GOLDEN LION AWARD FOR MERIT TO MASTER PIZZA CHEF DANIELE GAGLIOTTA

GOLDEN LION AWARD FOR MERIT TO MASTER PIZZA CHEF DANIELE

The Committee of the International Grand Prix of Venice – Golden Lion is honoured to confer the prestigious Golden Lion Award for Merit upon Master Pizza Chef Daniele Gagliotta, an internationally acclaimed Neapolitan professional, widely recognised as a true ambassador of Italian pizza-making artistry and a symbol of gastronomic excellence throughout the world.

Award Citation

Daniele Gagliotta represents one of the most remarkable examples of personal, professional and social redemption that the international gastronomic community can proudly celebrate today.

Raised in a challenging environment in the city of Naples, he discovered his vocation at the age of sixteen while attending the Juvenile Detention Centre of Nisida. It was within those walls, through his encounter with the art of dough-making and traditional baking techniques, that a journey of personal rebirth began—one that would transform a difficult chapter of his life into an extraordinary story of growth, achievement and success.

Without coming from a family tradition in the trade, Daniele Gagliotta forged his own path through determination, sacrifice and exceptional talent, rapidly establishing himself as one of the most authoritative exponents of both traditional and contemporary Neapolitan pizza.

His career soon acquired an international dimension. Following significant professional experiences abroad, particularly in Mexico and later in the United States of America, he consolidated his global reputation by winning the prestigious title of Pizza DOC World Champion, an accolade that officially recognised his professional excellence and creative mastery.

Throughout his distinguished career as an international consultant, he has contributed to the opening of more than 138 pizzerias and restaurants across 43 countries worldwide, promoting Italian gastronomic culture and safeguarding the authenticity of genuine Neapolitan pizza across all five continents.

A respected reference point for leading companies within the food industry and for the National Pizza DOC Academy, he regularly serves as a lecturer at masterclasses, seminars and international events held from Australia to Chile, educating new generations of pizza chefs while transmitting the values of Italian tradition through innovation, quality and excellence.

His professional activity has also led him to participate in internationally renowned events in the United States, including prestigious occasions connected with the Super Bowl, during which he had the honour of serving prominent personalities, international celebrities and distinguished figures from the world of sport.

For his outstanding contribution to the promotion of Italian cuisine worldwide, for transforming his personal experience into a universal example of resilience and renewal, for his extraordinary commitment to cultural and professional dissemination, and for elevating Italian gastronomic excellence to the highest international standards, the Committee hereby confers upon Daniele Gagliotta the Golden Lion Award for Merit.

On this occasion, he is also bestowed with the prestigious honours of Knight of Italian Cuisine in the World, the Golden Lion Seal, and the Three-Star Star Golden Lion Recognition, awarded by Dr Emanuele Livignani, President of Star Golden Lion; Dr Sileno Candelaresi, President of the Golden Lion; Mr Maurilio Prioreschi, President of the International Grand Prix of Venice; and Dr Luz Adriana Sarcinelli, Vice-President of the Golden Lion.

This distinction is conferred upon a true international icon of the art of pizza-making, an ambassador of Italian gastronomic excellence worldwide, and an extraordinary example of how talent, passion and determination can transform a life into a success story capable of inspiring future generations.