Mena Giaccoli has taken over the work of her brother Antonio as CEO of Giaccoli Academy DOC, the company created to continue his work around pizza. According to Luciano Pignataro's website, she describes the task as one taken up together with pizzaioli, built on sharing, training and mutual respect.
Antonio Giaccoli was the founder and guiding figure of previous editions of the Campionato Mondiale Pizza DOC. He died on 1 June 2026, and the 2026 edition was dedicated to his memory.
The 12th edition took place from 10 to 12 November 2026 at NEXT, the former Ex Tabacchificio di Cafasso, near the archaeological area of Paestum, according to Askanews. Mena Giaccoli created Giaccoli Academy DOC as the organisational home for the championship's training work.
Speaking to Luciano Pignataro's website, Giaccoli identifies sharing, training and mutual respect as central values in Antonio's approach to the pizza profession. She presents the championship as a place for professional development for young pizzaioli as well as competition.
That emphasis was reflected in the student programme. The 2026 event included teams from 11 Italian hotel-management institutes, whose students presented three pizza styles, including one highlighting products from their local area.
Training, in Giaccoli's account, should go beyond dough and ingredient techniques to include managerial and hospitality skills. According to Luciano Pignataro's website, she argues that young pizzaioli need preparation for running a business and welcoming guests, not only for making pizza.
A scholarship named for Antonio Giaccoli was promoted by Mena and Vincenzo Giaccoli to support the training of young pizzaioli, according to Askanews. The sources describe the scholarship and its intended beneficiaries but the final recipients have not been reported.
What distinguishes the competition, Mena Giaccoli said, is the network formed among participants. According to Il Quotidiano del Lazio, she presents it as a place where pizzaioli build relationships, friendships and collaborations alongside the contest itself.
