When Chris Bianco started Pizzeria Bianco in the back corner of a Phoenix grocery store in 1988, he had no idea that he would become a driving force in the artisanal pizza movement. His food would reflect the respect and sincere intention that he brings to each of his recipes while focusing on his relationships with local farmers and producers, customers and fellow chefs, in order to do so.

Hailed as one of the best pizza makers in America, Chris has continued to revolutionize pizza while remaining true to his original intentions. Now the chef-owner of multiple restaurants in Phoenix, Arizona and Los Angeles, California, Chris has expanded beyond pizza and operates over 6 locations (both Pizzeria Bianco locations in Phoenix are accompanied by their own unique Bar Bianco, which serves small plates and highlights specialty drinks). Pane Bianco was opened in Phoenix in 2003 by Chris, , about four miles from the Pizzeria in Downtown Phoenix at Heritage Square. Pane Bianco features fresh baked focaccia, sandwiches as well as NY Style pizza, salads and more.

In 2013, Chris opened a second Pizzeria Bianco location in Phoenix at the Shops at Town & Country, the same location as his original Pizzeria Bianco. In 2016, Chris continued to expand on the type of experiences he could offer and opened Tratto, an Italian and Southwestern inspired trattoria. Tratto focuses on dishes, drinks and ingredients that are in season and produced in the Southwest. In 2022, Chris went beyond the borders of Arizona to open another Pizzeria Bianco in Los Angeles, with an additional Pane Bianco opening down the road soon after in 2023. Pizzeria Bianco Los Angeles offers a similar expanded menu like the Town & Country location, while Pane Bianco Los Angeles stays true to its dishes starring freshly baked breads. Each location is a reflection of Chris’ love for community and good food.

Chris has collected many accolades and awards throughout his restaurant journey. He first won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2003. He was nominated for another James Beard Award in the Outstanding Restaurant Category in 2013 and 2014, and won his second James Beard Award in 2022 for Best Restauranteur. Critics, customers, and fellow chefs have also had plenty to say over the years. Zagat called Chris “1 0f 6 Chefs who changed pizza in the last 100 years” in 2013, and Ed Levine named his pies the best in the country in his book, Pizza: A Slice of Heaven. All of his restaurants have been featured in “Best Restaurants” lists over the years (like Pizzeria Bianco in the New York Times’ 2024 article “22 of the Best Pizza Places in the United States”.) Chris was also featured in Netflix’s Chef’s Table Pizza Series and credited with starting the pizza renaissance in the United States (Chef’s Table, 2022).

Beyond restaurants, Chris used his eye for detail and quality to also begin a line of Organic Tomato Products with Rob DiNapoli in 2010, called Bianco DiNapoli. Their tomatoes, which are grown in California, are now sold nationwide to home cooks and restaurants, and include a range of products. All of the Bianco restaurants useBianco DiNapoli tomatoes. , Bianco also has a private label Selezione Bianco Extra Virgin Olive Oil made fro olives grown in Puglia, Italy. Chris is also heavily involved in community outreach, including Alex’s Lemonade Stand, and believes that supporting local farmers and producers is the best way to ensure we stay connected to our food and cultures. He continues to be actively involved in all of his restaurants and local communities, as well as with his family. Chris Bianco has never lost the passion, honesty and drive that he had when he first began making pizzas in the back corner of the grocery store over thirty years ago.