Do you know where you can find the best pizza in Ohio?

Right here in Lakeside, Ohio is the home of Sloopyís Sports CafÈ. Sloopyís competed in both the gourmet and traditional categories this past weekend in Columbus at the North American Pizza Pizzazz Show. Michael Speck, founder of Sloopyís, competed in the gourmet contest and placed in the top ten in the U.S. During the competition on the following day, Mike also placed in the top ten in the traditional category as well. However the most exciting part of this years competition was when Mike learned that Sloopyís ranked the highest of all pizza shops competing from Ohio! A title he is very proud to have since he is Ohio born and raised.

Mike and his daughter Jennifer traveled with the US Pizza Team in 2003 to Italy to compete internationally. They both placed second in the traditional and gourmet categories that year. Unfortunately the airline lost the ingredients on their way to Italy, and they were not recovered in time for the competition. The made do with comparable ingredients while in Italy and competed anyway! Then in 2005 Jennifer won a spot on the team with her traditional pizza and she stated, ìI am not letting those ingredients out of my site for a second, theyíre my new best friend!î This is truly a Cinderella story for a small family owned business that use to deliver pizza on the back of a bicycle. How exactly did this local shop go from slinging pizzas all summer to traveling to Italy to compete internationally, and now ranking #1 in Ohio?

Well, each year the U.S. Pizza Team selects from America's best pizza-makers and pizza acrobats to form a group of individuals to represent our great American Pizza Industry in the World Pizza Championship. There are culinary and acrobatic trials held in New York in November and in Columbus, Ohio in February. Pizza shops from all over the U.S. come to compete for the titles of Best Gourmet Pizza and Best Traditional Pizza in the United States. The competition begins early in the morning and tension rises as dozens of delicious pizzas are baked and judge throughout the afternoon. The competition is narrowed down to the top five and a second round of pizzas are baked to be judge once again. The top five are announced and the winners receive an all expense paid trip to Italy to compete at an International level. Many people in the pizza industry view this competition as the ëPizza Olympicsí and it is an honor to be part of the team! Once arriving in Italy the team competes in a variety of categories:

• Fastest Pizza MakeróThis is a contest to see who can hand-stretch and cover five pie screens with dough
  in the shortest time.
• Largest Dough StretchóThis is a contest to see who can stretch a 17.6-ounce dough ball the farthest in under five minutes.
• Freestyle Pizza Dough TossingóThis is a contest where contestants are required to perform a two-to-four-minute throwing routine set to music using five 400-gram dough balls. Judges base their points on creativity, variety, dexterity and difficulty of routine.
• Best Gourmet Pizza-This pizza must be made with a white sauce, pesto or specialty sauce. All of these pizzas must appear on the contestantís menu.
• Best Traditional PizzaóThis pizza must be a red sauce pizza with cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms, green or hot peppers, sausage, bacon, green or black olives, hamburger, anchovies or onions. All of these pizzas must appear on the contestantís menu.

There are over six hundred entries made up of pizzaiolos (the Italian word for pizzamaker) from around the world, along with judges that represent each of the countries that are entered. The festivities last for three days culminating in a huge award ceremony where, of course, pizza is served and the winners are announced. In the past the US has taken home three gold metals, all in different categories and hope to come home with another one this year.

For more information check out: www.uspizzateam.com