LAS VEGAS, March 28, 2026) — A pizza maker from rural Bayport, Nova Scotia, found his way to the glitz of Las Vegas to compete with the world’s best at the International Pizza Competition during the 40th Annual Pizza Expo, held March 24-26, 2026. Silvio Schatz built on his formal chef’s training and competed side-by-side with other professional pizzaiolos in the demanding Neapolitan style of pizza making.
“I came into this competition not knowing what to expect,” said Chef Silvio. “Being away from my home kitchen, I felt a little like a fish out of water. Since I didn’t arrive in town with all the ingredients I needed, I had to ask suppliers at the trade show for help. Fortunately, it’s like a big family here.”
Though German-born Schatz has only two years of experience as a pizzaiolo, or pizza maker, he is far from inexperienced in the culinary arts. He began his training as a chef at the State Vocational School for the Hotel and Restaurant Industry in Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany, and completed the three-year program in 2013.
There, he learned to prepare a wide variety of dishes using plant-based ingredients, meat, and fish with professional techniques and equipment, while also developing menu suggestions, advising guests, and calculating costs, revenues, and prices. His training also included an apprenticeship at the renowned Ophelia, a two-star Michelin restaurant in Konstanz, Germany, featuring French and international dishes. He further honed his skills in upscale kitchens, including Barbarossa in Konstanz and Zum Klosterwirt in Friedrichshafen.
His sense of adventure soon took him to kitchens around the world, including Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki in New Zealand, Mount Surprise Holiday and Caravan Park in the Australian outback, and the restaurant at the Kimberly Hotel in Far North Queensland. He also gained experience in a food truck and a smoothie bar.
After arriving in Canada in 2019, he worked at the Algonquin Resort in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, and the Old Black Forest Restaurant in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. He then joined Dear Emma, Pizza & Wine Bar in Bayport. In his new role as a pizzaiolo, he completed three days of immersion training with the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN), a Naples, Italy-based nonprofit dedicated to protecting traditional Neapolitan pizza.
At the International Pizza Competition in Las Vegas, pizza makers go head-to-head in eight divisions, including Traditional, Pan, and Neapolitan. Chef Silvio competed in the Neapolitan division’s VPN (Verace Pizza Napoletana) style certified by the AVPN, which allows only four dough ingredients—finely milled Italian-style flour, water, salt, and yeast. Simple toppings include San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and olive oil. The dough must be hand-stretched and baked in a wood-fired oven at approximately 485° C (905° F) for 60-90 seconds.
The Neapolitan division at the competition is especially competitive, with this year’s field filled to its maximum of 110 registrations. In a tightly judged field with a maximum score of 50, Schatz earned 36.8 points—a solid showing for a first-time competitor among world champions.
“It’s not the best score,” Chef Silvio said, “but I’m happy with it given I was up against competitors with multiple awards to their name. We make great pizza at our restaurant in Bayport and I’m heading back to my kitchen with lots of enthusiasm.”
The Pizza Expo is the world’s leading pizza industry trade show for pizzeria owners, suppliers, and innovators. In 2025, the expo drew more than 500 exhibitors and 9,000 buyers.
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