Top 100 Pizza Chef in the World: Meet the Pizzaiolo Behind Massilia Bangkok

A pizza chef from Salerno, Italy has just been named one of the best on the planet — and he's making pizza right here in Bangkok.

Chef Michele Fernando has been ranked #82 in the world by TheBestPizza - thebestchefpizza, joining an elite list of 100 pizza makers recognised for craft, consistency, and dedication to the art of pizza. He's the only chef in Thailand to make the 2026 ranking.

For Massilia, a wood-fired pizza restaurant in Ploenchit, this isn't the first recognition. The restaurant was named Best Pizzeria in Thailand for the fifth time in 2026 and holds the #22 spot globally in the 50 Top Pizza rankings. But this individual award puts a spotlight on the person behind the oven — a

nd the journey that brought him here.

From the Amalfi Coast to Bangkok

Michele Fernando grew up in Salerno, a coastal city along Italy's Amalfi Coast where food is less a profession and more a way of life. Surrounded by the bold, honest flavours of Southern Italian cooking, he developed an early instinct for quality ingredients and proper technique.

In 2012, he earned his pizza culinary diploma — the formal start of what would become an international career. What followed was a decade of movement across Europe: working at Ristorante Pizzeria Al Postiglione and Acqua Azzurra in Austria, refining his approach at kitchens in San Remo and Leipzig in Germany, and eventually joining Bert's Pizzeria & Caffè in Brandesburton, England, where he brought authentic Italian pizza to a small UK community.

Each stop added something different. Alpine influences in Austria. Diverse European palates in Germany. British hospitality standards in the UK. By the time Michele arrived in Bangkok, he carried a perspective few pizza chefs can claim — one shaped by multiple countries, traditions, and kitchens.

What Makes a Top 100 Pizza Chef?

The Best Chef Pizza Awards evaluate pizza makers worldwide on technique, creativity, consistency, and contribution to pizza culture. The 2026 edition drew from a panel of 560 experts across 62 countries, making it one of the most comprehensive assessments of pizza craftsmanship in the world.

Ranking #82 isn't just a number. It means Michele's work at Massilia — from dough fermentation to wood-fire execution to the final plate — meets a global standard that very few pizza chefs reach. It's recognition that what's happening inside Massilia's kitchen in Ploenchit is on par with the best pizzerias in Naples, Tokyo, New York, and São Paulo.

The Massilia Approach

At Massilia, pizza isn't simplified or adapted for mass appeal. The kitchen works with a wood-fired oven, proper dough fermentation, and ingredients sourced with intention. The result is pizza that respects its Italian roots while existing in one of Asia's most dynamic food cities.

The restaurant's location in Ploenchit — central Bangkok, near the business and diplomatic district — draws a mix of Thai locals, expats, and international visitors. What they share is an expectation for quality, and Michele's ranking confirms what regulars already know.

What's Next

Chef Michele's recognition by The Best Chef Pizza adds to a growing list of accolades for Massilia: multiple national titles, a top-25 global ranking, and now an individual award for the chef himself.

Massilia recently launched its new à la carte menu, featuring dishes that reflect Michele's full range — from classic Neapolitan technique to creative combinations developed over a decade of international experience.

For anyone looking to experience award-winning pizza in Bangkok, the proof is in the oven.

📍 Massilia — Ploenchit, Bangkok 📞 094-552-2025 🔗 Reserve your table [blocked]

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