A SOUTHAMPTON chef has been given a solid gold cast of his hands for being the fastest pizza maker in Europe.

Zagros Jaff has now won the title of Domino’s European Fastest Pizza Maker for the third year running.

The chef and area manager for Southampton and Portsmouth can hand-make a "perfect" pizza in just 27 seconds – which translates to 133 pizzas an hour.

Domino’s has rewarded the talented pizza chef with a limited-edition trophy.

A solid gold cast of his magic hands will glow at the Portsmouth Fratton store where he trained and perfected his craft for over 10 years.

Zagros defended his title at Domino’s annual European Fastest Pizza Maker Competition this year, which sees the upper crusts of pizza chefs from across the continent put their skills to the test.

Contestants are judged on their ability to make three large 13-inch pizzas, topped with 40 slices of pepperoni, mushrooms, cheese and pizza sauce.

Zagros said: “I’ve been making Domino’s pizzas for over ten years, and to win this title once again makes me proud. Customers don’t always realise the skill that goes into making a Domino’s pizza, from hand-stretching the fresh dough and levelling the sauce with my tools, to perfectly placing the fresh toppings. It’s great to be recognised for doing what I love, and I would encourage anyone interested in becoming a pizza maker themselves to pop into their local Domino’s store and speak to the store manager.”