Listen to our Pizza Maker of the Year Joe Carlucci on The Hot Slice Podcast
On The Hot Slice podcast this week is veteran pizza maker/pizzeria owner and recently named Pizza Maker of the Year Joe Carlucci. Joe owns Valentina’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar in Madison, Alabama. He followed up a first-place win in the Traditional Division at last year’s International Pizza Challenge with a Non-Traditional victory this year. He went on to win and be named Pizza Maker of the Year. This is the first time in challenge history that a competitor has won categories back-to-back and nabbed the Pizza Maker of the Year title.  See Joe’s reaction speech to being named Pizza Maker of the Year on Pizza Today’s Instagram Reel.
Pizza Maker of the Year Joe Carlucci, owner of Valentinas Pizza and Wine Bar in Madison, Alabama
Born in the Bronx and raised in Carmel, New York, Joe studied under Tony Gemignani for 15 years and was a founding member of the World Pizza Champions. He is a six-time World Pizza Champion and three-time World Champion Pizza Acrobat. Joe is a Guinness World Record holder for largest pizza base spun in one minute measures 72 cm (28.35 in) and world’s highest pizza toss using 20 ounces of dough at 21 feet and 5 inches into the air. Carlucci has appeared several times on national TV shows – such as, The Today Show, Martha & Snoop, Master Chef Kids and Best In Dough.
Joe transplanted to Alabama and opened Joe’s World Famous Pizza in Madison followed by a thriving food truck business. His latest pizzeria, Named after his daughter, Valentina’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar opened in 2020. Valentina’s is expanding into a new 4,000 square foot building in four months.
The Hot Slice Podcast Interview with Joe Carlucci
The Hot Slice Podcast host and Pizza Today Executive Editor Denise Greer has an in-depth conversation with Joe, focused on the following areas:
- His International Pizza Challenge wins
- Holding the title of Pizza Maker of the Year
- Competing on an international stage
- The winning pizzas
- How the wins have impacted business
- Managing sales volume increase
- Career struggles and triumphs
- Career mentors
- Philosophies and motivations
- Valentina’s staff
- Growth and expansion into a new space
- Advice for other pizza pros
About the International Pizza Challenge
The International Pizza Challenge is held annually in the spring at International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. Competitors battled head-to-head to find out who makes the best pizza in the world. We had five best pizza divisions: Traditional, Non-Traditional, Pan, CMAB California Style and Neapolitan/STG which will be represented in the pizza bake-off that will showcase 200 of the world’s best pizza makers and thousands of dollars in cash prizes.
Thank you to our sponsor
