Competition was fierce in the International Pizza Challenge this year. Competitors battled head-to-head to find out who makes the best pizza in the world at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. We had five best pizza divisions: Traditional, Non-Traditional, Pan, CMAB California Style and Neapolitan/STG which will be represented in the pizza bake-off that will showcase 200 of the world’s best pizza makers and 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
Traditional Division Regional Winners
International
1st Place: Wilhelm Rodriguez, PAPAS PIZZA CABO ROJO, PR
2nd Place: Joe Leroux, AMADIO’S PIZZA MISSISSAUGA, ON
3rd Place: Gino Contin, MAVERICK – VINOGINO LIMEIRA, BRAZIL
Midwest
1st Place: Gemma Cataldo, ANTONIOS ITALIAN RISTORANT ELKHART, IN
2nd Place: Bill Cornell, CARMINES WOOD FIRED PIZZA JOPLIN, MO
3rd Place: David Sommers, MAD MUSHROOM PIZZA WEST LAFAYETTE, IN
Northeast
1st Place: Anthony Berghela, ROMO’S PIZZA GLENMONT, NY
2nd Place: Adam Hatfield, RAD PIES WILLIAMSPORT, MD
3rd Place: Rico Lunardi, SLICE ON BROADWAY PITTSBURGH, PA
Southeast
1st Place: Angelica Luzardo, 1803 PIZZA KITCHEN ORLANDO, FL
2nd Place: Aaron Crogan, CRAFT CULTURE CONCEPTS, LLC LOUISVILLE, KY
3rd Place: Kevin Knott, SLICEADELIC SAFETY HARBOR, FL
Northwest
1st Place: Katamia Ives, SOURDOUGH WILLY’S PIZZERIA KINGSTON, WA
2nd Place: Adrian Guastavino, WICKED PIE PIZZA PUYALLUP, WA
3rd Place: Pete Miceli, BIT OF ITALYITALIANTOGO NAMPA, ID
Southwest
1st Place: Jessica Rivas, ACRE PIZZA SEBASTOPOL, CA
2nd Place: Juan Ponce, PIZZA WITH A NEW YORK ATTITUDE, L.L.C. CONROE, TX
3rd Place: Ed Barbeau, PISANOS WOODFIRED CANYON LAKE, TX
View Full Traditional Division Scoreboard.
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
Non-Traditional Division Regional Winners
International
1st Place: Fiodar Huminski, PIZZERIA NO 900 MONTREAL, QC
2nd Place: Andy Huynh, COWABUNGA PIZZERIA HAMILTON, ON
3rd Place: Frederico Tomé, ITALIAN BAKERY HOUSE SAO PAULO, BRAZIL
Midwest
1st Place: Nicholas Smith, UPPERCRUST AKRON AKRON, OH
2nd Place: Carmela Cataldo, ANTONIOS ITALIAN RISTORANT ELKHART, IN
3rd Place: Brian Hall, CRAFTERS PIZZA AND DRAFTHOUSE CARMEL, IN
Northeast
1st Place: Sara Boyer, IRON BORN PIZZA PITTSBURGH, PA
2nd Place: Benjamin Tobin, MEZZALUNA WOOD FIRED PIZZA WEST GROVE, PA
3rd Place: Andrew Scudera, GOODFELLAS STATEN ISLAND, NY
Southeast
1st Place: Joe Carlucci, VALENTINA’S PIZZERIA & WINE BAR MADISON, AL
2nd Place: Leo Dicesaris, CERRONE’S BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA COLUMBUS, GA
3rd Place: Kyle Faix, SOURDOUGH PIZZA LYNCHBURG, VA
Northwest
1st Place: Ian Foster, RIGHTEOUS SLICE REXBURG, IN
2nd Place: Joseph Ledwidge, RANGER JOE’S PIZZA KALISPELL, MT
3rd Place: David Solum, DANGER VON DEMPSEY’S PIZZERIA & BREWHÄUS WATERTOWN, SD
Southwest
1st Place: Michael Vakneen, POP UP PIZZA LLC LAS VEGAS, NV
2nd Place: Spencer Glenn, PIZZA MY HEART LOS GATOS, CA
3rd Place: Christina Smith, STATE OF MIND PUBLIC HOUSE AND PIZZERIA LOS ALTOS, CA
View Full Non-Traditional Division Scoreboard.
CMAB Professional:
1st Place: Ivory Yat Vaksman
2nd Place: Sam Li
3rd Place: Mr. Edward Chui Yuen Chien
View Full CMAB Professional Division Scoreboard.
CMAB Student:
1st Place: Natthapol Khunyodyin
2nd Place: Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Thao
View Full CMAB Student Division Scoreboard.
Pizza Napoletana Division:
1st Place: Pasquale Yoann Mormile, Pizzeria Pulcinella 01, Bourg en Bresse, France
2nd Place Michele Rubini, Orlando-Caputo-Ciapo, Glen Rock, NJ
3rd Place Giuseppe Manco, Mani In Pasta NYC Midtown, New York, NY
View Full Pizza Napoletana Division Scoreboard.
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
View Full Pan Division Scoreboard.
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
View Full Italian Sandwich Competition Scoreboard.
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, Pizza Rock, Las Vegas, NV
View Full American Tandem Division Scoreboard.
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
View Full Italian Tandem Division Scoreboard.
