Chris Ostapenko Wins World’s Best Cheese Slice

If you’re like Kevin and think outsmarting Joe Pesci is cool, consider what it would be like to win a $5,000 big check for making the World’s Best Cheese Slice at the 2025 International Pizza Expo. In fact, Chris Ostapenko of Slice on Broadway makes a cheese slice so glorious, the city of Pittsburgh declared May 6, 2025, Slice on Broadway Day in his honor.

Ostapenko tells Pizza Today that he makes about 100 cheese pizzas on Friday nights at the shop, and he followed the same method in this year’s International Pizza Challenge. “The rules were simple: Make the best cheese pizza you can,” he says. “I made the pizza as I do every day in the pizza shop, and the results paid off.”

Chris Ostapenko of Slice on Broadway in Pittsburgh celebrates his World’s Best Cheese Slice Championship win with team mates at International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. Photo courtesy of Slice on Broadway.

Those looking to follow in Ostapenko’s footsteps should know he’s worked at Slice on Broadway for 15 years. If that doesn’t intimidate you, you might be ready to follow his steps:

• Cold ferment pizza dough for 48 hours
• Use house-made tomato sauce
• Liberally apply a house blend of cheeses

“I think this pizza stood out because of the balance of the flavors that we try to accomplish between the dough, sauce and cheese,” he says of winning over judges and claiming the division trophy.

Following Ostapenko’s win in Las Vegas, the Pittsburgh community showed up to support him by ordering his award-winning cheese pie. “I made more pizza that weekend than I have in a while,” he says. “People were coming to try the World’s Best Cheese Slice!”

World’s Best Cheese Slice History and Rules

The International Pizza Challenge debuted the World’s Best Cheese Slice division at Pizza Expo 2024. Unlike some other divisions, World’s Best Cheese Slice has strict guidelines for competitors:

• No par-baking.
• Must use red tomato sauce.
• Only grated cheese and dry spices are permitted
• Once the pizza is in the oven, no toppings or drizzles can be added aside from olive oil

Contestants select their best three slices, which are presented to judges blind.

Andy Huynh Wins Inaugural Prize

Andy Huynh, Cowabunga+, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, wins the World’s Best Cheese Slice Division at International Pizza Challenge 2024.

The first year the International Pizza Challenge opened its division devoted to World’s Best Cheese Slice, Andy Huynh brought home the trophy to Cowabunga+ in Hamilton, Ontario. As the owner of Cowabunga+, Huynh uses a sourdough starter and tops his cheese pizzas with marinara sauce, a Canadian mozzarella blend, Fior di Latte and oregano. Of course, only grated cheese is permitted during the competition.

Additionally, Huynh had to travel to Las Vegas with his pizza dough, some of which was packed in luggage lost by the airline, along with other ingredients. This left him without sufficient dough to compete for the coveted Pizza Maker of the Year award, which is open to division champions on the final day of Pizza Expo. Rather than rush the dough that needed to be ready the next day, the pizza maker asked a Cowabunga+ staff member to fly the pizzeria’s signature 72-hour fermented dough down from Canada.

“Luckily for us, we had a lot of support from our suppliers on the floor of the Expo. When we explained what happened, they were happy to give us some sauce and cheese,” Huynh tells Canadian broadcast station The News Forum. The baggage “landed about midnight Wednesday night, and by Thursday at 7 a.m., we were back on the floor competing again.”

Cheese Pizza Recipes

For a Truly elevated cheese pizza (pun intended), consider Chris Decker’s four-part pie featuring burrata cream and fried basil.

If you have a hankering for cheese pizza but are feeling fancy, Scott Wiener has the steps to create a four-cheese pizza Margharita soufleé.

Finally, you can’t go wrong with a classic cheese pizza. Yes, all for you.

The Great American Pizza Challenge

If you think you have what it takes to win a pizza competition, The Great American Pizza Challenge is taking place Oct. 26-27 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Information about the categories is available here.

