Are you a professional pizzaiolo with the perfect pizza recipe? The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) is looking to crown a new champion in its 2022 Real California Pizza Contest – and it could be you!
The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) has kicked off its 4th annual search for the best pizza recipes using Real California Cheese. The contest, which will award prizes totaling $30,000 for the most innovative pizzas, is open to professional chefs and culinary students throughout the U.S.
Chefs can enter recipes into three categories: Cal-Mex, the REAL Californian, and Plant-Forward. Cal-Mex recipes should focus on toppings that fuse flavors from California and Mexican cuisines and feature Hispanic-style cheeses from California. The REAL Californian draws inspiration from the Golden State by showcasing California cheeses and toppings. And finally, the Plant-Forward category will highlight pizza recipes that emphasize delicious flavor combinations of fruits, veggies, and Real California Cheeses.
“With more than 78,000 pizzerias in the U.S. and another 100,000 plus restaurants serving some type of pizza or flatbread, pizza is an important category for California cheese and dairy and a perfect platform for showcasing innovation with California’s award-winning cheeses,” said Mike Gallagher, Business and Market Development Consultant for the CMAB.
Twelve U.S. finalists will compete in the bake-off on June 22, 2022 at the Culinary Institute of America at Copia in Napa, Calif. All finalists will win a cash prize. Finalists who are not category winners will receive $500 each. The winners in each category will receive $5,000, and the best overall pizza recipe creator will receive an additional $10,000 grand prize award.
Pizzaiolos and chefs everywhere craving a bigger piece of the pie, some of that dough, or just the glory of being crowned pizza champion can review the contest requirements, qualifying cheeses, and complete an entry at https://pizzacontest.realcaliforniamilk.com/. With the recipe, contestants must submit a short essay describing their personal and professional inspiration for their pizza creation. The deadline for contest submissions is April 24, 2022.