'I’m blown away by this whole experience': Northern Ireland pizza boss joins world champions after being honoured for innovation and community work

Belfast’s Ciaran Kelly, founder of Pizza Crew, has achieved a long-held dream after being officially inducted into the prestigious World Pizza Champions team during a special ceremony in Las Vegas.

The World Pizza Champions is a respected U.S.-based non-profit organization made up of elite pizza professionals from around the globe. Known for their excellence in culinary craft, community outreach, and international competition, the group champions pizza-making as both an art form and a rewarding career path.

A crowd of hundreds watched on as Ciaran, the only member of the World Pizza Champions in the UK and Ireland, was awarded for his contributions to pizza innovation and community work in Northern Ireland.

“I’m blown away by this whole experience”, said Ciaran. “I remember the day I first discovered the World Pizza Champions and being so impressed as its members include pizza elites like Tony Gemignani, John Arena, Mike Bausch and Nick Bogacz, plus many more. That was 10 years ago, and ever since I have dreamed of being included in this wonderful group of pizza professionals.”

But membership isn’t just about pizza. Ciaran’s dedication to making a difference in his community has also earned him recognition.

Ciaran continued: “Of course, having a fantastic product is crucial to the success of Pizza Crew but being part of the World Pizza Champions team takes into account the work done by its members in their local communities which is something I take very seriously.”

Over the years, Ciaran has provided free pizza-making classes for children with additional needs and invested over £30,000 in kits for local sports teams.

He explained: “I’ve been offering the pizza-making classes for seven years now and I’m so proud to say that during that period, over 3,000 kids with additional needs have had the opportunity to become a pizza maker. Giving back has always been a cornerstone of the business. We appreciate that people choose Pizza Crew and in return we support various groups, including football and GAA teams across Belfast, Lisburn and Carryduff.”

In January, Ciaran took on one of his biggest ever challenges when he visited Ukraine to help two orphanages and a home for war veterans and adults with additional needs.

“The decision to go to Ukraine was quite difficult. I knew that I would be facing some tough situations that would potentially stay with me for life, yet I was confident that the good things that could come from my, and the other volunteers’ efforts, far outweighed any negativity,” he reflected.

“The biggest gift we gave to the people we encountered was our time. They just wanted some attention, positive interactions, and fun. We gave them as much as we could but there were so many jobs and tasks that needed completed that our time with the kids and adults was limited.

“A memory I will never be able to shake, despite all the difficult things we witnessed, is a positive one. I was able to offer pizza making classes for the adults with additional needs which they thoroughly enjoyed but one man in particular was so appreciative. He loved the whole process of shaping the dough, adding the tomato sauce, and putting his ingredients on. I’ve never seen someone so buzzing about a pizza. He knew he’d made it with his own two hands and he was jumping up and down, cheering, clapping his hands as the pizza made its way out of the oven. I can still see his big smile now as I handed over his pizza and he got stuck in.”

One of Ciaran Kelly’s pizza heroes is President/founder of Caliente Pizza and Draft House in Pittsburgh, Nick Bogacz, who he can now count as a fellow World Pizza Champions team member.

Nick added: “We look all over the world to find team members who represent the values of a champion and Ciaran Kelly represents those values demonstrated by what he does for his community.”

With business booming, Ciaran is now hiring 10 new team members across his stores on Andersonstown Road, Antrim Road, Ormeau Road, and Lisburn: “We have never been busier at Pizza Crew so we’re looking for new people to add to our existing crew. We’re looking experienced people for the following roles - pizza chef, shift runners, fryer operator, and counter assistant. Interested parties should send their CVs to me at [email protected].”