A Story of Success and Pizza
When it comes to delicious brick oven fired pizza, look no further than Pizzeria Bianco in downtown Phoenix! Bianco’s pizzas are all fired in a Renato brick pizza oven and feature homemade ingredients created by Chris Bianco himself. Chris founded Pizzeria Bianco in 1988 serving thousands of happy customers “perhaps the best pizza in America” according The New York Times.
Born in the Bronx, Chris Bianco spent much of his childhood watching his beloved aunt cook. It was at 13 he first realized his love for pizza when he began working in a local pizzeria. After a trip to phoenix in 1985, he fell in love and stayed. He made mozzarella in his apartment, selling it to local Italian eateries for extra cash. Eventually he was given an opportunity to make and sell pizza in the corner of a specialty grocery store. Little did he know that this move would not only change his life but the pizza industry nationwide!
Bianco’s pizzas were selling fast and he realized that he had an opportunity to make a living doing what he loved. In 1993, he went to Italy to study traditional techniques and understand the heart of brick pizza oven cooking. He returned and opened one of the most successful pizzeria’s in America with a Renato brick pizza oven as the centerpiece. Using what he learned in Italy along with his innovative style, Chris made Pizzeria Bianco a powerhouse in the restaurant community.
When asked what’s the secret to his pizza, Chris replies “balance. It’s that simple”. Chris personally made almost every pizza served in Pizzeria Bianco. The dough is made by hand and fermented for 18 hours. The herbs are grown in house and the vegetables are locally sourced. All of these ingredients are combined into a perfectly balanced pizza and then fired in a Renato brick pizza oven. The crusts flavor is enhanced by both the even cooking temperature of the brick pizza oven and the subtle smokiness from the wood.
Pizzeria Bianco has been rated as the best pizza in America by a variety of publications including Bon Appetit and Vogue and has been lauded by such celebrities as Rachel Ray, Martha Stewart and Oprah Winfrey! Although Chris has stepped back from the pizza scene for now due to his health, his brother Marco continues the Bianco legacy. We look forward to enjoying Pizzeria’s award winning brick oven fired pizza for years to come!
