Engjell Vrapi is a chef and restaurateur originally from Albania, raised in Rome, Italy. He is known for his passion for creating high-quality Italian pizza and pasta, particularly through his family-owned pizzeria, Best Pizza Ever. Vrapi met his wife, Kaleigh Brook, a Montana native, while she was studying abroad in Rome, where he worked in a restaurant. The couple married, started a family in Rome, and later moved to the U.S. in 2005, opening their first restaurant in Bigfork, Montana. Their pizzeria gained recognition, being named “Best Pizza in Montana” by Food Network Magazine and winning awards at the International Pizza Competition, including second place in the nontraditional western division and fourth in the traditional division in 2011, 2012, and 2014.

Vrapi and his family, including their three children (Fiona, Hugo, and Remy), embarked on a two-year global journey starting in 2016, documented through their blog and YouTube channel, “When In Rome Travels.” They traveled in an RV across the U.S. and later to Europe, Asia, and South America, seeking out pizza worldwide to refine their craft. After their travels, they settled in Walla Walla, Washington, opening Best Pizza Ever (initially named Flour + Water) in 2018. Vrapi emphasizes freshness, hand-shredding cheese and perfecting recipes, with their signature “Best Pizza Ever” pizza featuring a gorgonzola base, roasted red peppers, pepperoni, onions, and garlic.

Trained at the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont, Vrapi’s culinary philosophy centers on authenticity and quality, rooted in his Italian upbringing and professional experience.