Yay again!
If you thought I was pumped yesterday about the pizza guy, today I got an email from him:
"Great interview and story... Thats probably the best and most correct story ever written about me.. Usually journalists at times will change things or write something un true.. This one was really great and precise.. Thanks a lot it really means a lot. Sorry I didn't get that press release to you it actually went out today..
Tony"
Yeah, that is awesome. I had to brag. Anyway, here's the story if you're intersted ...
"Primo pizza-tosser comes to fair
Castro Valley champ to perform every day in Pleasanton except July 4
By Lea Blevins, STAFF WRITER
Article Last Updated: 06/26/2007 02:43:25 AM PDT
PLEASANTON - You never know how far an unusual talent might take you.
Tony Gemignani learned pizza tossing from his brother Frank when they opened Pyzano's Pizzeria in Castro Valley. But the basic pizza toss wasn't enough.
"I thought that was really boring," Gemignani said.
The Italian-Spanish-Portuguese Castro Valley resident has come a long way from the basic pizza toss.
He is an eight-time world champion pizza acrobat - but don't think he can't cook, too. Earlier this month his margherita pizza was judged best in the World Pizza Cup competition in Naples, Italy.
Gemignani showed off both his pizza skills at the Alameda County Fair on Monday in the Cooking Academy at the Court of Four Seasons.
As a Fremont native, Gemignani said his family would go to the fair at least once a year, usually more. His dad loved the horse racing and his mom would take the family throughout the fairgrounds.
"We loved it growing up," he said.
Performing at the fair helps spread the word about Pyzano's Pizzeria, where Gemignani still tries to work five nights a week when he is in town.
"I'm there tonight," he laughed.
He said the restaurant got patrons from Tracy, Danville and Walnut Creek this past weekend because they saw him at the fair on Friday. Gemignani has taught other employees pizza tossing acrobatics to entertain customers when he is away.
It's easy to see the draw to the pizzeria - Gemignani'spizza tossing skills keep audience members' eyes glued to the pizza dough. It doesn't hurt that he passes out samples of his gourmet pizza, either.
Gemignani's routine includes tossing real pizza dough under his legs and while lying on his back. He also throws dough into the audience and drapes it over people's heads and shoulders. On Monday, Gemignani also tossed a piece of dough out to about 3 feet in diameter - comparable to the world-record size.
He created three pizzas live on the cooking stage: a Cal Italia, a Californian and a dessert pizza.
The Cal Italia is topped with gorgonzola, asiago, Parmesano Reggiano and mozzarella cheeses, sweet fig preserves, prosciutto and balasamic. The Californian had homemade barbecue sauce, mozzarella and gouda cheeses, chicken, red onions and cilantro. Both are available at his restaurant.
Gemignani also made a three-berry dessert pizza that is included in his recipe and pizza-tossing book, "Pizza," co-authored by Diane Morgan.
The cool dessert pizza included marscapone cheese, raspberries, blueberries, powdered sugar and more.
Alameda resident Betty Kreger purchased a copy of "Pizza" for Gemignani to sign.
"It was a great show," Kreger said.
Gemignani has gained worldwide fame with his pizza skills and has appeared on "Emeril," "The Tonight Show" and "Good Morning America," among others. He has tossed pizza with actors James Caan, Michael Douglas and Cheech Marin, and director Francis Ford Coppola. But he said Emeril Lagasse and Jay Leno were the "coolest" to meet.
He "never expected" to become famous for pizza tossing, but said once he got into it he realized the potential for the skill.
Traveling has been the biggest perk for Gemignani, who said it has made him a better pizza maker. He's learned how to make various types of pizza styles - Chicago, New York, Italian, Sicilian - in the places they originated.
Gemignani performs at the Alameda County Fair every day except July 4. On Saturday he will perform with his team of world champion pizza tossers who are flying in from around the country. Saturday's shows will be at noon, 2 and 4 p.m.
For more information on Gemignani, visit http://www.worldpizzachampions.com. Gemignani co-owns Pyzano's Pizzeria in Castro Valley and Spin Gourmet Pizza in Walnut Creek. For more information on the fair, visit http://www.alamedacountyfair.com."
