They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and I suppose I feel flattered that there are so many ‘gourmet’ pizzerias these days. More than a decade ago the trend was quantity over quality and we went against the herd to offer the best quality of pizzas that we could create using all natural ingredients like Olive Oil and 100% dairy cheeses.

We’ve always loved to create new and interesting tastes on pizza; this is how our ‘Taste of the Month’ pizzas that we feature in our monthly newsletter began. Every month we’ll bring in a new kind of cheese, or topping and create something completely different for the month. The most popular Taste of the Month pizzas are added to our regular menu.

Back in 2007 we brought on a slow-roasted pulled pork that we marinate with our Sweet’n’Tangy BBQ sauce and then add a splash of hot sauce for a little kick. It’s one of my personal favourites toppings , especially when paired with our dry-cured pepperoni and fresh hand cut pineapple with a cheddar cheese blend, which we call our “Sweet’n’Spicy Divine Swine”. This pizza was so popular that it was added to our menu back in 2008. I’m told of another pizza place in the city that claims to be the first to offer this ‘gourmet topping’, but since they didn’t exist in 2007, I don’t give it much thought.

When I was awarded “Canada’s best pizza chef of the year 2005” by Canadian Pizza magazine the editor flew out to spend the day with Pierre and I. He loved our newsletter and our unique approach to pizza and he asked me to write a regular column for the magazine. As a result I have exposed many other independent and chain pizzerias to our style and dedication to excellence in the art of pizza making. Today it isn’t uncommon to see more than one style of crust offered, more than one kind of sauce available and more than the 12 most common pizza toppings on pizza menus. I’ve been told by individuals who work for large pizza chains occupying positions from manager to franchisee, to VIP of operations, to CEO, that they read every column I write and they frequently check out our website and menu to see what the new trend is for pizza. I’m flattered and I am lucky to be considered an expert in my field, although I didn’t set out to be a leader in my industry and that aspect didn’t come about overnight.

My goal was to be known in Winnipeg as the place to go for great tasting gourmet pizzas; the awards, the media attention, the friendships with other talented pizza chefs from around the world and the honour of judging international competitions in Las Vegas and Italy are all cherries on top of a 20 year career focused on hard work and dedication to the art of pizza making.

2009 Top Ten Gourmet Pizzas at Diana's Gourmet Pizzeria

Our customers have voted! Ladies and gentlemen, the top ten favourite, award winning gourmet pizzas from our menu for 2009 are….(drum roll please)

10. Bacon Double Cheese features our signature marinara, 100% lean cooked ground beef, maple smoked crumbled bacon, red onions, extra mozzarella & medium sharp cheddar cheeses.

9. Gourmet Veggie with our signature marinara, low fat mozzarella cheese, chopped baby spinach, artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes and red onions.

8. Classic Veggie features our signature marinara, low fat mozzarella cheese, fresh mushrooms, green peppers, Roma tomatoes and red onions.

7. BBQ chicken with BBQ sauce, grilled BBQ chicken breast, maple smoked crumbled bacon & red onions with mozzarella and medium sharp cheddar cheese blend.

6. Havarti Heaven a.k.a. “Finalist for 2007 Gourmet Pizza of the Year” featuring olive oil & herb sauce, roasted red peppers, red onions, strip bacon & grilled Cajun chicken breast with a blend of garlic‘n’chive Havarti and low fat mozzarella cheeses.

5. Hawaiian featuring our signature marinara, low fat mozzarella cheese, smoked ham, pineapple and maple smoked crumbled bacon.

4. Diana Supreme featuring our signature marinara, green peppers, dry cured pepperoni, smoked ham, 100% lean cooked ground beef, Italian sausage, fresh mushrooms, pineapple, maple smoked crumbled bacon & red onions smothered with double mozzarella (low –fat).

3. Ultimate Pepperoni - a.k.a. “Canada’s Best Pizza 2007” – World Pizza Championship games features our signature marinara, two layers of dry cured pepperoni on a bed of garlic’n’chive Havarti & low fat mozzarella on a Moosehead beer crust.

2. Canadian featuring our signature marinara, dry cured pepperoni, fresh mushrooms & maple smoked crumbled bacon.

1. Diana's Deluxe featuring our signature marinara, low fat mozzarella cheese, green peppers, dry cured pepperoni, fresh mushrooms, maple smoked crumbled bacon & red onions.