US Pizza Team

09/01/2026

We love our Pizza Nerds!



Logan & Woodward Dempseys Brewery Pub & Restaurant

Watertown pizza makers win big at REAL California Pizza Challenge....

08/31/2026

Check out the wrap-up of the entire REAL California Pizza Challenge!

From Gluten Free To Pizza in the Pan, all the details broken down indigestible slices.


Galbani Professionale US Margherita Meats REAL CALIFORNIA MILK Grain Craft La Nova Wings Palazzolo's Cheese Hog MFG Tray (Molded Fiber Glass Tray) Plant Ahead USA Pizza University & Culinary Arts Center Marra Forni The Pizza Tomorrow Summit Slice DeIorio Foods PizzaCloud Univex Corporation LloydPans Gimetal USA Lillsun Peels BeeDolce HotHoney PMQ Pizza

The 3rd annual REAL California Pizza Challenge delivered champions, upsets and a few surprises ANAHEIM, Calif. — After three days of culinary competition and pizza athletics, the 2026 REAL California Pizza Challenge wrapped up August 25 at the Pizza Tomorrow Summit & California Restaurant Show at ...

08/26/2026

Here are all of the FINAL SCORES for Pizza in the Pan, our final culinary competition of the 2026 California Pizza Challenge! 🍕🏆

Congratulations to Rocco Labbate of Tievoli, who took the top spot in his first-ever pizza competition!

🥇 Rocco Labbate — Tievoli Pizza Bar
🥈 Rick Panaro — Wildcard Pizza
🥉 Dominic Tedesco — River Ricks

Check out the full leaderboard below, and congratulations to everyone who threw their pan in the ring! 🔥🍕

REAL CALIFORNIA MILK

08/26/2026

What a way to close out the 2026 California Pizza Challenge! 🍕🏆

That’s a wrap from Anaheim! A huge thank you to every competitor, judge, sponsor, volunteer and pizza fan who came out and helped make this year’s event one hell of a competition.

Congratulations to our Pizza in the Pan podium:

🥇 Rocco Labbate — Tievoli — 474.15
🥈 Rick Panaro — Wildcard Pizza — 466.65
🥉 Dominic Tedesco — River Ricks — 464.30

And how about Rocco Labbate? This was his first-ever pizza competition, and he walked into a field of seasoned competitors and walked out the Pizza in the Pan champion. Not a bad way to introduce yourself to competitive pizza!

And with that, the 2026 California Pizza Challenge is officially in the books. Thank you to REAL California Milk for helping us bring it all together, and to everyone who competed, judged, supported and followed along over three incredible days.

We’re not done yet. Stay tuned for more from Anaheim, including interviews with our winners, behind-the-scenes moments and a full event wrap-up video!

And dont forget to register for the Galbani Pizza CUp in Orlando Oct. 25-27!
www.uspizzateam.com/gppc26

Until next time, California! 🍕🏆

Galbani Professionale US Margherita Meats REAL CALIFORNIA MILK Grain Craft La Nova Wings Palazzolo's Cheese Hog MFG Tray (Molded Fiber Glass Tray) Pizza University & Culinary Arts Center Marra Forni Plant Ahead USA Slice DeIorio Foods PizzaCloud Univex Corporation LloydPans
Gimetal USA BeeDolce HotHoney PMQ Pizza

08/25/2026

Non-Traditional

08/25/2026

3-Cheese Challenge

08/25/2026

Gluten-Free

08/25/2026

Day 2, Part 2.

08/25/2026

Day 2 of the REAL California Pizza Challenge is in the books, and 25 competitors came swinging in Non-Traditional with a trip to the 2027 World Pizza Championship in Parma, Italy on the line! 🇮🇹🍕

🏆 NON-TRADITIONAL (Winners shown in order in pics):
🥇 Boris Berard — ORA - 1929 — 373.45
🥈 Charles “Ray” Cullison — Charlie and the Pizza Factory — 370.00
🥉 Mark Zabrowski — Much Ado About Pizza — 369.90

Boris Berard is headed to Italy! Congratulations to our first international champion and to an incredibly tight field. Just 3.55 points separated first from third.

