Gemma Cataldo (18), Manager
Antonio’s Italian Restaurant — Elkhart, Indiana
Instagram handle: @gemgemcataldo is my personal handle, however, my sister and I have a joint account for pizza only related content and that is @thecataldosisters.
Pizza Champion Gemma Cataldo, manager at Antonio’s Italian Restaurant in Elkhart, Indiana, has been named a Rising Star of the Pizza Industry 2023 by Pizza Today. Read a quick Q&A with Gemma.
What has it been like following in your father’s footsteps by winning the Traditional Division at the International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo?
After winning the Traditional Division at the IPC this year in March, the overall feeling was, “is this real?” Winning the Traditional Division, in particular, was really special to me. Because my dad, Paul, had won the Traditional Division title in 2019. It holds more meaning to me knowing that we both share in this accomplishment. It took several days, even after we had returned home, for the realization to finally sink in that I had won the title of World Pizza Champion. I was both overwhelmed and blessed to receive this award.
You’re pretty new to competing at just 18 years of age, correct?
I have only competed one previous time in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in the “Young Pizza Maker of the Year” Competition where I placed third. However, I have been to numerous shows with my dad both here in the United States, as well as internationally in Parma, Italy. I have watched him compete and grow in knowledge about the industry for many years. This prompted my initial entry in the Atlantic City competition.
What’s next for you?
I recently graduated high school early in March and I will be attending Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan, this fall. I plan on studying Dental Hygiene, though I have no intention of leaving the pizza industry behind. The pizza industry has always had a special place in my life, and going to college will not prohibit my desire to continuously improve and learn. My sister, Carmela, and I are already working on new pizzas and flavors for the 2024 IPC. In terms of more immediate action, I am becoming more involved with Women in Pizza to support and highlight the talents of women in the pizza industry, especially young women who are just starting.
More from Gemma:
My family business has always been an important part of my life, most specifically with my formation as a young adult. From the time I was ten years old, I have always played a part in some capacity — bussing tables, making salads and appetizers, being a line cook for five years, and eventually landing in the pizza kitchen when my older sister, Carmela, left for college. The past two years have been a constant immersion on honing my skills — namely with dough development and flavor profiles. As a family business, I have spent a majority of my life working alongside my sisters and dad. One of the main reasons that I continue my passion for cooking is because of my family. My dad never forced us to compete or pressured us into continuing the business; my four sisters and myself have all chosen to be present and active in our family business because of the love we all carry for culinary excellence as well as for each other. My hope is to carry on, to some degree, the knowledge my dad has shared with all of my sisters and I, and to apply it to whatever we encounter next in life. And of course that includes making delicious pizza!
