About The Chef

Raised in San Bruno California, Alex J. Bartman’s first memory of pizza comes from a visit to Red Brick Oven Pizza, a now defunct local shop that was on El Camino Real. He recalls being surrounded by brick walls and a standing room only countertop dining area, a young Alex was fascinated by the sights and smells, and a love was born. A love that would deepen by visiting other local shops, like Toto’s, an establishment he deems as, “the pizzeria that raised me”. 

Alex cooked his first pizza at the age of 9, learning a dough recipe from Pete Spingola, a friend of his Poppie, Luigi Guido Vicino. He would find that his mother had saved that recipe and kept it in a junk drawer all these years, and he found it again when he was 19 (circa 2010). He would start making pizzas now and again to share with his friends and family, who encouraged him to stick with it.

Alex currently attends classes at Santa Rosa Junior College to deepen his knowledge of the culinary world and earn a certificate in the baking and pastry discipline.

Vicino's is a product of years of culinary study, dedication, late-night slices, and a lifetime of dreaming. We have one goal, make pizza that is: honest, rustic, and wicked good.