More than 700 competitors vie for recognition and prizes
Ready. Set. Make pizza!
The team behind the International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo is welcoming competitors for “the biggest and best” IPC of all time, according to Michael LaMarca, owner of Master Pizza. This is the 10th year the Ohio-based company will run the competition, which will feature:
- 730 competitors.
- Eight divisions.
- 11 subdivisions.
- Five walk-in refrigerators.
- 208 prep spots.
- 30 oven spaces.
- 10,000 pairs of gloves.
… and a whole lot of excitement! On Monday afternoon, the Master Pizza team met with IPC competitors to review the rules and inform pizza makers about any changes.
Mallory Jones, an environmental safety specialist with the Southern Nevada Health District, let competitors know that vacuum-sealed ingredients cannot be used unless they have an approved Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan from the competitor’s home county or Clark County, Nevada.
She emphasizes that hand-washing is a competitor’s best friend. “Hand sanitizer cannot be used in place of hand wash,” Jones says.
If competitors are using canned items such as tomato sauce, they must be transferred into plastic deli containers (provided onsite). Jones emphasizes the importance of not touching any food items with bare hands, or they will have to be discarded.
“There is no bare-hand contact with any of the ready-to-eat food. We will ask you to voluntarily discard that food, and I hate to disqualify any of you in these competitions,” Jones says. “That includes garnishing with fresh basil at the end or a nice sea salt.”
Par-baking and Test Baking
The IPC area is open until 8 p.m. Monday for competitors looking to par-bake dough and test-bake using the ovens provided. “Winners of these competitions are the ones testing and baking before these competitions start,” LaMarca says during the Monday afternoon roundup.
Par-baking and practice baking is allowed up until the competition starts. Once competitions are finished for the day, challengers may resume test-baking. Par-baking is allowed in the Pan and World’s Best Cheese Slice divisions.
Show Time!
When it is time for each challenger to make their pizza, they will be given a notecard to list their ingredients. Master Pizza emphasizes that pizza challengers:
- SHOULD NOT list their name on the card.
- SHOULD NOT list the pizzeria name on the card.
- SHOULD NOT list any name brands on the card.
Any of these infractions will result in disqualification.
This year, competitors can make only one pizza during their assigned time slot. “If you rip a hole (in the dough), you can still serve it – but one pizza, one shot,” LaMarca says.
Judges trained in Vera Pizza Napoletana will judge the Neapolitan pizzas in the VPN subdivision. “These people that are eating thoser pizzas know the rules, so make sure you do, too,” says Galvin, president of Master Pizza.
For IPC rules and the schedule, click here.
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