A Quebec chef wins world title for Neapolitan pizza
Pizzaiolo Mirko D’Agata, executive chef of No.900 and Morso pizzerias, has been crowned world champion in the Neapolitan Pizza category at the International Pizza Challenge, whose finals were held Thursday in Las Vegas. Once again this year, Tastet was invited to follow the pizzeria team on their journey to document the behind-the-scenes of the competition.
“I’m really, really proud and grateful. I think all the hard work eventually pays off,” Mirko told us—exhausted but visibly overjoyed—just after receiving his award.
Mirko ranked 4th among more than a hundred participants during the qualifying round in his category. Only the top five from each category advanced to the finals. His marinara pizza won over the judges, earning him first place.
It’s a crowning achievement for Mirko D’Agata, who had been chasing this victory for years:
“My first competition in Las Vegas in the Neapolitan category was in 2017. I finished fifth. Then we got second place in 2019, and first in the Roman category in Naples. We were always in the top 10, but that win was still missing,” he explained.
No.900’s head of research and development, Fiodar Huminski, was also part of the delegation. He reached the final round in the American Traditional category, where his New York–style pizza landed him third place. Pizzaiolo Simon Melki from the Monkland location and his colleague Samuel Goddard Gauthier, owner-operator of No.900 in Bromont, also placed 22nd and 10th respectively in the Pan Pizza and Non-Traditional categories.
Mirko D’Agata expressed how proud he was to share this moment with his team and to pass on some of his know-how to the next generation.
“The Olympics of Pizza”
No.900 co-founder Alexandre Brunet had been dreaming of this victory for a long time—he first represented the pizzeria at the Las Vegas competition back in 2012. “Honestly, I got chills when he won. People don’t realize the level of planning these competitions require. You find out at the very last minute whether you’ve made it to the finals. One of the finalists couldn’t even compete because he didn’t have any dough. That’s the kind of thing you have to anticipate.”
“For No.900, being able to say we have the world champion of Neapolitan pizza in Quebec—that’s huge,” he added. “It’s like winning the Olympics. The best pizzaiolos in the world come to compete here.”
Other Canadians also took part in the championship. Sébastien Cappellano and Alex Morangelli from Dorval’s bakery-pizzeria Non Solo Pane came to compete. Selim Dahmane, a former chef at Toqué! who now lives in Vancouver, was also in the mix. Although he didn’t achieve the result he was hoping for, he’s determined to try again next year. “I found the experience amazing. It’s such a great opportunity to face off with professionals who share the same passion. It’s a great way to learn and grow,” he said. The young chef was thrilled to see a fellow Canadian win top honors. “We’re a bit underrepresented in this competition. The fact that we managed to raise the Canadian flag among so many competitors—it’s a huge source of pride!”
The adventure between Tastet and No.900 isn’t over yet—stay tuned for our upcoming mini documentary series diving into the behind-the-scenes of the competition.
Written by Jean-Philippe Tastet
Photography by Virginie Gascon Lauzon - No.900 Pizza
