United States Pizza Team Announces 2007 Competitions
Spain wins 3rd annual America’s Plate competition
Oxford, Miss. (March 20, 2007) – The newest members of the United States Pizza Team were chosen after competing in the U.S. Pizza Team trials, which were held at PMQ Pizza Magazine’s 3rd annual New York Pizza Show in New York City March 4-6, 2007.
The competition trials held in New York for the 2007 U.S. Pizza Team consisted of three different categories: Largest Dough Stretch, Fastest Pizza Maker, and Freestyle Acrobatic.
The following first place winners from each category have been selected as bona fide 2007 U.S. Pizza Team members because their performances were regarded as excellent: Casey Cole from Pisanello’s Pizza in Franklin, Ohio won the Freestyle Pizza Throwing; Pat Turano from Angelo’s Italian Kitchen in Fairlawn, NJ won for Largest Dough Stretch; and Casey Hensley from Dominos Pizza in Findlay, Ohio won Fastest Pizza Maker.
Fastest Pizza Maker Casey Hensley finished with a time of 47 seconds; Largest Dough Stretch Pat Turano won with a stretch of 35.8 inches.The 2007 U.S. Pizza Team was also selected from the first place winners in each category at the Orlando Pizza Show competition in September of 2006. Chris Balthrop of Lupi’s Pizza Pies in Chattanooga, Tenn. won the Freestyle Acrobatics competition. Peter Fiorino from New York Pizza World in Davenport, Fla. won the Largest Dough Stretch. John Howe from Dominos Pizza in Orlando, Fla. won the Fastest Pizza Maker. Jason Samosky from Samosky’s Homestyle Pizza in Medina, Ohio won Best Pizza.Other members of the U.S. Team include Chef Santo Bruno from New York,
NY as the Culinary Coach, Chris Green from Oxford, MS as the U.S. Pizza Team Acrobatic Trainer, and Juan Hermosillo from La Cocina de Isabel in Costa Mesa, CA. Hermosillo won the Freestyle Acrobatic competition at the North American Pizza Championship in Montreal, Canada.
The 2007 U.S. Pizza Team is heading to Naples to be a part of the fastest growing and most colorful pizza competition in Italy. The 6th annual International Pizza Competition of Naples is co-sponsored by an alliance of Italian Pizza Organizations, Caputo Flour and PMQ Pizza Magazine. The U.S. Pizza Team Travel Bus will include this year’s winners from competitions among its 40 guests.
The trip to Naples includes seven nights from May 16-24. Along the way, the U.S. Pizza Team members, family, fans and other U.S. Pizza Team non-sponsored registered competitors will join in competition and celebration as the streets of downtown Naples are closed so that the Pizza Competition can open. Other scheduled stops on the tour will include the Caputo Flour "00" Making Process, a Mozzarella Cheese Production, a day in the lost city of Pompeii, Rome, and a visit to several historic and legendary pizzerias in the world's official birthplace of pizza.
Ten Spots are still available for the week’s activities. Cost is $2750 including hotel, breakfast, dinner, charter bus transportation and airfare from New York. Call Caroline Felker for more information at 662-234-5481 x125.
About the U.S. Pizza Team
The U.S. Pizza Team is a group of pizza makers and dough acrobats whose goal is to bring the world’s attention to the talent and camaraderie of the pizza industry. More information on the U.S. Pizza Team and its members can be found at www.uspizzateam.com
America’s Plate International Competition
The culinary winners from the America’s Plate competition held at the 3rd annual New York Pizza Show were as follows: 3rd place went to the United States’ Jason Samosky from Samosky's Homestyle Pizza in Medina, Ohio. Second place was awarded to Robert DeFabio of France, and 1st place went to Fabien Martin of Spain.
About America’s Plate
The America's Plate is an International Culinary Pizza Competition that is held in New York City every March at the New York Pizza Show. The trophy “Plate” now resides in Spain after their team was awarded the coveted prize for being judged the Best Pizza in the World, following a two-year streak from the Australians, which had taken the “Plate” each year prior. Each participating country has a structure of sanctioned competitions from which the best pizza team emerges. All the teams then converge on New York to battle for the chance to take home the prize. For more information visit www.americasplate.com.
