Johnny Di Francesco
Johnny Di Francesco is the Founder and CEO of the Gradi Group and the visionary behind 400 Gradi. One of Australia’s most decorated pizza chefs, Johnny has built an internationally respected hospitality brand known for its dedication to authentic Neapolitan cuisine.
Johnny’s journey began at just 12 years old when he took his first job making pizza. Motivated by a simple goal—to earn enough money to buy a pair of Nike sneakers his family couldn’t afford—he quickly achieved it. What remained, however, was a passion for the craft of pizza that would shape his entire career.
By the age of 19, Johnny had opened his first restaurant. Years later, after travelling extensively throughout Italy—particularly Naples, the birthplace of pizza—he returned to Australia with a clear vision: to introduce Australians to authentic Neapolitan pizza.
In 2008, he opened the first 400 Gradi in Brunswick, Melbourne. Built on traditional techniques, the restaurant specialised in Neapolitan pizza cooked at 400 degrees for just 90 seconds in a wood-fired oven. Combined with handmade pasta, classic antipasti, and a menu celebrating traditional Italian flavours, the restaurant quickly gained a reputation as one of Melbourne’s most celebrated Italian dining destinations.
Johnny rose to global prominence in 2014 when he won the prestigious World Pizza Championship in Parma, Italy, becoming the first Australian to claim the title of World No.1 Pizza Chef. The achievement firmly placed him on the international culinary stage and further cemented 400 Gradi’s reputation for authenticity and technical mastery.
Today, the Gradi Group has grown from a single Melbourne restaurant into an internationally recognised hospitality brand with restaurants across Australia and abroad. 400 Gradi has consistently ranked among the world’s elite pizza institutions, earning recognition in the 50 Top Artisan Pizza Chains and multiple honours at the 50 Top Pizza Awards in Naples.
Beyond the kitchen, Johnny is a respected mentor, television personality, and author of the cookbooks World’s Best Pizza and Food of Naples, celebrating the traditions of Neapolitan cuisine.
Despite the brand’s international success, Johnny remains passionately involved in every 400 Gradi restaurant, ensuring that the same authenticity, craftsmanship, and passion that began in Brunswick continues to define the experience today.
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