Results from the International Pizza Challenge 2024

We are bringing you results as we receive them from the International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo 2024. This year, we have 5 divisions: Traditional, Non-Traditional, Neapolitan/STG, Pan, & World’s Best Cheese Slice, which will be represented in the pizza bake-off that will showcase the world’s best pizza makers. Each competitor will have the opportunity to bake their signature pizza on the spot at Pizza Expo, which will then be presented to a renowned panel of accredited chefs. The bake-offs will take place Tuesday through Thursday in the International Pizza Challenge contest area. The winners of each division will face off against each other in a mystery-ingredient bake-off to determine who will be named the 2024 Pizza Maker of the Year.

Stay updated on all PIZZA EXPO 2024 News. We’ve created a hub for news from the World’s Largest Pizza Show. Find all the updates and happenings at Pizza Expo 2024. Go to the Pizza Expo 2024 Hub.

Each day, we are posting results as they come in. Check back as the results are announced.

Tony Cerimele wins World Champion Pizza Maker of the Year at Pizza Expo’s International Pizza Challenge

Tony Cerimele, owner of New Columbus Pizza Company, in Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania, is the 2024 World Champion Pizza Maker of the Year at the International Pizza Challenge during Pizza Expo (March 19-21) in Las Vegas. After capturing the first-place finish in the Pan Division, Tony went on to win the Finals to be named World Champion Pizza Maker of the Year.

Read a Q&A with Tony on his competition experience and his winning pizzas.

Champions have been crowned in International Pizza Challenge

Stay tuned for all the official International Pizza Challenge final details. Please be patient as we travel back to our homes. For now. let’s highlight the division winners. Congratulations to the following champions in the International Pizza Challenge:

• Traditional
  Sergio Balderas, Truly Pizza, Dana Point, California
• Non-Traditional
  Alex White, Yukon Pizza, Las Vegas, Nevada
• Neapolitan
  Vincent Santoro, Song e Napule, New York, New York
• Pan
  Tony Cerimele, New Columbus Pizza Co., Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania
• World’s Best Cheese Slice
  Tan Tuong (Andy) Huynh, Cowabunga+, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
• Best of the Best (Publicly Judged)
  Joe Carlucci, Valentino’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar, Madison,  Alabama
• Pizza Maker of the Year (Publicly Judged)
  Tony Cerimele, New Columbus Pizza Co., Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania

Final scoresheets are in!.

International Pizza Challenge Wednesday Results

International Pizza Challenge breaks the record for the number of competitors. Wednesday alone saw 260+ competitors presenting their best pie in:

• Non-Traditional
• Neapolitan,
• Ooni Traditional & Pan
• Daiya Vegan Divisions

Preliminary Results on the Top 5 competitors for Non-Traditional and Napoletana will advance to Thursdays finals.

Ooni Traditional Division Preliminary Results

Congratulations to everyone in the Ooni Traditional Division. Here are the Top 3:

1. Ryan Thompson
2. Jeff Taylor
3. Matt Hickey

Here are the full scoresheets:

Ooni Pan Division Preliminary Results

Congratulations to everyone in the Ooni Pan Division. Here are the Top 3:

1. Eidref Laxal
2. Ryan Ososky
3. Srdian Jelcic

Here are the full scoresheets:

Daiya Vegan Division Preliminary Results

Congratulations to everyone in the Daiya Vegan Division. Here are the Top 3:

1. Leonardo Zoppetti
2. Ali Afshar
3. Soyeon Chewning

Here are the full scoresheets:

Non-Traditional Division Preliminary Results

Top 5 Competitors in the Non-Traditional Division will advance to the Thursday Finals. They are:

1. Michael Vakneen
2. Alex White
3. Deserai Satullo
4. Andrew Scudera
5. Mckenzie Sanvido

Regional Winners for the Non-Traditional Division are in!

In addition to the Top 5, the Non-Traditional Division also recognizes regional winners. Congrats to the following competitors who placed in their region:

Southwest

1. Michael Vakneen
2. Alex White
3. Mckenzie Sanvido

Northwest

1. Anthony Gilbert
2. Sean Dempsey
3. Niles Peacock

Midwest

1. Deserai Satullo
2. Paul Cataldo
3. Brian Hall

Southeast

1. Camryn Suggs
2. Alejandro Burgaleta
3. Joey Streeter

Northeast

1. Andrew Scudera
2. Tracy Dykeman
3. Eric Von Hansen

International

1. Heitor Benatti
2. Bruce Madadi
3. Aleksandar Aleksic

Take a look at the full Non-Traditional Scoresheet:

Pizza Napoletana Division Preliminary Results

Top 5 Competitors in the Pizza Napoletana Division will advance to the Thursday Finals. They are:

1. Luca De Marinis
2. Vincenzo Capuano
3. James Terwilliger
4. Cesare Di lorio
5. Vincenzo Santoro

Here are the Pizza Napoletana Division full scoresheet:

International Pizza Challenge Tuesday Results

International Pizza Challenge breaks the record for the number of competitors. Tuesday alone saw 209 competitors presenting their best pie in:

• World’s Best Cheese Slice
• Pan
• Traditional
• CMAB Professional Division Preliminaries

Top 5 competitors will advance to Thursday’s Division Finals.

A note to competitors: These are preliminary results. When we share the full IPC Winners, we will include pizzerias, locations and links to the pizzeria.

Traditional Division Regional Winners are in!

In addition to the Top 5, the Traditional Division also recognizes regional winners. Congrats to the following competitors who placed in their region:

Southwest

1. Sergio Balderas
2. Matt Hutchinson
3. Alastair Hannmann

Northwest

1. Bill Crawford
2. Josh Hillman
3. Drew Balstad

Midwest

1. Carmela Cataldo
2. Ali Afshar
3. Nino Del Greco

Southeast

1. Andy Brown
2. Dustin Finnegan
3. Teo Tomasi

Northeast

1. Anthony Berghela
2. Michael Testa
3. Perry Bogacz

International

1. Gianluca Piersanti
2. Alessio Cataldo
3. Fiodar Huminski

Following are the Top 5 Competitors Tuesday’s Divisions who will advance to the Thursday Finals:

CMAB Pro Division Preliminary Results

Top 5 Competitors in the Pan Division will advance to the Thursday Finals. They are:

1. Chef Apisit Jitprasong
2. Chef Shi (Kevin) Zhao
3. Paramet Saisutth
4. Chef Sakamoto
5. Chef Nguyen Thi Huyen Trang

Here’s the full CMAB Pro Preliminary Division scoresheet:

Pan Division Preliminary Results

Top 5 Competitors in the Pan Division will advance to the Thursday Finals. They are:

1. Charlie Webb
2. Jeff Miner
3. Tony Cerimele
4. Craig Capano
5. Rov Bass

Here’s the full Pan Division scoresheet:

World’s Best Cheese Slice Division Preliminary Results

Top 5 Competitors in the World’s Best Cheese Slice Division will advance to the Thursday Finals. They are:

1. Rico Lunardi
2. Anthony DeSousa
3. Vicky Ixcot
4. Andy Huynh
5. Lorenzo Hernandez

Here’s the full World’s Best Cheese Slice scoresheet:

Traditional Division Preliminary Results

Top 5 Competitors in the Traditional Division will advance to the Thursday Finals. They are:

1. Sergio Balderas
2. Anthony Berghela
3. Gianluca Piersanti
4. Alessio Cataldo
5. Matt Hutchinson

Here’s the full scoresheet: (Regional winners for the Traditional Divisions will be announced Wednesday morning.)