From Montreal to World Champions!
Groupe NO.900 and its brand Sœur Locali recently dominated the International Pizza Challenge, considered the most prestigious pizza competition in the world, held at the Pizza Expo in Las Vegas in March.
The largest professional pizza industry trade show, Pizza Expo, includes the International Pizza Challenge, where hundreds of pizza makers compete in categories ranging from traditional to creative. Winning a medal here confirms a chef’s place among the global elite.
Faced with nearly 750 competitors and judged entirely blind, three members of the Quebec delegation rose to the top of the world rankings, winning two first places and one second place in some of the most competitive categories of the event.
Mirko D’Agata led the charge with an exceptional performance. Already crowned the Napoletana STG World Champion in 2025, the executive chef of NO.900 pizzerias won first place in the Pan Pizza category before beating the winners of each main division to clinch the ultimate title of World Champion Pizza Maker, awarded to the best pizza maker overall.
His achievements were further recognized with his inclusion in the World Pizza Champions, an invitation-only organization that brings together only 70 elite pizza makers worldwide.
As the first Quebecer and among the first Canadians to join these ranks, D’Agata solidifies his international reputation.
Patrice Desmeules, who will soon open his first Locali, snagged the top global spot in the American Traditional category, while Fiodar Huminski, executive chef of Locali, closely followed with a second place in the same category, highlighting the group’s depth of talent.
In a competition where each edition resets the score to zero and eliminates potential bias, reaching the final—and winning—remains a rare feat.
With locations across Canada, find your neighborhood pizzeria here.
Other results from the 9 participants of Groupe NO.900 at the Pizza Expo:
Pizzeria Locali – American Traditional: Patrice Desmeules (Co-owner NO.900 Beauport): 1st global Fiodar Huminski (Executive Chef Locali and co-owner NO.900 Terrebonne, Beaches, and Bernard): 5th global, 2nd international Samuel Goddard (Co-owner NO.900 Bromont): 21st global John Sanoudakis: 35th global
– Best Cheese: John Sanoudakis (Locali Operations Manager): 7th global, 2nd international (outside USA) Patrice Desmeules: 20th global Fiodar Huminski: 42nd global
– Dairy Free: Fiodar Huminski: 4th global
Pizzeria NO.900 – Neapolitan: Simon Melki (Senior Culinary Trainer): 26th global, subcategory Marinara: 2nd Gabriel Pereira (Pizzaiolo NO.900 Blainville): 65th global Mathilde Arsenault (Pizzaiola NO.900 Boisbriand): 71st global, subcategory Margherita: 2nd Cloé Martin (Pizzaiola NO.900 Beauport): 74th global Patrice Tremblay (Co-owner NO.900 Beauport, AVPN Neapolitan): 48th global
– Non-Traditional: Mirko D’Agata: 89th global
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