The Setup: A Young Hero Steps Up
Every great kid-hero adventure has that moment when the young champion is almost there, and the universe drops a plot twist in their lap. In Orlando, at last fall’s Galbani Professionale Pizza Cup during the Pizza Tomorrow Summit and Florida Restaurant Show, that twist was simple and terrifying: The pork went missing.
Not just any pork, but the exact ingredient Zoe Zabrowski needed to bring her competition pizza to life. The daughter of Mark and Kira
Zabrowski, USPT members and owners of Much Ado About Pizza, the Shakespeare-themed pizzeria in Pleasanton, California, Zoe comes from a wonderfully unique pizza world built on creativity and support. When the chance came for her to compete in the Young Pizza Maker Division, her family didn’t push. They just opened the door.
“We had been encouraging both of our kids to explore competition,” Mark and Kira said. “When the opportunity came up, we mentioned it to them, and Zoe immediately expressed genuine interest.”
Once that switch flipped, they focused on making sure she had the tools, support and preparation to succeed. And she did. “We could tell Zoe was ready because of her level of commitment,” they said. “She was taking notes, practicing on her own, even developing her own sauce. She wasn’t just following instructions; she was experimenting, refining her recipe, and explaining the why behind her choices.”
That’s not kid helping in the kitchen. That’s kid building a destiny character arc right there.
“When I first heard about the competition, I was really excited and wanted to prove myself,” Zoe said. “After competing, that’s when I developed a real love and respect for pizza making and knew I wanted to keep pursuing it.”
The Crisis: The Pork Disappears
So there she is. Competition floor. Time ticking. Pizza vision ready to go. Then suddenly: Wait, where’s the pork? Cue the internal screaming, the racing thoughts, the parents trying to stay calm like everything is totally fine and not an emergency situation worthy of a Zack Snyder slow-motion montage.
“That moment was intense and honestly frustrating,” Mark and Kira said. “We were watching the clock and really wanted this experience to be positive for her. We didn’t want her to lose confidence or be unhappy with her pizza, even though we were freaking out inside.”
And Zoe felt it too. “I was really worried and kind of freaking out,” she admitted. “But then I thought maybe we could go to a restaurant or something nearby to get the pork I needed.” That’s the moment in the movie where our young protagonist almost gives up, and then the story reveals the unexpected ally.
The Assist: A Golden Sponsor Steps In
Enter Chef Joseph Willen, a.k.a. Chef Joey, representing Margherita Meats (Smithfield), the proud Gold Plus Sponsor of the U.S. Pizza Team. When we asked him what made him jump in, his answer was as simple as it was perfect: “Having competed in ACF junior hot food events early in my career, I understood the position Zoe was in, so it was a no-brainer to help support a young competitor chase her goal.” No hesitation. No red tape. Just help, immediately, because that’s what this pizza world does.
Zoe felt that impact on the spot. “We were scrambling around the trade show floor trying to find the right product. Then my parents remembered Margherita Meats was a USPT sponsor, so we ran to their booth,” she said. “Chef Joey jumped in without hesitation and generously gave us what we needed. He helped us get back on track so fast, and it was honestly awesome how willing he was to help at that moment.”
And that right there is the real takeaway. “It was incredible to see the pizza community step up for Zoe,” Mark and Kira said. “There have been moments when we’ve needed support, whether it’s dough, sauce, ingredients or equipment, and people are always willing to help. Everyone wants to compete against others at their best.”
The Victory: Mango, Pork, and a Title
Once Zoe got what she needed, she didn’t waste a second. Cue the 80s power-up montage music, because she locked in, built her pizza, and walked into judging with “Pig in Paradise,” a sweet-heat, island-meets-smoke pie built on an olive oil base, a bold cheddar-mozz-provolone blend, smoky pulled pork kissed with black cherry chipotle BBQ sauce, roasted mango, baby bell peppers and jalapeño, then finished with a fresh mango-pineapple salsa that made the whole thing taste like a luau… with a little swagger. “What really inspired me was, like a Hawaiian Luau,” Zoe said. “And I kind of just 
really wanted to put a mango and roasted mango on a pizza and see how it tasted. And apparently it won.”
Zoe was crowned Young Pizza Maker division winner at the Galbani Professionale Pizza Cup, and her reaction was pure relief, excitement and pride. “I was really excited. I wanted to jump up and down,” she said. “Honestly, I practiced a lot and had a few failures but knew I wanted to make a pizza featuring mango and pork. And it turned out great.”
The Big Takeaway: The Quest Was Real
Chef Joey loved that Zoe didn’t just win, she fought for it. “First, [she’s] taking the risk to put herself out there and compete,” he said. 
“Secondly, not quitting when the unexpected happened. Zoe adapted and overcame the hurdle she faced and came out on top.”
This is why sponsorship matters when it’s done right. It’s not just logos and booths; it’s stepping in when a young competitor is in the weeds and offering help on instinct.
As Chef Joey said, “It is about inspiring the next generation of young pizza chefs, supporting them with world class knowledge and ingredients they know they can trust to perform better, while building confidence in their skillset.”
Zoe walked away with more than a trophy. She also left newly dubbed one of the U.S. Pizza Team’s Pizza Prodigies. Not an official member, not yet, but like Palpatine watching Anakin, absolutely someone the pizza world is watching closely and with great interest.
And she’s already talking like she belongs out there: “It’s okay to be nervous, everyone is… Practice, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to learn from the people around you. Just go for it and have fun. You’ll learn a lot by competing.”
So the next time someone asks what makes pizza competitions special, tell them about the missing pork moment that could have ruined everything—but instead became the moment where a sponsor stepped up, a chef showed up, and a young pizza maker finished her story.
I can see the movie poster now. The tagline will read: “One missing ingredient. One hero in an apron. One champion.” I’d buy a ticket for that movie.