In the meantime, happy National Cheese Pizza Day! May your cheese pulls be long and you always have Gouda luck!

The post National Cheese Pizza Day 2025 Falls on America’s Pizza Night appeared first on Pizza Today.

“Many competitors are pushing the limits of their toppings with marinades and infusion techniques. I look forward to seeing the Neapolitan and Classic divisions grow.” – Jeremy Galvin, president of Master Pizza and IPC lead coordinator

Every year, the International Pizza Challenge is a study in the evolution of pizza in all its variations, themes and disciplines. “Creativity” was the word to sum up the 2025 Pizza Challenge in Las Vegas. We were introduced to black rice crusts and variants on modern “Pinsa” crusts, which contain varying degrees of soy, wheat and rice to produce an airy crust with less gluten.

Kazunori Takeishi from Hokkaido Pizza Giocoso in Asahikawa, Japan, presented a first-ever pizza with Marzipan atop white kombu (an edible kelp) and sea grass. Another uber-creative pie came from Justin Wadstein, owner of Sleight of Hand Pizza in Santa Cruz, California. His chorizo pizza with roasted butternut squash and matcha-goat cheese sauce on a red jalapeno oil crust was a grand slam with Cotija cheese with quail eggs. The number of entrants in the Neapolitan division was amazing, with Mirko D’ Agata from Pizzeria 900 in Montreal, Quebec, winning first place for his Marinara pizza.

The Spice Of Life

“The International Pizza Expo and Challenge were a huge success again this year. This competition is well on its way to becoming the largest pizza competition in the world.” – Michael LaMarca, owner and CEO of Master Pizza

Pizza chefs brought flavor profiles from around the world to Pizza Expo this year. The Asian chefs who competed in the California Milk Advisory Board Pizza Competition crafted light pizza crusts topped with bold and spicy flavors to show off the wonderful varieties of California cheeses. The Kung Pao chicken pizza with mushrooms and asparagus – presented by Shi Zhao from Acme Pizza in Shanghai – was outstanding. Amrafel Tomas from PizzaHacker in San Francisco presented a beautiful prosciutto and fig jam pizza with micro basil and aged Parmigiano Reggiano on a long-fermented dough.

Entries in the new Midwestern pan pizza category were stunning in their simplicity. This category had numerous round pizza pans filled with dough and topped with cheese and sauce (Grandma style), then baked and finished with garnishments. Bradley Randall of Avers Pizza in Bloomington, Indiana, proved the key to a great Midwest Pan Pie is the way the pizzaioli use the pan walls to direct medium-hydration dough into an airy, bold statement crust.

Brainstorming

“The competition was so well organized this year that it was a pleasure to be a part of. (Contestants) were presented the best ovens to choose from, clockwork precision from the organizers and transparency from the experienced judges.” – Domenico Crolla, award-winning chef, restaurateur, Pizza Champion, judge and Ristorante Oro, Glascow, Scotland

Like Chef Crolla mentioned, the best thing about the International Pizza Challenge this year was the evenness of the judging. For over a year, Scott Weiner and Jeremy Galvin brainstormed about ways to make judging more fair for everyone. Michael LaMarca, Hassi Sadri, Scott Anthony, Bill Oakley and many others worked to make the judging as flawless as possible, without the possibility of topping or style prejudice. Each judge was required to attend an orientation meeting that enabled them to judge pizza disciplines in a fair and even manner.

Pan Handlers

“As an IPC judge, I look for two things: First, no flour on the crust, even sauce lines and even distribution of cheese and toppings. Secondly, ingredients that do well together without any one thing overpowering others.” – Frank S. Zabski, owner of New Haven Pizza School

Detroit- and Roman-style pizza contestants dominated the Pan Division competition. The sizes of these popular pizzas were as varied as the toppings and fricos used. Some traditional pizzamakers opted for Wisconsin Brick Cheese to create a crispy bark, while others used cheddar, Asiago and aged mozzarella. Ben Tobin from Mezzaluna KSQ won Best Non-Traditional-Northeast and third in the world with his fabulous Detroit-style Reuben Pizza.

