The XXXI edition of the Pizza World Championship has just concluded, featuring 718 competitors representing 55 nations. With 1078 challenges to determine a single winner across various categories, the beloved city of Parma served as an exceptional venue. Italy emerges triumphantly from the competition, with near absolute dominance in several specialties, including the infamous classic pizza, Neapolitan pizza, and gluten-free pizza.
First place in the “Classic Pizza” category
Giulia Vicini claims the title of the world’s best pizza maker in the classic pizza category. At just 20 years old, the native of Bergamo scored 840 points in the championship’s flagship event. Alongside her partner Giulia Zanni, she impressed the judges with her vegan pizza featuring Bergamo’s local vegetable products, her hometown specialty.
The young pizza maker expresses her satisfaction mainly for receiving the sustainability award, the “Pizza of Change” prize. Born into a family of pizza makers, it was her father who guided her onto the path of pizza artistry, and it’s safe to say he made the right call!
Italy shines in the “Neapolitan Pizza” category
Lorenzo Carletti clinches the title of the world’s best pizza maker with his innovative Neapolitan pizza, surpassing the other 87 professional contestants.
Each category entails precise and rigorous regulations that pizza makers must carefully adhere to, such as dough rising, pizza shaping, flour characteristics, and even the final appearance.
In short, far from simple, even the finest traditional pizza comes from the expert hands of an Italian pizza maker!
Pizza in Italy is a true pride
In every Italian family, a recipe for homemade pizza is passed down from generation to generation as part of tradition. Pizza is a serious matter, especially when it comes to cuisine. We Italians always have our ears open.
Even in this edition, Italian blood has brought forward outstanding proposals. From pizzas with crunchy creams to amazing pairings with burrata, local cheeses, and new textures for the dough.
Some may have considered Italy’s overwhelming victory in such a competition rather expected, but winning a prestigious global award is no ordinary feat, so heartfelt congratulations to our star pizza makers.
Don’t miss the articles on Italian pizza!
- How to cook Pizza at Home
- 20 Fun Facts about Pizza
- History of Pizza
- Pizza Margherita is now 120 years old
- Some curiosities pizza lovers should know
- Some alternatives to traditional pizza
- Naples, the birthplace of Pizza
- Pizzafest: the world’s largest celebration of pizza in Naples.
