It’s no secret that in New Jersey, you’re guaranteed to find The. Best. Pizza.
But did you know that the Garden State has another pizza-related claim to fame? Oh yes, New Jersey is home to the best pizza spinners around: the Jersey Pizza Boys. Brothers Michael and Nicholas Testa, of Colonia, NJ, have been spinning pizza dough all over the United States—and around the world—for the past few years. If you haven’t seen them in action, now’s the time to check this duo out.
A Positive Spin
Michael, a sophomore in high school, and Nicholas, who is in seventh grade, learned how to spin pizza dough through their family’s restaurant, Carmine’s Pizza Factory, in Jersey City, NJ. The restaurant is owned and operated by their father, Carmine, who has been in the pizza industry for about 36 years. The restaurant recently took the top spot in the North America Caputo Cup, a pizza-making competition in Atlantic City.
The family’s pizza-spinning legacy actually dates back to when Carmine’s father, Angelo, bought a small pizzeria in Perth Amboy in 1983. Carmine was only 13 years old when he started honing his pizza skills.
As Carmine worked with the boys, Michael picked up spinning first, but Nicholas was not far behind and got the hang of it soon after. They rarely practice on their own—the brothers say they work better as a team. And not to worry about food waste: Michael and Nicholas practice on synthetic dough that’s quite similar to the real thing, but with a silicone-like texture.
The Jersey Pizza Boys became known after posting videos of their pizza-spinning skills on YouTube and entering pizza competitions far and wide. They’ve appeared on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Today, Good Morning America, and The Wendy Williams Show, to name a few.
To be clear, spinning is just part of their story. They are also amazing at making pizza. They did a little bit of both on the Wendy Williams Show, with Nick Cannon, who was hosting the day they were there. After introducing them as “pizza ninjas,” Cannon got a helpful lesson during which he and Michael had an impromptu pin-rolling race, and Nicholas announced, “I’ve got 10 bucks on Nick!”
During the lesson, Michael showed Cannon a bit of spinning technique, saying, “It’s all in the wrist.”
The Testa brothers are also into the regular-kid thing. They like playing football and soccer, and yes, they enjoy eating pizza as much as they love making it. Buffalo chicken is Michael’s favorite pizza variety, while Nicholas likes plain pie.
Making a Difference
Both boys say they love that spinning dough and making pizza are both family affairs. And they’ve used their platform to raise awareness and make a difference on the hunger-relief front as well. In 2018, they held Pizza Across America, where they worked with pizza places all over the country to have pizza donated on National Pizza Day. The pizza was distributed with the help of soup kitchens, shelters, and other facilities set up for working with families in need.
Keep eye out for these two—there’s most definitely more to come.
—Researched and written by Lauren Musni and Meghan McCarty.
