When Chris Bianco started Pizzeria Bianco in the back corner of a Phoenix grocery store in 1988, he had no idea that he would become a driving force in the artisanal pizza movement. All he knew was that his food would reflect the respect and sincere intention that he brings to each of his recipes, as the result of his relationships with farmers, local producers, customers, and staff.
Now the chef-owner of Pizzeria Bianco, with locations in Phoenix, Arizona, as well as Pane Bianco and his new white-tablecloth restaurant Tratto, also in Phoenix. Bianco won the James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest in 2003 —the first pizzaiolo to receive the honor— and helped spawn a generation of independent and artisanal pizzerias, lending his advice, wisdom, and food philosophies to dozens of fellow chefs and restaurateurs.
Bianco released his first book, Bianco: Pizza, Pasta and Other Food I Like in 2017. A full- color, fully illustrated cookbook that illuminates the fundamentals of pizza making and the philosophy behind Chris’s cooking, the book features recipes for his signature pizzas as well as strategies and techniques for translating chef’s methods to the home kitchen.