For Immediate Release
American Pizza Championships Wrap up at NYPD Metrowest
U.S. Pizza Team Awards Free Trip to Italy
Orlando, Fla. – NYPD Pizza’s Metrowest location played host to the U.S. Pizza Team and the American Pizza Championships on Sunday, September 23rd, 2012.
Out of 11 competitors in the American Pizza Championship, Bradley Corbin of Sloopy’s Sports Café in Lakeside, Ohio, took first place, edging out second-place finisher Dave Smith of Pizza Palace in Emporium, Penn., by only one point. Drew Sassi of Pizzeria DaVinci in Killingworth, Conn., rounded out the top seats in third place. Each competitor prepared two pies, one for the judges and one for the crowd. NYPD’s customers were treated to some of the best pizzas in the country, all for free. The winning pie, The Hibachi Pizza, featured dough made with Japanese white sauce and chicken, shrimp, sauteed carrots, onions, broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini and fried rice; it was finished with more Japanese white sauce, an oyster/soy sauce and sesame seeds.
The American Pizza Championship was judged by a panel of 4 consisting of Alex Terife, a pizza entrepreneur from Miami, Charlotte Davis, local radio host of the Morning Mouthful on 91.5 WPRK, Steve Leiber, winner of the 2010 American Pizza Championship and Director of Franchise Sales for BurgerFi in singer Island, Fla. And finally Carlos Zoppetti, President of the United Pizzeria Association
in São Paulo, Brazil.
NYPD Pizza kindly offered the use of their Metrowest location at 2589 S Hiawassee Rd as the venue for the competition, welcoming the U.S. Pizza Team to use their ovens and facilities to knock out some of the best tasting pizzas in the country. Craig Lynch, Franchise Business Development Manager for NYPD stated, “The competition was a hit! It was well organized; especially knowing that it was put together over the internet with emails and pictures. I hope NYPD Pizza gets the chance to host it again next year, so we can really make it a spectacular event. I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to be involved behind the scenes. I mean, in the action, speaking to the pizzaiolos as they are building their phenomenal creations. It was extraordinary!”
PMQ Pizza Magazine, the leading national trade publication for the pizza industry, created the U.S. Pizza Team in 2000. “This year’s events showcased a great deal of talent, both in terms of showmanship and culinary expertise, and helped us put
-more-
together a formidable team for the upcoming World Pizza Championship,” said PMQ publisher Steve Green. “They’ll also serve as worthy American ambassadors to the global pizza community.”
For more information about the U.S. Pizza Team and to view related pictures, videos, and score sheets, visit USPizzaTeam.com or contact Event Coordinator Brian Hernandez at brian@pmq.com or 662-234-5481 x129.