And some pictures our photog took (not me) ...
"Great interview and story... Thats probably the best and most correct story ever written about me.. Usually journalists at times will change things or write something un true.. This one was really great and precise.. Thanks a lot it really means a lot. Sorry I didn't get that press release to you it actually went out today..
Tony"
Yeah, that is awesome. I had to brag. Anyway, here's the story if you're intersted ...
"Primo pizza-tosser comes to fair
Castro Valley champ to perform every day in Pleasanton except July 4
By Lea Blevins, STAFF WRITER
Article Last Updated: 06/26/2007 02:43:25 AM PDT
PLEASANTON - You never know how far an unusual talent might take you.
Tony Gemignani learned pizza tossing from his brother Frank when they opened Pyzano's Pizzeria in Castro Valley. But the basic pizza toss wasn't enough.
"I thought that was really boring," Gemignani said.
The Italian-Spanish-Portuguese Castro Valley resident has come a long way from the basic pizza toss.
He is an eight-time world champion pizza acrobat - but don't think he can't cook, too. Earlier this month his margherita pizza was judged best in the World Pizza Cup competition in Naples, Italy.
Gemignani showed off both his pizza skills at the Alameda County Fair on Monday in the Cooking Academy at the Court of Four Seasons.
As a Fremont native, Gemignani said his family would go to the fair at least once a year, usually more. His dad loved the horse racing and his mom would take the family throughout the fairgrounds.
"We loved it growing up," he said.
Performing at the fair helps spread the word about Pyzano's Pizzeria, where Gemignani still tries to work five nights a week when he is in town.
"I'm there tonight," he laughed.
He said the restaurant got patrons from Tracy, Danville and Walnut Creek this past weekend because they saw him at the fair on Friday. Gemignani has taught other employees pizza tossing acrobatics to entertain customers when he is away.
It's easy to see the draw to the pizzeria - Gemignani'spizza tossing skills keep audience members' eyes glued to the pizza dough. It doesn't hurt that he passes out samples of his gourmet pizza, either.
Gemignani's routine includes tossing real pizza dough under his legs and while lying on his back. He also throws dough into the audience and drapes it over people's heads and shoulders. On Monday, Gemignani also tossed a piece of dough out to about 3 feet in diameter - comparable to the world-record size.
He created three pizzas live on the cooking stage: a Cal Italia, a Californian and a dessert pizza.
The Cal Italia is topped with gorgonzola, asiago, Parmesano Reggiano and mozzarella cheeses, sweet fig preserves, prosciutto and balasamic. The Californian had homemade barbecue sauce, mozzarella and gouda cheeses, chicken, red onions and cilantro. Both are available at his restaurant.
Gemignani also made a three-berry dessert pizza that is included in his recipe and pizza-tossing book, "Pizza," co-authored by Diane Morgan.
The cool dessert pizza included marscapone cheese, raspberries, blueberries, powdered sugar and more.
Alameda resident Betty Kreger purchased a copy of "Pizza" for Gemignani to sign.
"It was a great show," Kreger said.
Gemignani has gained worldwide fame with his pizza skills and has appeared on "Emeril," "The Tonight Show" and "Good Morning America," among others. He has tossed pizza with actors James Caan, Michael Douglas and Cheech Marin, and director Francis Ford Coppola. But he said Emeril Lagasse and Jay Leno were the "coolest" to meet.
He "never expected" to become famous for pizza tossing, but said once he got into it he realized the potential for the skill.
Traveling has been the biggest perk for Gemignani, who said it has made him a better pizza maker. He's learned how to make various types of pizza styles - Chicago, New York, Italian, Sicilian - in the places they originated.
Gemignani performs at the Alameda County Fair every day except July 4. On Saturday he will perform with his team of world champion pizza tossers who are flying in from around the country. Saturday's shows will be at noon, 2 and 4 p.m.
For more information on Gemignani, visit http://www.worldpizzachampions.com. Gemignani co-owns Pyzano's Pizzeria in Castro Valley and Spin Gourmet Pizza in Walnut Creek. For more information on the fair, visit http://www.alamedacountyfair.com."
And some pictures our photog took (not me) ...