Hosted by Chicago’s own “The Food Guy,” Steve Dolinsky, Abt’s 3rd Annual Pizza Cook-Off is back!
Chefs from five of Chicagoland’s top pizza restaurants—including David Choi of Prince Street Pizza (Chicago), Chef Joey Beach of Pizza Lobo (Chicago), Chef Giovanni Oriente of Pizza di Farfalla (New Lenox), Chef Giovanni Labbate of Tievoli Pizza Bar (Palatine), and WG Pizzas (Chicago)—will battle it out for bragging rights and a donation to their charity of choice.
Your $15 charitable donation is your ticket to Abt’s 2025 Pizza Cook-Off! Enjoy entry to the event, a chance to win exciting raffle prizes, and the opportunity to vote for your favorite slice. Best of all, proceeds go to the charities chosen by the competing chefs..
Come hungry and join us for an afternoon of fun, food, and a fierce competition you won’t want to miss!
Chefs from five of Chicagoland’s top pizza restaurants—including David Choi of Prince Street Pizza (Chicago), Chef Joey Beach of Pizza Lobo (Chicago), Chef Giovanni Oriente of Pizza di Farfalla (New Lenox), Chef Giovanni Labbate of Tievoli Pizza Bar (Palatine), and WG Pizzas (Chicago)—will battle it out for bragging rights and a donation to their charity of choice.
Your $15 charitable donation is your ticket to Abt’s 2025 Pizza Cook-Off! Enjoy entry to the event, a chance to win exciting raffle prizes, and the opportunity to vote for your favorite slice. Best of all, proceeds go to the charities chosen by the competing chefs..
Come hungry and join us for an afternoon of fun, food, and a fierce competition you won’t want to miss!
Location
Abt
1200 North Milwaukee Avenue, Glenview, IL, USA
1200 North Milwaukee Avenue, Glenview, IL, USA
Date & Time
September 28, 2025
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
MEET YOUR HOST
Steve Dolinsky
Steve Dolinsky—better known as “The Food Guy”—is a 13-time James Beard Award–winning journalist, author of Pizza City USA: 101 Reasons Why Chicago is America’s Greatest Pizza Town, and Founder of Pizza City USA Tours, Podcast & Fest. A certified pizza expert and familiar face from Iron Chef America and countless Chicago food features, Steve returns to host our pizza cook-off for the third year in a row.
MEET YOUR Chefs
We've hand-picked some of Chicagoland's top pizza chefs to work their culinary magic at our Pizza Cook Off. Get to know them:
DAVID CHOI
prince street pizza
David Choi is a restaurateur and cultural connector who brought New York’s iconic Prince Street Pizza to Chicago. Prince Street Pizza is home of the award-winning Spicy Spring slice and celebrity-favorite pies made daily from scratch. Additionally, he leads Seoul Taco, his Korean–Mexican fusion brand, blending food, art, and community across the Midwest and beyond. Choi has been featured by Forbes, Eater, Food Network, and more.
Giovanni Oriente
Pizza di farfalla
Chef Giovanni Oriente, winner of the 2024 Abt Pizza Cook Off, turned a passion project into Pizza Di Farfalla, a full-time pizzeria and catering business based in New Lenox. Rooted in his family’s Italian traditions and inspired by his late mother, Giovanni brings creativity and authenticity to every pie—earning national attention after a viral review by Barstool President Dave Portnoy that put Pizza Di Farfalla in the spotlight.
Joey beach
pIZZa lobo
Pizza Lobo brings New Jersey–style slice shop nostalgia to Chicago with its East Coast–inspired thin crust pies. Chef de Cuisine Joey Beach leads the kitchen with a dedication to three-day cold-fermented sourdough, hand-stretched dough, and a passion for perfect slices—served daily at their Logan Square and Avondale locations, with a third on the way.
WG PIZZAS
WG PIZZAS
WG Pizzas brings the iconic North Shore flavor of Alex’s Washington Gardens to Chicago with its tavern-style, cracker-thin crust pizzas. Using a proprietary dough, housemade Scornavacco tomato sauce, and premium toppings, the team—brother and sister Ben & Jessie Glazer, alongside Michael & Franny Kaulentis—delivers decades of pizza expertise in every slice, from specialty pies to their rotating Chef Series creations.
Giovanni Labbate
Tievoli pizza bar
With over 35 years in the pizza industry, Chef Giovanni Labbate brings his family’s Italian-American legacy to Tievoli Pizza Bar in Palatine. Alongside his wife Adrianna, he crafts award-winning New York– and Detroit-style pizzas made with premium ingredients and long-fermented dough, served at their Palatine restaurant and on their signature food truck.
SEE YOU ON SEPTEMBER 28th 🍕