This year also brought an influx of square and rectangular Sicilians and Roman-style pizza competitors. Davide Lubrano Lavadera won first place in Roman style and second place overall as he blurred the lines of tradition by making a long Roman pan pizza with mushrooms and topping it all at once (Grandma-style) without par-baking the dough. A rye and Tipo 0-floured poolish dough was adorned with wild leek, Prosciutto cotto roses, pickled chiodini mushrooms and truffled caviar.

Jay Falk, district manager of Caliente Pizza and Draft House, finished second in Roman style with an amazing white and yellow New York sharp cheddar frico placed after a par-bake in a long Roman pan, making a “cheese plate” around the pan. House-made spicy sausage, fresh mozzarella, smoked provolone, ricotta, hot pepper jam, roasted pistachios, lemon zest and Parmigiano followed for a real winner.

I saw Adam Sachs make a pizza that I thought was amazing: A square Sicilian with tomato sauce, aged mozzarella, house-made pork butt sausage, jalapeño bacon, pickled candied peppers, hot fermented backyard honey, stracciatella and Corto agrumato.

Cloud Nine

“I like the higher hydration doughs that are being brought into the competitions. The technical side of dough science is amazing, and I appreciate the time and skill set that a baker needs to produce these great pizza crusts.” – Glenn Cybulski, restaurateur, industry consultant and IPC judge

High-hydrations doughs really made their mark this year. Many pizza pros showed true craftsmanship, such as the beautiful pizza made by Rebecca Scaramuzzino, assistant general manager at Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco. She created a brunch-style pizza with smoked Gouda, aged mozzarella, applewood-smoked bacon, raw red onions, micro arugula and edible flowers with a maple-bourbon glaze.

Speaking of airy, the Pizza alla Palas showed well in the IPC’s Non-Traditional Division. A great example of innovation in this category was a smoked salmon Pizza alla Pala with granny smith apples, candied lemon zest, hazelnuts, whipped ricotta and basil pesto.

Some of the biggest surprise hits were entries for World’s Best Pizza Slice. This year’s contestants really rocked the dough in this category. From thin and crunchy to airy and light, this category brought everything down to the basics – crust, sauce and cheese, all combined for the world’s best bite!

Walls Start Tumbling Down

“In over 20 years of competitive pizza making, I’ve seen contestants pour their hearts and souls into competition. This can be a good and bad thing because of overthinking and overtopping, which upends the overall taste profile they initially wanted.” – Jason Samosky, five-time World Pizza Champion

Some contestants stumbled a little due to nervousness or because they rushed their pizzas. Some Detroit-style pizzamakers in the Pan Division pulled their frico-crusted pies from the pans a little too early or had too much cheese on the frico, which bloated the pizza’s walls and made the frico fall.

Some contestants kept the pies in the oven too long without checking the bottom of the crust. I saw this numerous times, and the voices inside my head started screaming, “pull it out!”

The use of microgreens and edible flowers elevated first impressions of many pizzas – but sometimes, these latent garnishes melted on a too-hot pizza.

As many judges have said, soft cheeses can play a large role in finishing pizzas. I also witnessed some pizzas that weren’t cool enough to top with a soft cheese such as stracciatella, which created a pool of watery liquid.

Even with these few examples of pizza faux pas, the International Pizza Challenge was a spectacular way to see the evolution of pizza reach new heights.

