Apr 21, 2023
Born and raised in Bakersfield, Thomas Benham has always loved
good food. While attending UC Berkeley, Thomas landed a summer job
at Chez Panisse. He started as a wine runner and eventually made
his way up the ranks in the kitchen.
After five years at Chez Panisse, he traveled east to Gloucester,
Massachusetts, where he became head chef at The Market.
After four seasons, Thomas and his wife, Alicia Didio, relocated to
Sonoma County, where he led the food program at Martin Ray Winery.
Eventually, the pull of his hometown, neighborhood, and family drew
them to Bakersfield.
Tommy’s pizza specializes in New York-style thin-crust pizza with
simple premium ingredients. Thomas‘ philosophy is to do only a few
things but do them exceptionally well.