Michael Symon's Favorite Frozen Pizza Is The Least Pretentious We Can Think Of

As a chef, restaurateur, and former co-host of ABC's "The Chew," Michael Symon has become a trustworthy, respected voice among celebrity chefs. At times, he has used that voice to weigh in on pizza. Despite his Cleveland roots, Symon thinks New York-style pizza is as good as it gets. His slice of choice comes from New York City institution John's. As Symon stated on Instagram, "I have a lot of 'favorite' pizzas in America, and many may be its equal, but certainly none are better than John's of Bleeker St." High-quality and cooked in coal-fired ovens, the pies from this place might sound like a far cry from another one of Symon's favorites.

When it comes to frozen pizza, the chef's top choice is about as casual as it gets. According to Food & Wine, Symon's favorite frozen option is Stouffer's Pepperoni French Bread Pizza. Some may consider it lowbrow, but Stouffer's can definitely pack a punch, both in flavor and nostalgia. It's considered by many to be a perfectly delightful '90s-style pizza that's still delicious today. Symon is a fan of bold flavors (via Kitchen Works) and likes to amp up the taste of this frozen classic with hot honey. 

Depending on your point of view, you could argue that Michael Symon's favorite choice isn't the best one. In Mashed ranking of frozen pizzas, Stouffer's comes in a middling eight place out of 14 options. On Reddit Stouffer's gets a mixture of adoration and playful condemnation. Even a fan of the product had a contradictory take: "I actually love these. Not even saying they are good." A different commenter had less-than-fond memories: "The roof of my mouth is still burnt, 40 years later[.]" And another detractor felt the pizzas were hard like rock.

Whatever your opinion on the product, there are some pretty solid ways to improve on the simple Stouffer's Pepperoni French Bread Pizza. Aside from Symon's preferred hot honey, one of the simplest ways is to add a little extra (low moisture) mozzarella with some grated parmesan on top. It will give it extra melty goodness and you can toast it to a perfect golden brown without it getting too hard. For a nice, pungent kick, try spreading it with chopped garlic and brushing on a little olive oil. Black olives are always good, maybe some pickled jalapeños, or chopped raw onions. You can open up your Stouffer's frozen pizza and let it spread its wings. Just don't add too many moisture-rich ingredients or it's in danger of losing that incredible crunch it's known for — both positively and negatively.