Grant Batty from Cornwall named UK’s Best Home Pizza Chef

Grant Batty from Falmouth, originally from Newquay, beat hundreds of pizza enthusiasts in a nationwide competition hosted by firewood brand, Love Logs.

The competition which saw nearly 400 entries via social media, culminated in a live final held in Gloucestershire on June 23. Five finalists, chosen by public vote, faced off against last year’s winner Scott Deley, and a panel of judges including 2021 Bake-Off winner Giuseppe Dell’Ano.

Each contestant had 20 minutes to cook two pizzas – a classic Neapolitan Margherita and a signature ‘Doughstopper’ for the panel.

Judges were "obsessed" with Grant's sourdough crumbs (Image: Supplied)

Grant’s Margherita featured locally and sustainably sourced ingredients, including basil grown by his children, Cornish Sea salt, British flour and mozzarella from Somerset.

His ‘Doughstopper’ pizza. Featuring harissa chicken, sweet peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and a unique sourdough crumb topping, wowed the judges, who described using sourdough as ‘risky’ as it was the first time I finalist had ever used it in a competition.

“I wanted to show off sourdough,” said Grant. “So, I baked a loaf, roughly chopped it and cooked it with garlic, olive oil, rosemary, red onion, and pistachio.”

Head judge Giuseppe Dell’Ano was “obsessed” with Grant’s sourdough crumbs and described the flavours as “mouthwatering.”

However, the bold choice to use sourdough in the final was a risky one. Grant explained: “Choosing to use sourdough was a bold move, because it’s a more complex and time-sensitive dough to work with, especially under competition conditions.

“However, I wanted to showcase my unique style and commitment to quality, and I’m thrilled that the risk paid off.”

Grant (L) with Head judge Giuseppe Dell’Ano (Image: Supplied)

After wowing judges, Grant was named the best in the UK.

Giuseppe Dell’Anno, Bake Off winner and head judge said: “Picking winners among this lot was truly challenging!!!

They all proved to be exceptionally skilled pizza chefs, with outstanding technical knowledge.

“Grant’s pizza was perfectly executed and a delight on the palate: incredibly, he managed to control sourdough in a frantic and stressful competition environment!

Grant used locally sourced ingredients for his winning pizza, including herbs which were grown by his sons (Image: Supplied)

Now back in Cornwall, Grant hopes to inspire others to embrace the art of home pizza making. He said: “To all aspiring pizza chefs, my advice is simple: follow your passion and keep practising.

“Don’t be afraid to experiment and learn from your mistakes. There’s nothing more rewarding than creating a pizza you’re proud of.

“Keep at it, and most importantly enjoy the process.”

The shared experience with his sons Jude and Beau has made the journey even more special. “Sharing this hobby with my son has been incredibly special.

“Watching him grow the basil we used in the competition and seeing his excitement throughout the process made the experience even more rewarding.”