Forged in Flavor
By Brian Hernandez, Assoc. Editor PMQ, USPT Dir. of Events
A Pizza Worthy of the Throne
If California had a royal court of pizza, Chef Tore Trupiano wouldn’t be the one wearing the crown. He’d be down in the royal forge making sure it was gold-leafed with mozzarella filigree.
This October, in honor of National Pizza Month, Mangia e Bevi, Trupiano’s Oceanside, California restaurant, teamed up with the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) for a limited-time offer that’s as rich as it is relevant. Called The Creamery Crown, it’s a decadently dairy-driven pizza built on a golden Dry Jack crust with layers of mozzarella, Carmody and a swipe of cream cheese, all finished with a swirl of crème fraîche. The result is rich, tangy and nutty, a perfect showcase for how versatile California cheeses can be in the right hands.
“The Creamery Crown is a celebration of local craftsmanship and creativity,” said Trupiano, captain of PMQ’s U.S. Pizza Team and a three-time Pizza Expo 
champion. “It’s about taking simple, great ingredients and turning them into something memorable.”
While The Creamery Crown highlights California’s dairy heritage and CMAB’s dedication to local cheesemakers, it also demonstrates why limited-time offers (LTOs) remain one of the most powerful tools in a pizzeria’s arsenal, especially around festive, high-traffic months like October and Halloween.
An inventive LTO draws attention, sparks conversation and gives regular customers a reason to come back. It lets operators test premium ingredients, new builds or creative flavor profiles without overhauling their entire menu. In short, it’s marketing you can eat.
For Trupiano, the LTO wasn’t just a nod to his award-winning entry at the Real California Pizza Contest, sponsored by CMAB. It was a smart way to translate that 
competition success into a menu item with real-world appeal.
The Creamery Crown connects the dots between the people who make the cheese and those who transform it into art. It’s proof that when producers like CMAB and chefs collaborate, everyone from farm to table shares in the win.
If you’re near Oceanside this month, stop by Mangia e Bevi and grab a slice of The Creamery Crown. You’ll taste why LTOs aren’t just temporary; they’re a recipe for lasting inspiration. Sometimes the crown isn’t made of gold. It’s made of cheese.
