The man behind MOTO Pizza

Lee Kindell is the culinary energy behind the wildly popular MOTO Pizza shops throughout Seattle, Bellevue, and a frequently sold-out concession bar in T-Mobile Park.

Now he’s looking to expand MOTO to several more locations throughout the greater Seattle area, as well as, potentially, the Eastside. Lee was recently crowned the title of World’s Best Detroit Pizza at the International Pizza Championship, and earned true “Big Cheese” status as the 2026 Galbani Pan Champion at the annual Las Vegas Pizza Expo. These achievements opened the doors to compete in Italy, putting Kindell’s globally influenced approach to pizza on a bigger stage.

Kindell’s path runs through Seattle’s restaurant world (including El Gaucho and the Schwartz Brothers Restaurant Group), and a 15-year run operating hostels and hotels with his wife. The experiences sharpened his hospitality-first approach and helped shape the communal, anything-goes creativity that defines MOTO. The synergy of a shared meal with a variety of people activates Kindell’s curiosity as an artist and a lover of stories, which is what makes his food so distinctive and conversation-worthy.

Your background and upbringing are as colorful as your personality. In your best superhero narrator voice, tell us the origin story of Lee Kindell

I was a military kid who grew up overseas before eventually landing in Seattle. At 17, I moved downtown and began working in restaurants, eventually transitioning into hotels and hospitality. My wife and I created a boutique hostel and hotel brand with three locations that we operated for more than 15 years. One of my favorite parts of running those hostels was taking travelers foraging, crabbing, and exploring the Pacific Northwest. We’d come back and cook what we found together during what we called Family Dinner.

Pizza was often at the center of those meals. For 15 years I cooked with travelers from all over the world, sharing recipes, techniques, and stories. Those global influences completely changed the way I think about food and ultimately inspired me to create MOTO Pizza.

Detroit-style pizza is a very specific crust thickness, texture, and chew. What made you land on that for MOTO?

As a global pizza eater, I fell in love with the high hydration of Roman pizza, the satisfying bite and chew of Midwest pizza, and the grit and soul of New York slices. I wanted to bring all of those characteristics together into one unique expression of pizza. That’s what MOTO became.

At the start of MOTO, the century-old sourdough starter — “Betty” — was the genesis of your pizza dough. Is Betty still working hard today?

Absolutely. Betty started as a one-liter jar sitting in my kitchen. Today she’s grown into more than 500 pounds of sourdough starter. Over the years I’ve collected sourdough starters from chef friends around the world and incorporated them into Betty, so she’s almost become a Frankenstein sourdough starter, in the best possible way. She represents years of friendships, travel, and baking traditions from around the globe.

The toppings for your pizzas, along with the names — Mr. Pig! — break the rules for pizza in the best way possible. Was it a decision to be a pizza rebel, or was this more of an expression of your own creativity?

It’s really an expression of my creativity. I’m Filipino, and I’ve been fortunate enough to travel extensively. Those experiences exposed me to incredible flavors and ingredients from around the world. I often say that travel simply gave me a much larger palette of paint. Most pizza makers are painting with a handful of colors. I get to paint with many more because of the cultures, flavors, and techniques I’ve experienced throughout my travels.

What are some of the ingredient combinations you’ve been most proud of, not just in the resulting flavors, but the way people have received them?

One of my personal favorites is our Crab Pizza. I like to call it my love letter to the Pacific Northwest. I’ve spent my whole life crabbing and fishing these waters, so being able to take those childhood memories and express them through pizza is incredibly meaningful. It’s my way of sharing the place I call home with every guest who eats it.

Another favorite is Mr. Pig, which is deeply rooted in my Filipino heritage and inspired by my mom’s cooking. It features lechon kawali-style pork belly, spicy sausage, and a trio of sauces that tell a story: our signature tomato sauce, a calamansi chimichurri with mango and pineapple, and a banana ketchup made with real bananas — a Filipino staple. It’s nostalgic, unexpected, and uniquely MOTO.

Where do you find inspiration? I’m sure it’s not always food-related, and it would be great to know where your creative spirit is most fulfilled.

I’m a huge fan of art, music, and design. Human creativity fascinates me, and I’m constantly soaking it in. I find inspiration everywhere — from architecture and paintings to fashion, music, and the people I meet. Food is just one medium for creativity. I think when you expose yourself to great creative work in any discipline, it naturally influences the way you cook.

Is there a particular ingredient you’ve always wanted to incorporate into a pizza? Something challenging that few have attempted, but you know you can make it work?

It’s actually less about a specific ingredient and more about pushing techniques. I’m fascinated by things like vacuum distillation, filtration, and molecular gastronomy. I love taking familiar flavors and transforming them into something completely unexpected while still making them feel approachable. Creating those surprising moments is what excites me most.

What’s something that’s always in your fridge or pantry, and what’s your go-to quick meal to make at home?

Kimchi and rice. Simple, comforting, and always satisfying.

You have a spicy shrimp pizza on the menu that incorporates pineapple — here’s your chance to explain why pineapple belongs on pizza!

Pineapple absolutely belongs on pizza. It brings sweetness and acidity, and I believe great pizza is all about balance. The best pizzas balance fat, sweetness, salt, and acid so every bite feels complete.

I also use a framework I call FATT: flavor, appearance, taste, texture, and temperature. Every pizza we make is evaluated through those five elements. When all five are working together, you create something that’s far more memorable than simply putting ingredients on dough.

What advice do you have for curious culinarians who want to experiment and step outside the common expectations of food?

Play. Seriously — play with your food. Experiment. Throw things at the wall and see what sticks. Give yourself permission to fail because that’s where discovery happens. Food is one of the most personal forms of expression. No two people cook exactly alike, and that’s what makes it so exciting. Don’t chase someone else’s style — find your own voice. Be curious. Stay playful. That’s where the magic lives.