Pittsburgh Pizza Makers Head to the International Pizza Challenge to Compete Against the World's Best
Here's a preview of some of the Pittsburgh pizza makers competing at Pizza Expo against the best pizza makers in the world.
Another year another pizza expo. A chance for pizza makers to come together in Vegas to learn about the trends in pizza, how to improve the pizza shop vibe and compete against each other for title of best pizza.
The International Pizza Expo takes place March 19 -21 in Las Vegas. This year I won’t have boots on the ground to cover the expo like in years past, but I did reach out to a number of Pittsburgh pizza makers ahead of Pizza Expo to get an idea of the pizzas they plan to compete with.
In 2016 my editor-at-large, Tom Tallarico, broke the story of Caliente winning best Pan Pizza with their Quack Attack pizza. The pizzas they made at the expo was decadent and difficult to replicate in the pizza shop. They have it on the menu, but it’s a slightly watered down version of what won them the championship.
Since Caliente’s success, Pittsburgh pizza makers have gone off to Pizza Expo to compete with the world. For the most part they perform quite well. The Mercurio team is always near the top of the rankings for Pizza Napoletana Division, Anna Crucitt & Nick Mercurio placed third in the Italian Tandem Division. In 2023 Sara Boyer of Iron Born was third in the non-traditional category and Rico Lunardi of Slice On Broadway was third in the north east in traditional category.
It’s not only established pizza shops that travel for this. We now see amateur at-home pizza makers like Ed showing up and placing high among the world’s best. There must be something in our water that lends our pizza makers to compete on a global level.
Here’s a preview of some of the Pittsburgh pizza makers traveling to Vegas to compete. I’ve noticed a trend towards pizzas that have been executed on their menu or would fit nicely alongside existing pizzas. Get excited and stay tuned for a recap next week after the competition ends.
Ed Ventures Back to Pizza Expo Competition with a Top Secret Pizza
Ed catapulted into the pizza stratosphere when he won best non-traditional pizza in the Northeast back in 2022. That pizza was a tavern style pizza with an assortment of toppings, including pepperoni shaped like a rose. Beautiful!
This year Ed is competing in the non-traditional and Ooni Pan Competition this year. I asked him what his strategy was going into this year and he said, “No red sauce or pepperoni this year. I’m definitely going big this year. Taking some big chances. I’m going to keep the pizza a secret for now. All I can tell you is that there’s lots of prep involved on both.”
Ed loves the community around pizza and in addition to competing in two competitions he’s also participating in the Slice Out of Hunger event. “I’m part of the slice out hunger event where there they asked about 25 of the top pizzaiolos to make pizzas outside of Tony Gemignani’s pizza rock on Monday. This is an event to benefit people with food insecurities. I’m looking forward to the event and seeing everyone from the ‘burgh there”
John McCaffrey Joins the Pizza Fray
John makes some of the most beautiful and stunning pizzas I’ve ever seen. Check out his Instagram! He handles the pizza at Yellow Bridge Brewing, so make the trip if you haven’t. Ever since he was a teenage manager of a Domino’s in Meadville, PA he has wanted to compete at Pizza Expo. This year he gets his chance.
While he won’t be in the cooking competitions this time around, he is entered in the pizza triathlon where he’ll toss dough, fold boxes and stretch dough as long as possible.
Now 25 years of practice later I’m finally committing and going and expect my mind to be blown, trying news pizzas, new flavors, ingredients I have never tried or been exposed to, and eat a lot of pizza! I have been practicing dough spinning tricks with a pizza di gomma spinning dough every day for the past 3-4 weeks, and practice folding boxes every week and stretching out 16 and 24 inch pizza for practice to while timing it all. I feel if I give it all my best and focus in the triathlon and not let nerves get to me I think I could do well.
I’m sure John will return in 2025 to compete in the pizza making competition, and I’m certain he’ll leave a mark on the world of pizza.
Gus Franco’s Cacio on The Cob Heads to Vegas
Patrick Elston at Gus Franco’s is heading to Vegas to compete for the second time. Last year he competed in the traditional pizza category and received the feedback that there was “too much leoparding on the undercarriage.” I don’t see anything wrong with leaopard spots on a pizza, but their definitions of traditional pizza are rather strict.
