That said, it’s only natural that this 25-year-old pizzaiolo was recently crowned World Pizza Champion 2016.

Fresh from his victory at the 15th Pizza Chef World Championship in Naples this September, Andrea has been waiting a lifetime to win the famous Caputo Cup for the best napoletana pizza.

Andrea’s passion for pizza dates way back to when he was just 12 years old and already getting his hands dirty – or should I say doughy – in a pizzeria.

At 15 years old Andrea became a fully-fledged pizzaiolo, and after his eighteenth birthday he began working his way around Italy one pizzeria at a time.

A return to Naples gave Andrea itchy feet, and when he noticed a wave of young people heading to Australia, he decided to tag along.

“After one week in Sydney I tried Melbourne and I loved it, so I stayed and began working in a famous pizzeria,” Andrea says.

It was in that pizzeria that Andrea met his future best friend and business partner, a Sicilian by the name of Francesco Crifo.

“We shared a dream and we started to work to realise that dream together,” Andrea says.

The dream was to bring real Italian food to Australia.

“We grew up in pizzerie restaurants so when we arrived in Australia, we brought the real taste of Italy over here.”

Fast-forward four years and a few professional catering gigs and these two Italians are now business partners and chefs at popular Doncaster East restaurant, Zero95 Pizza Bar.

Since opening its doors around 18 months ago, Zero95 has become a must-try for foodies across the state.

“It was busy from day one,” Andrea says.

It was that busy in fact, that Andrea and Francesco went on to open a second restaurant, Zero95 Express in Templestowe just eight months later.

It’s not just the delicious dishes made from fresh Italian ingredients that have customers flocking to Zero95 of an evening; it’s also the entertainment.

“Francesco and I also do a freestyle pizza show at the shop and the customers just love it,” Andrea chuckles.

Think two chefs taking over the restaurant twirling pizza dough in what one could only describe as an acrobatic performance fit for Cirque du Soleil.

After having conquered the Melbourne food scene with Zero95, Andrea became ready for a new challenge last year.

So, as you do, the ambitious chef packed his bags for Naples in pursuit of becoming the World Pizza Champion.

The Neapolitan placed eighth; a fair effort given that around 700 people from all over the world came to compete in what is by far the biggest and most esteemed pizza competition in the world.

But Andrea wasn’t content with eighth place, so he returned this year for a second attempt...and he won.

“I started to cry when they called my name because I couldn’t believe it,” Andrea says.

“It’s the biggest goal a pizza-maker can achieve.”

Andrea competed for the Caputo Cup in the pizza napoletana challenge, where contestants can present one of the two original pizza varieties conceived in Naples: a margherita or a traditional marinara (without seafood).

Andrea chose to put up his finest margherita, alongside hundreds of other likeminded contestants.

“It’s very hard because it’s just a margherita, so it must be special,” Andrea explains.

So what was the secret ingredient to Andrea’s winning dish?

Well, it’s not so much about the ingredients themselves, but more about their origins.

“I won because we went around to all of the farms in Naples and we found the best ingredients, from the freshest San Marzano tomatoes, to the best mozzarella,” Andrea says.

There are also a few rules laid down by the pizza gods that Andrea had to obey by if he was to triumph.

Firstly, the dough must be stretched and “slapped” properly, before the pizza is cooked at no less than 450 degrees for under 90 seconds.

“If you don’t respect these rules, it’s not a real pizza napoletana,” Andrea says.

Andrea returned to Melbourne just last week, and since word has spread that Zero95 now boasts the world’s best pizza, everybody from customers to suppliers wants their own little slice of pizza paradise.

“It’s been very busy and we’re just trying to stay calm, but we’re also very excited to grow,” Andrea says.

It’s not only Melbourne that’s pining for Andrea’s pizzas.

While competition rules state that the champion cannot return the following year to claim consecutive titles, Andrea’s itinerary is booked out with guest appearances at pizza championships from Japan to Las Vegas.

Once Andrea’s finished showing the world how it’s done, you’ll be able to find him back in Doncaster East delighting the tastebuds of hungry diners.

And who knows, if you’re lucky enough you might even catch a glimpse of the “freestyle pizza show” while you’re there.