About Lorri

Lorri Barone was born on the South Side of Chicago and has loved cooking and baking for as long as she can remember. She spent summers and afternoons cooking with her grandmother and mother and studying how to brew (and sneak) the perfect cup of coffee – while blissfully sniffing the contents of those big red cans. Parties with buffets of homemade mostaccioli, fried chicken, pierogi, stuffed peppers, pastries, cakes, and cookies were how Lorri’s family celebrated every holiday and birthday. Her culinary experiments were always welcome, so much so that her grandfather would eat anything she made for him and would gush at how marvelous it was (even when it DEFINITELY wasn't). An example of one of those early Butter Queen snacks was a potato chip with canned cheese and a gherkin. Thanks, Grandpa, for the love! 

Later in high school, Lorri’s mom cooked for 200+ students and staff in their marching band. Leading up to each season, her mom would freeze hundreds of cookies while planning out nutritious and delicious meals the whole band would enjoy. This was one of many times Lorri thought her future might be in a kitchen – witnessing the joy her mother felt through the process and how happy she made everyone through her creations.

 

In 1998, Lorri met her love on the North Side of Chicago, an amazing human being from a close-knit Italian family. Needless to say, the love of connecting through shared, wonderful food was an instantaneous part of their connection and remains a strong foundation of their love story. 

Carmen and Lorri married in 2000 and moved to Portland, OR, and had a difficult time finding the type of pizza they craved. This began years of recipe development and the quest for the perfect homemade pizza. Since then, Lorri has perfected virtually all styles of pizza, including cast iron, Detroit, Naples, and of course, her Chicago style thin crust. She’s hosted hundreds of large and small events and built a reputation for her warmth, scrumptious food, superb hospitality, and meticulous attention to detail.

In 2020 Lorri decided to produce YouTube tutorials under the name Butter Queen as a way to stay connected with friends and loved ones during the pandemic. The delight she found through the process affirmed the steps she needed to take next… sharing her pizza and sweet treats with the world. 

The past few years have challenged all of us in new and unanticipated ways. The opportunity to reflect on what is truly important deeply informed Lorri’s choice to expand Butter Queen and use it as a platform to share her creations with even more people. You can expect sparkles, copious amounts of butter, and delicious pizza… not to mention cameos of Gemma, their senior Pomeranian (and number 1 Cubs fan), and Lorri’s mom Wendy, with whom they share a sweet farmhouse in Portland.