Chicagoland boasts a justifiable share of accolades in terms of delicacies. And maybe the class that we brag about probably the most is an unequivocal favourite: pizza. Whether or not within the metropolis or out within the suburbs, there isn’t any scarcity of unbelievable pizza eating places that rival something yow will discover in Italy or past. A kind of eating places is Tievoli Pizza Bar in Palatine, an artisanal, New York-style, pizzeria with an award-winning proprietor set to compete within the 2025 World Pizza Competitors in Italy this coming April. Introducing: Giovanni Labbate, the brains behind the successful pies on the 2024 California Pizza Problem that certified him to compete in Italy. CFM lately acquired to interview Labbate whereas he prepares for April’s competitors and study in regards to the particular pizzas that locked in his alternative on the World Pizza Competitors.
CFM: Please inform our readers about your self and the way Tievoli Pizza Bar in Palatine got here to life.
GL: Pizza has at all times been part of my life. My father was within the pizza enterprise for a few years till he handed away 18 years in the past. That’s after I determined to comply with in his footsteps. In 2022, we deliberate to open a pizzeria in Palatine. We struggled to give you an authentic title till my spouse remembered a pink mix wine from Oak Farm Vineyards referred to as “Tievoli.” The bottle revealed that the title meant “I Love It” spelled backward, and we knew it was the right alternative.
CFM: For these of us that haven’t but skilled Tievoli, what can we count on after we dine in?
GL: Whether or not you dine in or take out, you may count on the perfect pizza round! Our New York artisan pizza is made with the very best high quality substances and cooked to perfection in our brick ovens by Pizza Grasp.
CFM: What makes Tievoli stand out on this pizza-obsessed space?
GL: We stand aside in Chicagoland, the place most pizzas are tavern-style, deep dish, pan, or Neapolitan. We provide New York artisan pizza with distinctive topping combos that set us aside from the remainder.
CFM: Inform us extra about your cellular pizza truck and the occasions you do all through Chicagoland.
GL: Our cellular pizza truck is without doubt one of the most unusual meals vehicles on the market, that includes a gold wood-fired oven by Marra Forni. The most effective half is the all-glass facet of the truck, the place you may see all of the motion. E book us to your subsequent non-public get together, birthday, enterprise occasion, faculty occasion, or wedding ceremony—you gained’t be disenchanted!
CFM: Please inform us about your expertise (and your win!) on the 2024 California Pizza Problem that certified you to compete within the World Pizza Championship in Italy in April 2025!
GL: Successful in California was a tremendous expertise! Not solely did we win the Non-Conventional class, however we additionally gained the Secret Basket Problem, incomes us the title of Grand Champion and the chance to compete in Parma, Italy, in April 2025. Moreover, we gained the three Cheese Problem sponsored by Actual California Milk, bringing residence three first-place trophies this 12 months.
CFM: What was the inspiration behind your successful creations? Are these accessible at Tievoli?
GL: The inspiration got here from my spouse, who as soon as introduced me a bunch of toppings and requested me to make a peach pizza. That’s how the Peach Good pizza was born. She’s an enormous a part of my creations—if she doesn’t prefer it, it doesn’t make the menu. Most of our award-winning pizzas are on the menu now, whereas others, like Peach Good, Sundown in Sonoma, and The Harvest, are provided as seasonal objects.
CFM: What are you most enthusiastic about concerning the upcoming competitors in April?
GL: We’re most excited to showcase our creations in Parma, Italy, and, hopefully, to be acknowledged worldwide as having the perfect pizza within the USA. However above all, we’re excited to return to Italy.
CFM: How are you getting ready for the journey and competitors?
GL: We’re dedicating lots of time to analysis and improvement to make sure we create the very best pizza to compete with. We’ll even be sharing a few of these creations on our social media and asking for suggestions from our followers.
CFM: Do you intend to deliver inspiration again from the competitors and introduce new menu objects upon your return?
GL: Sure, we imagine the competitors will encourage some nice concepts for brand spanking new particular objects and additions to our menu.
CFM: In addition to Tievoli, the place is your favourite place to eat pizza or Italian delicacies typically?
GL: For Italian meals, we love Lago in Lake Zurich, run by chef Fabio Viviani. For pizza, if we make it into town, we take pleasure in Paulie Gee’s or Professor Pizza.
