Pizza Today - February 2024 - 74

EXPO SPOTLIGHT B I L L OA K L E Y
MARCH 19-21, 2024
LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER
DO YOU FEEL THE NEED TO
COMPETE?
I
f you are motivated with
a desire to be the best,
you should enter one of
our pizza-making competitions,
the International Italian Sandwich
Championship, and/or the World
Pizza Games. I like to think that
healthy levels of competition can
improve your self-esteem and
increase enjoyment of life and work
in general, not to mention the
positive impact it could have on your
bottom line.
This year we have two (2) new
pizza making competitions that
will be sponsored by Daiya Foods
and Ooni Pizza Ovens that are
sure to test your skills. Th e Daiya
Foods Plant-Based Competition
will feature Daiya Foods Dairy-Free
Cheeses. Th e Ooni Pizza Th rowdown
will have two divisions (Traditional
and Pan) where all the competitors
will be required to use an Ooni oven
to bake their pizzas. In addition,
the California-Style pizza-making
competition, which is sponsored by
the California Milk Advisory Board
(CMAB), is back for a second year
in search of the best non-traditional
California-Style pizza featuring Real
California Cheese. Competitors from
across Southeast Asia and Mexico
will compete for top honors.
We're also expanding the
International Pizza Challenge
that will again be sponsored by
74 / PIZZATODAY.COM / FEBRUARY 2024
CMAB. Over the years the Pizza
Challenge has evolved and grown in
stature and prize money to become
the most prestigious pizza-making
competition in North America, if
not the world. Th is year, we'll have a
total of 5 divisions: Traditional, NonTraditional,
Pizza Napoletana, Pan,
and our newest competition - the
World's Best Cheese Slice. Winners
of each division will be represented
in the World Champion Pizza
Maker of the Year fi nals.
The International Italian
Sandwich Competition,
sponsored by Galbani Cheese,
will take center stage in the
Demonstration area on Th ursday,
March 21. Entries can either be a
hot or cold Italian-inspired sandwich
consisting of any combination of
Italian ingredients, meats, cheeses,
sauces, toppings and/or garnishes on
any type of bread, roll or bun.
Last, but not least, the World
Pizza Games, sponsored by
Grande Cheese, is a 5-event test of
pizza-making skills and abilities that
will open on Tuesday, March 18 with
the Individual Event Trials in the
World Pizza Games area and end
with the Finals that will take place
Wednesday evening at the Pizza
Expo Block Party. Th e World Pizza
Games competition brings energy
and excitement to the Pizza Expo
show fl oor. Th e best pizzaiolo is
crowned in each division - Freestyle
Acrobatic Dough Tossing, Fastest
Dough, Largest Dough Stretch,
Fastest Pizza Box Folding, & Pizza
Triathlon!
Pizza Expo continues to be your
one-stop shop for everything you
need for your pizzeria, including
the newest products, equipment
and technology hitting the market.
Th row in an education program and
demonstration program second to
none and you have a game-changing
experience. I like to think that
attending Pizza Expo will be one of,
if not the best, investments of time
and money that you'll make this year.
One thing is for sure there's always
something new at Pizza Expo that
can improve your operation. As
always, our commitment to you, our
partners, is to produce the biggest
and best show ever!
Remember, attending Pizza Expo
is a tax-deductible working vacation.
It's all pizza and it's all for YOU!
Bill Oakley
Show Director
BILL OAKLEY is the
Group Show Director for
International Pizza Expo and
Pizza & Pasta Northeast
http://www.PIZZATODAY.COM
Pizza Today - February 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pizza Today - February 2024
