World Pizza Championship facts for kids

The World Pizza Championship is a big event held every year in April. It takes place in Salsomaggiore Terme, a town in Parma, Italy. This exciting competition started in 1991. It brings together the best pizza makers from all over the world!

The event is organized by Pizza E Pasta Italiana magazine. In 2023, more than 700 chefs from 52 countries came to compete. They showed off their skills in 12 different categories. This championship is the largest pizza show in the world. Over 6,500 pizza shop owners from around the globe come to watch. Winners get into a special Hall of Fame. Sometimes, they are even asked to come back and judge the next competition!

Pizza Competition Categories

The World Pizza Championship has many fun and challenging categories. These include baking different kinds of pizzas and even pizza-making games!

Baking Competitions

These categories focus on how well a pizza is baked and how it tastes. Judges score each pizza out of 800 points. They look at cooking skills, cleanliness, how the pizza looks, its taste, and the chef's knowledge.

• Classic Pizza: This is a popular category where pizza makers have lots of freedom. They can choose any dough and toppings they like. It's for round pizzas served on a dish, from traditional to fancy.
• Gluten Free Pizza: This category is for pizzas made without gluten. The goal is to make a gluten-free pizza that tastes just as good as a regular one.
• Pan Pizza: This category is for pizzas made in a pan. These pizzas often have a longer rising time for the dough. They are becoming very popular, especially in bakeries.
• Neapolitan STG Pizza: This is a very traditional pizza. Only two types are allowed: Margherita or Marinara. They must be made following strict rules set by the Italian government. This is the pizza most people think of when they hear "pizza."
• Roman Pizza: This category is for the famous crunchy, long-shaped pizza. It's often served on a wooden pizza peel.
• Pizza a Due: This is a special team competition. A chef and a pizza maker work together. They create a unique pizza as a team.

Pizza Games

These categories are all about speed and skill, often with a fun, show-like element!

• The Largest Pizza: Pizza makers try to stretch 500 grams of dough. The goal is to make it as big as possible! It shows how large a pizza can get.
• Freestyle Pizza: This is an amazing acrobatic show! Pizza makers spin and toss pizza dough disks to music. It's very entertaining to watch.
• The Fastest Speed: Competitors quickly stretch five disks of dough. The goal is to do it as fast as they can!

Special Awards

Some awards combine different skills or honor special achievements.

• World Pizza Team: This award goes to a team of six members. Each member competes in a different baking category. Winning together is a great achievement!
• Heinz Beck Trophy Pizzeria: This unique competition is created by famous chef Heinz Beck. It judges how well a pizzeria chef prepares a main course. It's about quality and skill.
• Triathlon: This award is for the best overall score in three baking categories. These include "Classic Pizza," "Pan Pizza," "STG Neapolitan Pizza," and "Gluten Free Pizza." The winner gets the Triathlon podium.

Past Winners

Many talented pizza makers have won at the World Pizza Championship.

Winners from 2023

• Classic Pizza - Criminisi Giuseppe
• Neapolitan STG Pizza - Mansi Vincenzo
• Pan Pizza - Valentino Clemente
• Roman Pizza - Di Tella Antonio
• Gluten free Pizza - Vassallo Domenico
• Freestyle - Tolu Botella Francis
• The Largest - Pasini Daniele
• The Fastest - Bandinelli Andrea
• Triathlon - Di Tella Antonio
• Heinz Beck Trophy - Caliolo Alessandro
• World Pizza Team - Di Stasio Raffaele - Tolu Cristian - Pizza a due

Interesting Facts and Noteworthy Winners

• In 2016, French chef Ludovic Bicchierai won the Classic Pizza competition. His pizza was inspired by a traditional fish soup called bouillabaisse. It had sea bream carpaccio, mozzarella, prawns, Tabasco sauce, and courgette flowers.
• In 2019, chef Filippo Rosato from the UK won the Classic Pizza category. He made a vegan pizza! His creation used a special whole-grain dough. It was topped with stir-fried cavolo nero, marinated tempeh, mushrooms, a bean sauce, vegan mozzarella, and fermented cashew cheese. It was finished with ginger purée, agave syrup, and vegan caviar.
• Tony Gemignani is a very famous repeat winner. He holds 13 world championship titles! Seven are for acrobatics (like the Freestyle Pizza game) and six are for baking. He also holds several pizza-related Guinness World Records. Tony has opened over 40 pizzerias across the United States.

See also

• Tony Gemignani