This year Patrick is competing in the non-traditional category where I predict he will flourish. He’s bringing his Casio on the Cob pizza, which he made for me when I visited and it was a divine experience.
Patrick has only cooked on a wood fire oven, but at the competition he’ll be using a deck over. Pete Holman at Iron Born let Patrick come down to cook in his Pizzamaster oven to get used to it ahead of competition.
Even though Iron Born and Gus Franco are competing in the same division, they’re collaborating and working together to help bring the best pizza to the expo. The local pizza community continues to build each other up to bring Pittsburgh pizza to new heights.
Iron Born Competes in the Pan and Non-Traditional Categories
Iron Born’s Pete Tolman and Sara Boyer are competing in the pan division and non-traditional respectively.
Last year Sara was Pittsburgh’s big winner at the Pizza Expo placing third overall in the non-traditional competition. Her Vegas Pie was one of my favorite pizzas last year.
This year she’s competing in the non-traditional pizza again while Pete is venturing out into the pan division.
Pete is bringing a unique creation to the pan competition this year. He says, “It will still be a Detroit style dough, but less tall than we offer in Pittsburgh. A take on the “MVP” pizza many shops offer. Marinara, Vodka Sauce, Pesto in alternating rows. Mine will have four to six sauces in alternating rows. Some Roasted roma tomatoes under the cheese.” Sounds simply divine and hoping this makes its way on the menu.
Sara is adding a Pittsburgh staple to her pizza: potatoes. “I’m trying a pizza with potatoes around the crust so it bakes like a scalloped potato,” Sara says. “Then I found a potato sausage and I’m going to sprinkle in some black garlic and use Parmesan stock for some funk.”
The crew at Iron Born make the decadence approachable. These pizzas could be too elegant for pizza, but that are cozy. Friendly squares. I have no doubt they’ll place high at the Pizza Expo.
Could Slice On Broadway Win Best Cheese Slice in The World?
Rico Lunardi, owner of Slice On Broadway, is bringing a squad down to canvas the competition in their expertise. He’ll be competing in the World’s Best Cheese Slice competition while Chris will be participating in the traditional division and Tracy, his purchasing director competing in non-traditional. Alicia and Gabby on his team will be in the box folding and largest dough stretch competition.
Talking to Rico about the expectation from his contigent, he jokingly says “My expectation is that we all win are I’m leaving them there.” Then goes on to say,“Obviously want to win but the experience is the best part. For a couple of them first timers going to expo and I want them to see all what the pizza world really is. And for me I just love talking to other pizza makers and shop owners to see what we can improve or do next. It really is a great time for a pizza nerd like me.”
Slice On Broadway has perfected the plain cheese slice and Rico is confident in the product they serve day in and day out in their store. “Tried and true. That’s what I have been practicing and trying to perfect. Last year was 5th overall and 3rd in northeast. Manifesting 1st place this year.”
Caliente Sends a Team to Justify WorldsBestPizza.com Domain Renewal
Caliente won best Pan pizza in 2016 at the Pizza Expo. A huge and welcome award for a pizza shop that would eventually spread throughout the entire Pittsburgh region. At the time they were still getting off the ground.
They took that momentum from their pizza win and built a pizza empire. They had billboards proclaiming them World’s Best Pizza and changed their domain to WorldsBestPizza.com. The honor is relevant to select pizzas on the menu which left the general population who had only their standard pizza what was so great. The marketing created a dissonance that they’ve yet to overcome.
But maybe this year is the year. They’re sending eight people to compete in a number of competitions. Will they come back with more accolades? Or have to forfeit their domain to someone else in the pizza world? That’s the excitement of the International Pizza Challenge!
Stay tuned for more updates from Pizza Expo as results come in and thanks for reading! Pittsburgh is a proud pizza town and it’s amazing to see our pizzaiolos compete on a global stage.
Thanks and pizza ya later!
-Dan Tallarico, Pizza Journalist