, and good friend Chef Justin Ford made the decision to jump from backyard pizza makers to a full on brick and mortar restaurant.

The Las Vegas Pizza Festival returns November 15, 2025.

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