JOHN GUTEKANST is the owner and CEO of Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio. Instagram: @jgutekanst

Go to the Pizza Expo 2025 NEWS HUB: Latest News from the World’s Largest Pizza Show 

Read the June 2025 Issue of Pizza Today Magazine

This month, we focus on restaurant technology. See what’s hot in tech trends this year. Explore kitchen automation that can save labor costs and improve quality. See how digital menu boards can help you stay on top of menu prices in a fluctuating economy. After a record-breaking Pizza Expo and International Pizza Challenge, we explore pizza trends from the world pizza competition. Find summer dessert inspiration. Discover how to take your side salads to entree status. Go to the June Issue.

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Chris Ostapenko of Slice on Broadway in Pittsburgh prepares his cheese pizza in the World’s Best Cheese Slice Championship at International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. Photo courtesy of Slice on Broadway.

Chris Ostapenko, a 15-year veteran at Slice on Broadway in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania wins the World’s Best Cheese Slice Division at the International Pizza Challenge during International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas in March. He bested 75 competitors in semifinal and final rounds to win the best cheese slice title, taking home a trophy and $5,000. “When it was time for the results, the Slice crew and many of our pizza friends all gathered,” he says. “When I heard the 3rd and my name was not called, I figured I lost, then second, same feeling. I thought there was no way I won first (Even though my pizza cooked beautifully) and we all started to walk away. Then we heard the magic number 59, Chris Ostapenko and I screamed with my team and could not believe it happened — was in a happy shock for hours and still today.”

The Division sought to proclaim the best cheese pizza slice in the world. Competitors present their top three cheese slices to the judges with slices consisting of dough, traditional red tomato sauce, cheese/cheese blend and spices. Once the pizza enters the oven, only a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil (infused or not), grated cheese & dry spices/herbs after baking are acceptable; No other drizzles, toppings, cheeses, or work on the pizza is allowed once the pizza enters the oven. Fresh basil is not permitted post-bake.

Chris Ostapenko of Slice on Broadway in Pittsburgh checks the bottom bake of his cheese pizza in the World’s Best Cheese Slice Championship at International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. Photo courtesy of Slice on Broadway.

“I entered the World’s Best Cheese Slice category and the rules were simple, make the best cheese pizza you can. On a Friday night I make about 100 cheese pizzas and I made the pizza as I do every day in the pizza shop, and the results paid off. It was our regular 48hr cold fermented dough, our house made sauce and our regular cheese blend. I think this pizza stood out because of the balance of flavors that we try to accomplish between the dough, sauce and cheese. I also nailed it when baking it this year in the oven. Even though I do this everyday, we are still cooking outside our elements when competing.”

Ostapenko has competed in pizza competitions for years. “I have always loved what I do but winning this competition gave me validation that I am in the right career path,” he says. “I love having the opportunity to compete with some of the best in the world many of which I follow and learn from in the industry. This recognition has given me even more passion and drive.”

Slice on Broadway’s win has gone viral. “We were on every local news station, paper and all over social media,” Ostapenko says. “It was insane and I made more pizza that weekend then I have in a while but it was different because people where coming to try the World’s Best Cheese Slice!”

Damien Moore of Jackknife Brewing, Kelowna, BC took second place and Charles Cullison III of Charlie’s Pizzeria in Kingman, AZ, placed third.

Learn more about Slice on Broadway and follow Slice on Broadway on Instagram.

Check out a full list of International Pizza Challenge winners.

For more competition details from Pizza Expo 2025, visit our hub page.

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Pizza Champions have been crowned at the International Pizza Challenge during Pizza Expo in March. The world-renowned three-day competition saw 550 competitors from around the world competing to have their pizzas proclaimed the world’s best non-traditional pizza, traditional pizza, pan pizza, pizza Napoletana and cheese slice. Competitors in the international pizza competition went head-to-head in five divisions (Traditional, Non-Traditional, Neapolitan/STG, Pan and World’s Best Cheese Slice). Winners included first, second and third places in each division as well as regional Top 3 in Traditional, Non-Tradition and World’s Best Cheese Slice. International Pizza Challenge also award a Pizza Maker of Year Champion and Best of the Best Champion. For overall scoreboards from the competition, visit International Pizza Challenge Daily Results. Below are all winners by category and scores:

Pizza Maker of the Year 2025

Ryan Ososky presents his Pizza Maker of the Year Championship winning pizza to the judges at the International Pizza Challenge during Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. Photo courtesy of DTown Pizzeria.

