Who We Are 

​Tony Pavese grew up hearing stories about his grandfather, Papa Dan, who owned a pizzeria in Chicago in the late 1950s. Located across the street from a school, kids would stop in during lunch to grab a slice for a dime. Those stories stuck, planting an early love for pizza that stayed long before it became a business.

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Cooking quickly became a passion. Tony was always the one cooking when friends and family came by—food was how people gathered and connected. The dream of owning a restaurant was always there, even as life took a different path.

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Over the years, Tony worked a variety of jobs, from loan officer to paramedic. No matter the role, food remained the constant pull. For more than a decade, he taught himself the craft of pizza-making—experimenting, refining techniques, and learning through repetition and patience.

Everything changed during COVID. After being let go from his job due to downsizing, Tony and his wife found themselves at a crossroads. During a time of uncertainty, they took a chance on something they had always talked about: sharing their pizza with others.

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It started in the backyard, cooking pizzas for friends and family. The response was immediate. That encouragement led them to local farmers markets and community events, eventually growing into a food truck. What surprised them most wasn’t just the growth it was how much they loved the experience. Creating food, meeting people, and building memories around a simple pizza became the heart of Forno Pavese.

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Today, Forno Pavese is a family-run wood-fired pizza kitchen. Tony and his wife operate the business side by side, and their kids are growing up around it helping when they can and watching how things are built.

 

The food reflects that same intention. Dough is made in house using imported Italian flour, topped with San Marzano tomatoes and high-quality mozzarella, hand-stretched and baked in high-heat oven reaching over 900 degrees. The result is a crisp yet tender crust shaped by fire, technique, and experience.

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Now, we’re preparing for the next chapter: opening our first brick-and-mortar restaurant. Not as a finish line, but as a place where people can gather and create memories all year long.

 

Next Chapter Coming Soon