Portrait of a Pizza Champion
07 August 2024

Portrait of a Pizza Champion

What type of pizza does an award-winning pizzaiolo prefer? And what’s the worst topping he’s ever experienced? Meet Marco and find out.

Italian-born, but London-based chef Marco Fuso is a true pizza champion. Since 2014, he’s won pretty much all the awards there are to win, including UK Pizza Maker of the Year 2017. Today, he runs a pizza consultancy, sharing the secrets of his trade with pizza professionals all over the world.

Marco Fuso is originally from Lecce, right at the heel of the Italian boot. He’s worked with pizza for more than two decades, spear-heading multiple award-winning restaurants. Looking back at his career, Marco Fuso traces his love of pizza all the way back to his childhood in Italy.

“My grandfather was a baker and when I was a child I used to love to see him work. One of the reasons why I became a pizza chef wasthat the whole dough-making process really reminded me of what my grandfather used to do,” he explains.

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To Marco, making authentic pizzas is an art-form, whether you make a traditional thin-crust Neapolitan pizza or Roman-style deep-pan pizza. Simplicity, craftsmanship and creativity are critical.

“Always remember that a pizza should never be something you just eat. It should be something that you feel. If you take that approach, your customers will reward you with loyalty.”

Pizza partners

For 2021, Marco Fuso has joined forces with Arla Pro. The goal is to develop and deliver unique new content that can inspire pizza chefs and add new perspectives to the art of pizza making, like exclusive recipes and helpful insights on how to run successful pizza businesses.

“This partnership is a great match. Arla Pro has a wide range of high quality dairy products and is very aware of the needs of chefs. By working with Arla Pro, I can reach an even larger audience of professional chefs dedicated to learning new things. It’s a great opportunity to inspire and provide useful knowledge that can be applied directly in the kitchen,” says the pizza expert.

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Award-winning pizzaiolo, Marco Fuso

Awards and accolades

Marco Fuso has won numerous awards, including:

  • 2018: Top 5 Takeaway Chef

  • 2018: UK Best Margherita, PAPA Awards

  • 2017: UK Pizza Chef of the Year, PAPA Awards

  • 2014: World Pizza Championship finalist

Since 2019, Marco Fuso has been a member of the judges panel of the PAPA Awards for Pizza Chef of the Year competition

Cheese recommendations from the pizza champion

See which types of cheese Marco prefers.

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese 20% 2.5 Kg

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese 20% 2.5 Kg

Tre Stelle Shredded Mozzarella Cheese is a convenient and versatile option that brings the creamy goodness of mozzarella to your dishes. Made from 100% Canadian Dairy and high quality ingredients, this shredded cheese offers a smooth and creamy textu...

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Mozzarella Cheese 16% 2.5 Kg

Mozzarella Cheese 16% 2.5 Kg

Tre Stelle Mozzarella Cheese is a classic and versatile cheese that is loved for its creamy texture and mild, milky flavor. Made from 100% Canadian Dairy, this cheese is carefully crafted to deliver a smooth and stretchy consistency. Tre Stelle Mozza...

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Mozzarella Cheese Ball 25% 340 g

Mozzarella Cheese Ball 25% 340 g

Tre Stelle Mozzarella Ball is a classic and versatile cheese that is beloved for its creamy texture and mild, milky flavor. Made from 100% Canadian Dairy and high quality ingredients, this cheese is crafted to deliver a smooth and elastic consistency...

See product