They say you can’t beat a good pizza, but Swindon’s own Andy Ford – known affectionately as “Fordy” – has come pretty close to perfection, scooping second place in the UK’s Best Home Pizza Chef 2025 competition.
Out of more than 400 hopefuls from across the country, Fordy rose through the ranks with his inventive takes on pizza-making, catching the eye (and tastebuds) of none other than Great British Bake Off winner Giuseppe Dell’Anno. The final cook-off took place at Lady Rothschild’s Dairy in Peterborough – quickly nicknamed “Pizza-borough” for the weekend – where Fordy found himself shoulder to shoulder with some of the nation’s top dough-slingers.
The competition was anything but straightforward. Just as the finalists were limbering up to make their dough from scratch, organisers Love Logs unveiled a surprise round – challengers had to conjure up a pizza on the spot, using Sonata dough balls, Properoni and mystery ingredients pulled from a table of unexpected options.
“It was a bit of a shock!” Fordy admitted. “I was literally about to get going with my dough when they announced it, so I had to adjust my process.”
Rising to the challenge, he produced a bold creation pairing Properoni with blue cheese, caramelised pear and pine nuts – a combination the judges praised as “beautiful”.
But it was on the Sunday, in the main Doughstopper round, that Fordy truly made his mark. His showpiece pizza – brilliantly titled Once You Go Persian, There’s No Other Version – drew inspiration from his wife’s Persian heritage. On a New York–style base he layered saffron Jujeh chicken kebab, tangy sumac onions, barberries, pesto, rose petals and a drizzle of saffron yoghurt. Giuseppe Dell’Anno himself confessed the aroma had his mouth watering before he’d even taken a bite, calling it “fantastic”.
The weekend wasn’t without its tense moments. At one point Fordy’s pizza clung stubbornly to the baking sheet and nearly tore apart, but he managed to free it without spoiling the final result.
Although the Yorkshire entrant eventually walked away with the crown, Fordy was more than satisfied with his runner-up spot. “It was lucky I had my sunglasses on!” he laughed. “Coming second out of hundreds was a massive achievement. All the other competitors were so talented, so to finish where I did was something I’ll never forget.”
For those keen to see the dough, drama and deliciousness unfold, the whole event is available to watch on the Love Logs website.
