Restaurateur Tony Gemignani has devoted his life to pizza. A California native, he opened his first restaurant, Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, in San Francisco’s North Beach in 2009. He now operates about 30 restaurant locations under eight brands. He’s a 13-time world pizza champion with victories in Italy and gold medals on Food Network.

“I don’t think anybody loves pizza more than me,” Gemignani said. But phoning last week from his newest kitchen — Tony G’s Pizza — Gemignani was still learning a thing or two. Like how to make his tantalizing gourmet pies in Meridian, Idaho.