Domenico DeMarco, godfather of New York pizza revolution, dead at 85

Domenico DeMarco, the longtime pizzaiolo who was hailed as one of the standard-setting pizza cooks of New York City, died this week at 85.

DeMarco, who passed away on March 17, opened up the storied Di Fara pizza restaurant on Brooklyn's Avenue J in 1965. Until his death on Thursday, he was a regular fixture at the location. 

The chef's daughter Angie DeMarco Mieles shared the news of his passing on Facebook, calling her father "a leader [who] will remain a leader through his legacy."

"My world revolved around my dad," she wrote. "I worked alongside him since I was a little girl. He used to take me to Italy every summer up until I turned 19 yrs old. He was the hardest working man I know."

DeMarco was originally from Provincia di Caserta in Italy. DiFara's has regularly been voted the best pizza in New York City.