What Happens in Vegas...

For all those who were eagerly awaiting the results of the Pizza Festiva Gourmet Pizza Competition here you go:

We went to Vegas last week, April 1-3rd and had a great time hanging out. My mom was there from day one working her rear off to get things ready for the competition and she did a great job under all the pressure. There were tons of people watching and waiting to taste the pizza as well as TV cameras from the Food Network catching every twist and turn of the competetors. But did she break a sweat? Oh no, she was smooth as a hot knife through butta...(butter).

Luke was also in the back running between ovens and getting everything ready. He was a huge help. There were eight total pizzas competing and my personal belief is that our pizza was the best. Really I am not biased whatsoever. I honestly think that I don't know what the definition of gourmet actually is. It must mean the freakiest combination of ingredients wins.
Cobblestone Cafe's Macho Nacho was cut after the first round. Boooooooo!! Some Austalian dudes (who knew Aussies could cook pizza?) won the first and second prize with some wierd "gourmet" combination of lamb, ,lettuce and mushrooms. Ick! Gag me. How do you like that sportsmanship? Well al that matters is that we had fun. Even at the Pizza Expo. We ate our way through that convention center and I can easily say that I will be happy to never eat pizza again. Ok, give me a week but you know how that goes. We also visited the regular mormon hot spots in Vegas. The M&M Factory, the Coke Museum, etc. I am surprised I didn't die of second-hand smoke exposure but the weather was beautiful and we did have a good time. We were certainly ready to come home when we did.

Check out the video. This is my mom presenting our pizza to the judges. She was awesome! So we didn't win any medals but hey, we made it to the Olympics. Darn Aussies...

Go Cobblestone!

It's Official...The results are in. This announcement was sent out to all subscribers of Pizza Today Magazine!

February 27, 2008

International Pizza Expo
The World's Largest and Oldest Pizza Tradeshow!
Las Vegas Convention Center
April 1 - 3, 2008

Pizza Festiva - The Results Are In

After careful, deliberate review, a most difficult decision was made and the field was narrowed down. This year's entries into Pizza Festiva were the best ever and the most difficult to select. You responded in record numbers and the following finalists have been notified that they will compete at International Pizza Expo for a grand prize of $5,000 and the title of World's Best Gourmet Pizza.

Betsy Bates, owner of CobbleStone Cafe and Pizzeria in American Fork, Utah - her entry is called Macho Nacho. Betsy operates a family-owned business and this is her first time to enter Pizza Festiva.

Raffaele Brotzu, owner of Delizioso Cafe in Perth, Western Australia - his entry is a Mushroom Trio Pizza. Raffaele is the winner of Dairy Farmers' Best of the Best Pizza Contest, a sanctioned pre-qualified Pizza Festiva event.

John Gutekanst, owner of Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio - his entry, Pesto Chicken Pizza, is one of his best sellers. John is no stranger to Pizza Festiva having made the finals in 2004 also.

Theo Kalogeracos, owner of Little Caesars Pizzeria in Perth, Western Australia - his entry is called Greek Lamb Pizza. This is Theo's first time to compete in Pizza Festiva, but he was the winner of the first Italian Chef Wars in 2006.

Dave Schy, vice president of R&D for Figaro's International in Salem, Oregon - his entry is Pepperoni Latino Pizza. This is Dave's first time to enter Pizza Festiva and the first time a chain has made it to the finals.

Jeff Trevino, owner of Brooklyn Pie Company in Round Rock, Texas - his Chicken Chori-Queso Pizza won the Roma Gourmet Pizza Making Contest, another sanctioned Pizza Festiva event.

Paul Wilson, owner of Casa Ristorante in Ft. Wayne, Indiana - his entry is a Calamari Pizza. Paul is also the winner of a sanctioned event, the SOFO Foods Pizza Making Contest.

Dave Winchester, owner of Black Rock Pizza Company in Sparks, Nevada - his entry, Poker Brown Pizza, is named after a camp on the immigrant trail and near several early mining settlements.

These talented pizza-makers will compete in the Elite Eight on Wednesday, April 2. The top four scores will be announced at the World Pizza Games Finals & Rockin' Party Wednesday evening. They will compete in the Final Four for the grand prize of $5,000 on Thursday morning.

Congratulations to our finalists and our appreciation to all who entered. This year's culinary contests promise lots of excitement and plenty of great pizza for the sampling.

Pizza Festiva and the International Pizza Challenge are sponsored by Pizza Today and California Milk Advisory Board. Hobart is the official mixer, General Mills is the preferred flour, Red Gold is the preferred sauce, and Lloyd Industries is the preferred small wares for the competitions.

Registration for International Pizza Expo is in full swing and there's still time to make your plans. Unsold hotel room blocks will be released on Friday, February 29, so timing is urgent for hotel accommodations. To register online (and save $10) and to book your hotel, visit www.PizzaExpo.com.

See you in Las Vegas.

Show Management




International Pizza Expo and Pizza Today's Northeast Pizza Show are sponsored by Pizza Today magazine (The #1 Foodservice Guide for Independent, Chain and Franchise Pizzerias) and NAPO - the National Association of Pizzeria Operators.

The Pizza Festiva Elite 8!!

If any of you didn't know, my family owns a restaurant in American Fork called Cobblestone Cafe and Pizzeria. It has been open for 2 years and is doing very well. We are looking at franchising in the next year. It has not been an easy road by any means but we are proud of it.

My mom decided to enter Cobblestone into a Best Gourmet Pizza Competition sponsored by the International Pizza Expo (yes, there is such a thing). There are hundreds of people that enter their pizza recipes into this contest and only 8 are sent on to the final bake off. The Pizza Festiva Elite 8!! Keep in mind this is a national competition. Well guess who made it into the final 8!!! COBBLESTONE CAFE BABY!!! They liked our Macho Nacho pizza. Funny thing is, I have never liked that pizza. It is our own creation and is pretty inventive and very popular at the store but its pretty spicy.

So on to the International Pizza Expo we go April 1-3 to participate in the prelims and finals. My mom will be the chef and will have my bro-in-law Luke as her assistant. The prize will be $5000 and recognition in Pizza Today Magazine. Sweet! This is HUGE for a little homestyle place like ours. Wish us luck and come see us sometime!