Wouter & Ymke 
In the heart of a centuries-old Italian village square, the locals are bustling around, ordering pizzas from La Casa dello Chef. However, tonight is special as the current pizza chef is retiring. As players, you are delivery persons striving to take over the position. The task is simple yet exciting – deliver quickly, abundantly, and accurately while keeping an eye on your competitors. Their chef skills could transform this friendly competition into a thrilling heated race!
👥 1-4 players, ages 10+
⌛ Playing time: 30-90 minutes
📝 Designers: Tyron & Vivienne de Windt
🎨 Artwork: Jason Gamber
🏢 Publisher: Benki Games
https://benkigames.nl/
Pizzachef is a game where each player serves as a pizza delivery person at La Casa dello Chef. The goal is straightforward – the player who earns the most money by the end of the game becomes the new pizzachef. During each turn, you perform two actions, which can either be similar or different, and can include picking up mission cards, order cards, toppings, chef cards, or discarding cards and toppings.
🍕 The game comes with three different types of cards you can acquire. Mission cards allow you to earn tips ranging from 5 to 10 coins, depending on the mission’s difficulty. Order cards let you take pizza orders, providing all the necessary details for the delivery. Chef cards give you special abilities and can introduce strategic elements into the game. You can also collect toppings; these are gathered from different market stalls and are vital for fulfilling pizza orders. It’s important to manage everything well, as having unfulfilled missions or undelivered pizzas can cause you to lose money!
🛵 Delivery is not a separate action, but you can do this freely within your turn. Once you have gathered all the toppings mentioned on an order card, you announce your delivery and show your card to the other players. After the toppings have been displayed and discarded, you place a pizza token on the board next to the house where the pizza was delivered. The customer pays, and you move your marker on the money track accordingly. All this might earn you a speed bonus, granting you extra coins depending on the number of pizzas already delivered to a house. You may deliver as many pizzas as possible per turn, provided you have the necessary orders, toppings, and pizza tokens.
🇮🇹 The game also includes some elements that further enrich the gameplay. For instance, each player has a Pizza Fantasia card allowing them to deliver a custom pizza with toppings of their choice. Then there’s the “wrong delivery” option, where you can intentionally deliver a pizza to an incorrect house. While you don’t earn money for these deliveries, they can still count towards missions and endgame points. Lastly, there are Mystery Bags – a surprise element, potentially containing multiple toppings or the dreaded “rotten topping.” These elements keep the game dynamic and full of unexpected twists right up until the end!
Pizzachef, the debut game from Benki Games, is the brainchild of Tyron and Vivienne de Windt. This game, suitable for 1-4 players, offers a fun solo experience as well as lively group play. Recommended for ages ten and up, it takes around an hour to play. The game has been awarded the Ecofriendly Game certificate, meaning it was crafted using environmentally friendly materials and technological solutions.
🖼️ The artwork by Jason Gamber beautifully captures the essence of a pizzeria in Italy. The game’s rules are simple and straightforward, making it an accessible choice for families. Even people who do not often play games will find Pizzachef engaging. Each turn, players get to perform two actions, like picking up cards or toppings. Although the gameplay is simple, it cleverly hides strategic depth. Picking the right action at the right moment is crucial to deliver pizzas efficiently and earn the most money.
🍕 Pizzachef skillfully blends strategy, speed, and anticipation. It also includes an element of luck through Mystery Bags and chef cards, bringing unexpected twists and surprises to the game. This luck factor makes the game even more appealing as it gives everyone, including children, a chance to win. The element of surprise often results in laughter and suspense around the table.
👪 While Pizzachef may not offer anything new for seasoned board game players, it is perfect for families and friends who play games casually. It combines familiar mechanics in an approachable way, making it highly recommended for this audience.
💭 Pizzachef is a delightful, easy-to-learn game that blends strategic planning, swift decision-making, and a dash of luck. For a first-time publisher, Benki Games has made a commendable start with Pizzachef. This game makes us eagerly anticipate what else they have in store for us.
💼 A special thanks to Benki Games for supplying us with a review copy of Pizzachef.
