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An Australian chef has been crowned pizza king the World Pizza Championship Parma, Italy. Pizza maker Johnny Di Francesco, who runs an Italian pizzeria Melbourne, Australia, scooped the award the traditional Neapolitan pizza category. He fended dozens of rivals Italy and all the world. Italians who might be shocked the thought an Australian (or indeed any non-Italian) winning the prize can take heart the fact that Mr Di Francesco has firm roots in Italy. His family is Naples, home of the legendary Neapolitan, and he trained the city's prestigious culinary school, the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana.

The World Pizza Championship is an annual event held to determine the world's best pizza makers and artists. It began 1991 and now attracts 600 entrants. Pizzas are judged discerning international experts, who look preparation, taste, bake and presentation. There are also awards the fastest pizza maker, freestyle acrobatics and the largest dough stretch. The judges this year's contest restored Italian pride announcing the winner the best classic pizza was master chef Giulio Scialpi from the city Bari, in south-east Italy. Mr Scialpi said it was the pinnacle his career and had "craved" the prize since first entering the championship 2000.