A Quick Q&A with Wilhelm Rodriguez, owner of Papa’s Pizza in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico

In March, Wilhelm Rodriguez took first place in the Traditional Division at the International Pizza Challenge during Pizza Expo. After being crowned a pizza champion, Rodriguez shared with Pizza Today that it was “especially meaningful because it is what I do every day.”

“Everyone was happy and ran to hug me and congratulate me,” Rodriguez says of being named division champion. “I’ve received hundreds of messages congratulating me, (and) I’ve been invited to different TV shows.” Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón met with Rodriguez personally to celebrate the win.

Rodriguez says he is happy with the results. “It was a royal rumble: so many great pizzas and pizza makers in the same place.”

We continue the Conversation here:

The Papa’s Pizza Concept:

My pizza concept is all about mixing tradition with creativity. I use high-quality ingredients and techniques I’ve learned over the years to create pizzas that honor classic styles but have a Puerto Rican touch.

Pizza Style at Papa’s Pizza:

We focus on New York-style and traditional American pizzas. The dough is cold fermented for better flavor and texture. It’s taken me many years to perfect it, and it’s something that really makes a difference in our pizzas.

You won the Traditional Division at International Pizza Challenge. How have you been able to capitalize on that win back in Puerto Rico?

Winning that title brought a lot of attention to what we’re doing in Puerto Rico. It helped bring more customers, media interest and new customers.

You’ve become an instructor. What is key to teaching pizza making, especially to beginners?

The most important thing is to keep it simple and focus on the basics. But the key to success when you teach is patience.

You have a very community-centric business. How are you able to engage with your surrounding community?

We support local events and help out when there’s a need. The community supports us, so we do our best to give back and stay connected with the people around us.

You’ve dealt with multiple hurricanes. How are you able to prepare for and recover from natural disasters?

We prepare by having backup power and supplies ready. After a storm, we focus on reopening quickly so we can serve food, support our staff and help our neighbors. It’s all about working together and staying strong as a community.

Learn more on Papa’s Pizza. Follow Papa’s Pizza and Wilhelm Rodriguez on Instagram.