Johnny Di Francesco –
Pizzaiolo, Chef, Restaurateur
400 Gradi is the brainchild of chef and V.P.N. Principal Johnny Di Francesco, who’s family hail from Naples in Southern coastal Italy – the home of ‘world’s best’ pizza. Johnny has a series of Pizza and Calzone outlets with the 400 Gradi restaurant being the flagship of the group.
The 400 Gradi interiors are all about classic Italian textures, with walls of espresso ribbons of Stucco Veneziana and sweeping golden calligraphy. Black and antique gold pendant lights and a charcoal Terrazzo style polished floor all reflect a golden hue. A bar honed from a dark veined slab of 160 year old red gum, salumi cabinets and antique slicers are all part of the theatre… Outside there’s plenty more tables for dining where the usual sophistication of the ‘other’ end of Lygon Street is apparent.
Johnny is the first Australian ever trained in Naples to the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana VPN rules and he’s the association’s Australasian Principal, travelling the region ensuring pizzeria’s are of the highest standard before officially inducting them into the Association.
Appearing regularly on the ‘Regional Italian Cuisine’ program and having appeared at the famous Caesars Palace during the Las Vegas International Pizza Expo Johnny also regularly holds seasonal Masterclasses – fast becoming recognised as Melbourne’s Mr. Pizza!
Gradi’s menu is a showcase of the food of Naples. Its Mediterranean coastal location means that wood-fire pizza and seafood are always the star. Universally, Naples is recognized as the home of the wood-fire pizza – the original being named after Queen Margherita of Italy.
When Johnny’s family travelled from Naples in the 50’s, little did they dream that he would spend his life bringing the food of Naples back to Australia.
Please note on public holidays there is a surcharge of 10%
400 Gradi’s sommelier together with Johnny Di Francesco have put together a wine list that features some of Australia’s finest wine producers and world renowned wine. We are forever encouraging our customer experience by introducing them to the most interesting variety of wine that we have on offer. Alongside the wine list there is an assortment of beverages and aperitifs.
Enjoy the world’s best pizza, right on Lygon Street. 400 Gradi, named after the temperature that their wood-fired oven is cranked up to, beat pizzerias all over the world to bag the award in 2014 for their margheritas. Owner Johnny di Francesco is fast becoming known as Melbourne’s pizza master, and you can learn from […]
Come here for…a world-class margherita pizza 400 Gradi is home to the best margherita pizza in the world. This year, pizzaiolo Johnny Di Francesco, took out the World Pizza Champion crown at the Pizza World Championship in Italy. “I try to make everything with joy and love,” Di Francesco says. “I’ve been making pizza since I was […]
Click to watch Video of World Pizza Championship winner Johnny Di Francesco
Johnny Di Francesco, owner of 400 Gradi in Brunswick, has once again done Australia proud, taking out the #1 spot at the Pizza World Championship in Italy. Source: News Corp Australia A MELBOURNE pizza maker will return to his woodfired oven in Lygon St tonight as the World Pizza Champion. Johnny Di Francesco arrived home […]
The world’s best margherita pizza is made not by an Italian chef, but by a Lygon Street pizzaiolo after he was named in the World Pizza Championships in Parma, Italy. Johnny Di Francesco, owner of 400 Gradi in Brunswick, won the specialita traditionale garantita (STG) pizza prize for his margherita pizza on Friday. The competition […]
Captain of the Australian Pizza Team (who knew there was such a wonderful thing!) and ranked the 8th best pizza maker in the world, Johnny Di Francesco knows a thing or two about pizza. Pizza that he makes in the true Napoli style. His newest restaurant is 90 Secondi in Melbourne’s Docklands. We asked Di […]
Ingredients Pizza Dough 1kg “00” flour sieved 30 g fine sea salt 1-3 g fresh yeast 600 ml water Pizza San Marzano Tomato Buffalo Mozzarella Fresh Basil Extra Virgin Olive Oil Method In a bowl combine water and salt allow to dissolve. Add 10% of the flour and mix.Mix well; add the yeast. Continue to […]
An Australian chef from Melbourne has won this year’s award for the best Pizza Margherita at the World Pizza Championship in Italy. The annual competition, which took place this year in the Italian city of Parma, attracts hundreds of entrants from around the world. The international panel of judges decided the winner in the traditional […]
Johnny Di Francesco, owner of 400 Gradi in Brunswick, has taken out the #1 spot at the 2014 Campionato Mondiale della Pizza (Pizza World Championship,) in Parma, Italy. Fresh on the back of his #3 placement at the Las Vegas Pizza Show in March 2014, Johnny wowed judges with his skill and technique. When it […]
Forget flying to Italy for a perfect margherita pizza – you just need to get to Brunswick, north of Melbourne, for a slice of the world’s greatest cheesy goodness. Johnny Di Francesco, from 400 Gradi on Lygon St, Brunswick, has been crowned the master of margherita at the World Pizza Championships in Parma, Italy. Six […]
Fresh off being crowned the ‘Best in Australia’ by recently established association Pizza Connection Australia, Johnny Di Francesco is preparing to show the world how far our nation has come in producing high quality, authentic Neapolitan pizza. Johnny, who is the owner and pizzaiolo (pizza maker) of awarding winning restaurant 400 Gradi on Melbourne’s Lygon […]
Melbourne’s Johnny Di Francesco will represent Austraila in the world’s biggest Pizza expo in Las Vegas. He is here to show us some tricks of the trade. Watch Johnny Di Francesco Video on You tube.
Spend time with Johnny Di Francesco learning about the art of making pizza Napoletana.
What’s included?
The classes take place at our flagship site at 400 Gradi, East Brunswick.
Adults Master Class
When : Please ring on 9380 2320 for availability
Time : 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Cost : $120 per person
Kid’s Master Class
When : Please ring on 9380 2320 for availability
Time : 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Cost : $45 per child
For Bookings call 03 9380 2320
Please note classes are subject to change.
At Gradi, we are always searching for enthusiastic staff members to join our dynamic team.We pride ourselves on being the best at what we do.
Sharing our passion for great food and fine wines with our customers is what we live for.Our dedication and professionalism are second to none.
So if you are passionate about great food and wine, and love the hustle and bustle of the hospitality industry, then we would love to hear from you.
Please feel free to drop us a line and include your resume.
Thank you, the Gradi Team.
For all booking enquiries please call us directly or email reservations@400gradi.com.au
Please note on public holidays there is a surcharge of 10%
400 Gradi is available for group bookings and functions. For sample group and event menus and to discuss your event further please fill in your details below or write to us directly.
For all other enquiries please fill out your details below and we will be in touch.
T_ 9380 2320
99 Lygon Street
East Brunswick VIC 3057 Australia