William Joo, owner and chef of Pizzeria Sei in Beverly Hills, has earned international acclaim in 2025, landing the 44th spot on the World’s Best Pizza 100 list. His restaurant was also named one of LA Times’ 101 Best Restaurants, ranked second in the U.S. by 50 Top Pizza, and featured in the Michelin Guide for Los Angeles.
Joo immigrated to Los Angeles at the age of 17. Inspired by sushi outings with his father, he initially dreamed of becoming a sushi chef. But after realizing his limitations with knife work, he pursued fine dining and Italian cuisine instead.
He spent five years training at the renowned Angelini Osteria, where he became well-versed in Italian cooking. This experience eventually led him to open his own restaurant.
In 2020, Joo began preparing to launch Pizzeria Sei, which opened in 2022. He introduced a distinct “Tokyo-style neo-Neapolitan pizza,” combining the balance of salt and olive oil typical of Japanese cooking with traditional Neapolitan dough. Though the pizzeria had a slow start, media attention helped it gain traction. Today, weekend lines can stretch up to three hours.
Joo attributes the restaurant’s popularity to the use of high-quality ingredients. All flour, tomatoes, and cheese are imported from Italy. “Even the smallest differences in ingredients, weather, oven temperature, or wood moisture affect the flavor,” he said. “The taste changes depending on the conditions of the day.”
Joo’s perfectionism drew him deep into the world of pizza. He explained that to create a great pizza, he needed to obsess over every detail — down to the exact amount of water in the dough.
His signature dish is the Margherita Special, made with buffalo mozzarella. “Because it’s the most basic pizza, it’s where a chef’s skill really shows,” he said.
However, the best-selling item is a spicy lamb sausage pizza flavored with mala, a Chinese spice blend. Customers are drawn to its bold and exotic taste.
Joo is currently preparing to open a second location near Culver City, where he plans to expand the wine list and introduce new menu items. He shared that it’s especially rewarding when Korean American customers praise his food.
“My goal is to create a perfect slice of pizza,” Joo said. “When everything aligns, the result is deeply satisfying. I keep testing and adjusting to maintain that level of quality every day.”
BY WONHEE CHO [cho.wonhee@koreadaily.com]