We also put the dough skills to the test today with Fastest Pie Maker:
🥇 Giovanni Labbate — Tievoli Pizza Bar
🥈 Jimmy Terwilliger — Pizza Cassette
🥉 Chris Battiste — MiaAva Eastcoast Pizza

And because apparently settling things once wasn't enough, the Box Folding Grudge Match brought back the top seven box folders from Day 1 to battle for the Golden Chain, with rings going to second and third:
🥇 Rocco Labbate — Tievoli Pizza Bar
🥈 Enrico Aguila — Uncle Rico's Pizza
🥉 Chris Battiste — MiaAva Eastcoast Pizza

That wraps up Day 2 in Anaheim. Tomorrow is the third and final day of the REAL California Pizza Challenge, with one more round of competition before we put a bow on CPC 2026.

Stay tuned. Final-day results will be posted tomorrow night. See you in the morning! 🍕🏆



Galbani Professionale US Margherita Meats REAL CALIFORNIA MILK Lo La Nova Wings Grain Craft Palazzolo's Cheese Hog Plant Ahead USA The Pizza Tomorrow Summit Pizza University & Culinary Arts Center Marra Forni Slice DeIorio Foods MFG Tray (Molded Fiber Glass Tray) PizzaCloud Univex Corporation LloydPans Gimetal USA Lillsun Peels BeeDolce HotHoney PMQ Pizza

08/24/2026

Day One of the 2026 REAL California Pizza Challenge is officially in the books, and the pizza shenanigans have been thoroughly shenaniganized.

Before we fire up Day Two at the Anaheim Convention Center, here’s how yesterday shook out:

🍕 Gluten-Free
🥇 Sean Dempsey, Dempsey’s Brewery Pub & Restaurant — 389.85
🥈 Giovanni Labbate, Tievoli Pizza Bar — 373.95
🥉 David Solum, — 370.45 (Once Sean Dempsey’s protégé at Dempsey’s Brewery Pub & Restaurant, Solum has followed in his mentor’s footsteps and become quite his equal on the competition floor. He now represents his own brand, Logan & Woodward, which either makes great pizza or solves everyday pizza crimes for everyday people. Possibly a fine line of living-room furniture.)

🧀 REAL California 3-Cheese Challenge
🥇 David Solum — 381.35
🥈 Juan Robles — 371.65
🥉 Kira Zabrowski — 370.20

💪 Largest Dough Stretch
🥇 Giovanni Labbate — Tievoli Pizza Bar
🥈 Patrick Clifford – Skorch’d Pizza
🥉 Enrico Aguila — Uncle Rico’s Pizza

📦 Fastest Box Folder — Round 1
🥇 Rocco Labbate — Tievoli Pizza Bar
🥈 Enrico Aguila — Uncle Rico’s Pizza
🥉 Mikey V. — representing with Horacio Estrella of Tio’s Pizza. He walked on, folded boxes so fast we barely got his information, then apparently dashed off into the night. Full name and details coming in the wrap-up!

And the box folders aren’t finished yet. Today, the top seven are coming back for a grudge match, with more prizes on the line, including the Gold Chain of Winning-ness and Super Bowl-style championship rings.

Day Two is a new day. More pizza. More competition. More opportunities for shenaniganization. Let’s go!

Stay tuned for updates and photos throughout the competition, with complete results, more pictures, editorial coverage and a full wrap-up video coming after the California Pizza Challenge concludes.


Galbani Professionale US Margherita Meats REAL CALIFORNIA MILK Grain Craft La Nova Wings Palazzolo's Cheese Hog Plant Ahead USA MFG Tray (Molded Fiber Glass Tray) Slice DeIorio Foods PizzaCloud Marra Forni Pizza University & Culinary Arts Center Univex Corporation LloydPans Gimetal USA Lillsun Peels Dolce Hot Honey Pizza