Nineteen and a half years ago, I got a part time job as a pizza delivery driver while going to University for computer programming. That is were I met my future husband, it’s also were I realized that we both shared a love for pizza and for the business. From the beginning, we wanted to make a great pizza, with simple wholesome ingredients. In 1996 we took over a tiny little pick up & delivery pizzeria on St. Mary’s road and opened our doors a month later.

We made a lot of mistakes in the beginning, but we kept at it and learned valuable business and life lessons on the journey. Our little pizzeria was gaining popularity and earning a reputation for excellence in pizza. In 2005 I was awarded “Canada’s Best Pizza Chef of the Year 2005” by Canadian Pizza magazine and represented Canada at the International Pizza Expo’s “Italian Chef Wars” in Las Vegas. Shortly afterwards, we outgrew our little pizzeria and needed a larger location.

Since then I have been awarded several more awards for Canada’s Best Pizza in pizza games in Las Vegas, Italy and New York and recipe contests here in Canada. In addition to doing well for Canada these past four years, we also made great friendships with pizza guys from around the world. We hold honourary positions on the Australian Pizza Team, the French pizza team and also on the World Pizza Champions Team, as seen on the Food Network. We’ve gone to visit a few of our friends in their home towns, and one of our goals is to someday visit everyone.

In December 2007 we permanently shut down our St. Mary’s location, and opened our bigger, better, ultimate kick-butt twenty first century pizzeria on St. Anne’s Road, (about 5 minutes away) and have been growing ever since. I enjoy continuing to develop my pizziolo skills, completing an Italian pizza certification course in 2008. My husband Pierre and I still enjoy travelling for pizza games; in Las Vegas this past March 2009, I was the top scoring Canadian at the International Pizza Challenge. And I had the honour of being a judge at the 2009 World Pizza Championship Games in Salsomaggiore, Italy, and for a French pizza contest earlier this year.

This past spring I decided to retire from pizza baking competitions and develop an apprentice who will represent our pizzeria and Canada next year. It has created excitement among our talented young pizziolos. Other things we’re working on are pizza games in Canada (mini games June 13, 2009 St. Anne’s location), continuing our pursuit of excellence in pizza, continuing to create unique and delicious pizzas; June’s taste of the month pizzas are “Kelson ’s Caesar Palace pizza” & “the Cheeseburger pizza”, my first cookbook is at the publishers, my new position as a board of director for the Canadian Restaurant & Food Association, a second location, pizza classes for the home pizza chef and about a dozen other projects that we’re keeping a secret for now.