Pizza Today - May2023 - 49

A
s we returned from the biggest
and best Pizza Expo we've ever
had, an article in the Washington
Post circulated, proclaiming " Welcome to
the greatest pizza show on Earth. " That
headline encapsulates Pizza Expo 2023.
With record attendance and an expansive
show floor, this year's show is one for the
record books.
International Pizza Challenge
Competition was fierce in the
International Pizza Challenge this year
in four divisions: Traditional, NonTraditional,
Pan and Neapolitan/STG. The
competitions showcased 200 of the world's
best pizza makers with thousands of dollars
in cash prizes. The winners are:
Best of the Best Champion
Nick Banker, Upper Crust Pizza, Akron, OH
Pizza Maker of the Year
Joe Carlucci, Valentina's Pizzeria & Wine
Bar, Madison, AL
Traditional Division:
1st Place: Gemma Cataldo, Antonios Italian
Ristorant, Elkhart, IN
2nd Place: Bill Cornell, Carmines Wood
Fired Pizza, Joplin, MO
3rd Place: Anthony Berghela, Romo's Pizza,
Glenmont, NY
Non-Traditional Division:
1st Place: Joe Carlucci, Valentina's Pizzeria
& Wine Bar, Madison, AL
2nd Place: Michael Vakneen, Pop Up Pizza
LLC, Las Vegas, NV
3rd Place: Sara Boyer, Iron Born Pizza
Pittsburgh, PA
,
Pizza Napoletana Division:
1st Place: Pasquale Yoann Mormile, Pizzeria
Pulcinella 01, Bourg en Bresse, France
2nd Place Michele Rubini, OrlandoCaputo-Ciapo,
Glen Rock, NJ
3rd Place Giuseppe Manco, Mani In Pasta
NYC Midtown, New York, NY
Pan Division:
1st Place: Eduardo Ramirez, Dtown Pizzeria,
Los Angeles, CA
2nd Place: Josephine Afshar, Oleys
Pepperoni Cannoli, De Pere, WI
3rd Place: Charlie Webb, Hudson &
Packard, Poughkeepsie, NY
American Tandem Division
1st Place: Jon Garland & Dan Succone,
Saccone's Pizza, Austin, TX
2nd Place: Juan Ponce & RC Gallegos, RC's
NYC Pizza & Pasta, The Woodlands, TX
3rd Place: Javier Murreta & Alma Garcia,
World Pizza Games
The World Pizza Games returned as
pizza makers traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada
to showcase their dough handling and box
folding skills in hopes of winning the coveted
title of World Pizza Champion, a gold
medal, and a one-thousand-dollar cash prize.
The winners are:
Fastest Dough
1st: Tara Hattan, Zasas Pizza & Wings,
Time: 00:39.065
2nd: Nathan Wilson, Six Hundred
Downtown, Time: 00:40.054
3rd: Angel Alvarez, Rotolos Craft & Crust,
Time: 00:42.028
Largest Dough
1st: Spencer Glenn, Pizza My Heart,
Width: 120, Length: 104.1, Average:
112.05
2nd: Matt Hickey, Caliente Pizza & Draft
House, Width: 116.5, Length: 99.5,
Joe cutline
Pizza Rock, Las Vegas, NV
Italian Tandem Division
1st Place: Simone Fortunato & Fabrizia
Ventura, Simone Fortunado Pizzeria,
Professional Assoc. of Italian Cooking,
Naples, Italy
2nd Place: Davide Civitiello & Antonio
Sorrentino, Spacca Napoli Pizzeria,
Chicago, IL
3rd Place: Anna Crucitt & Nick Mercurio,
Mercurio's 2 Inc, Sarver, PA
International Italian Sandwich Competition
1st Place: Michael Vakneen, Pop Up Pizza
LLC, Las Vegas, NV
2nd Place: Annamaria Sapere , Signora
Pizza, Las Vegas, NV
3rd Place: Will Grant, That's A Some Pizza,
Bainbridge Island, WA
Average: 108
3rd: Joshua Oluwatumise, Antonio's NY
Pizza, Width: 105.5, Length: 102.5,
Average: 104
Fastest Box Folding
1st: David Whisker, B.C. Pizza, Time:
00:17.038 *NEW RECORD
2nd: Tara Hattan, Zasas Pizza & Wings,
Time: 00:25.081
3rd: Alma Garcia, Slice House, Walnut
Creek, Time: 00:27.047
Pizza Triathlon
1st: Matt Hickey, Caliente Pizza & Draft
House, Time: 00:39.012
2nd: Perry Bogacz, Caliente Pizza & Draft
House, Time: 00:41.032
3rd: Tara Hattan, Zasas Pizza & Wings,
Time: 00:44.088
First Division Freestyle Acrobatics
1st: Nathan Wilson, Six Hundred
Downtown, Total Score: 396.8
2nd: Michael Testa, Carmine's Pizza
Factory, Total Score: 391.1
3rd: Matt Hickey, Caliente Pizza & Draft
House, Total Score: 373.5
Master's Division Freestyle Acrobatics
1st: Scott Volpe, Fiamme Pizza Napoletana,
Total Score: 424.8
2nd: Tara Hattan, Zasas Pizza & Wings,
Total Score: 405.1
3rd: Mckenna Carney, The Nona Slice
House, Total Score: 400.5
For a complete list of all the regional
winners, competition photo galleries, a
replay the World Pizza Games Acrobatic
Finals live stream and extensive coverage of
Pizza Expo 2023, go to Pizza Today.com.
Mark your calendar now for Pizza Expo
2024 on March 19-21!
http://www.PizzaToday.com
Pizza Today - May2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pizza Today - May2023