Winners of the 5 pizza division (Traditional, Non-Traditional, Neapolitan/STG, Pan and World’s Best Cheese Slice) finals advance to the Pizza Maker of the Year Championship. Division Champions face off against each other in a mystery-ingredient (Trifoglio 100% Pure Extra Virgin Olive Oil) bake-off to be named World Champion. The winner of the Pizza Maker of the Year competition will claim the title of World Champion, a trophy and an additional $5,000 prize.

Pizza Maker of the Year World Champion 2025

Ryan Ososky (52.51) — DTown Pizzeria, Los Angeles, CA

Read a full feature on Ryan Ososky and his win.

Best of the Best 2025

Tony Cerimele wins Best of the Best at the 2025 International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas

Tony Cerimele shows off his Best of the Best trophy and award-winning pizza at Pizza Expo 2025.

The current Pizza Maker of the Year and previous Pizza Maker of the Year winners are invited to compete in a Best of the Best battle. The winner of the Best of the Best competition will claim the title of Best of the Best Champion, a trophy and $2,500 prize.

Best of the Best Champion 2025

Anthony Cerimele (54.90) — New Columbus Pizza Co., Pittston, PA

Read a full feature on Anthony Cerimele and his win.

Traditional Pizza Division Winners 2025

Wilhelm Rodriguez of Papas Pizza, Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, wins the Traditional Division at the International Pizza Challenge during Pizza Expo in Las Vegas.

Wilhelm Rodriguez presents his award-winning pie at the 2025 International Pizza Challenge.

The Traditional Division saw 100 competitors in a category with tight restrictions. The pizzas must have a red sauce, and competitors may only use two of the following toppings: Pepperoni, Sausage, Bacon, Ham, Mushrooms, Peppers, Tomatoes, Onions, and Olives. Once the pizza enters the oven, only a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil (infused or not) is acceptable. No other toppings, fresh basil, cheeses, spices &/or finishers can be added once the pizza enters the oven. The winner of the Traditional Division receives a trophy and $7,500. Second and third place receive $2,000 and $1,000 respectively. Regional winners from the Traditional Division receive a recognition plaque and $500.

Traditional Division Finals Winners

1st. Wilhelm Rodriguez (42.68) — Papas Pizza, Cabo Rojo, PR

2nd. Chris Battiste (42.25) — Miaava East Coast Pizza, Pahrump, NV

3rd. Fiodar Huminski (39.78) – Pizzeria No 900, Montreal, QC, Canada

Read a full feature on Wilhelm Rodriguez and his win.

Regional Pizza Winners in the Traditional Division 2025

In addition to awarding 1st, 2nd and 3rd in best traditional pizza in the Finals, pizza makers from the southwest, southeast, midwest, northeast and northwest United States, as well as an International region, also receive a top three pizza ranking. They are:

Traditional Preliminaries – Southwest Region Winners

1st. Alex Yeatts (42.69) — Unknown Pizza, Dallas, TX

2nd. Chris Battiste (42.61) — Miaava East Coast Pizza, Pahrump, NV

3rd. Nathan Santarini (42.52) — Sleight of Hand Pizza, Santa Cruz, CA

Traditional Preliminaries – Southeast Region Winners

1st. Jamie Culliton (41.03) — The Nona Slice House, Safety Harbor, FL

2nd. Gerald Addison (40.94) — Grazie Nonna, Washington, DC

3rd. Camryn Suggs (40.01) — Valentina’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar, Madison, AL

Traditional Preliminaries – Midwest Region Winners

1st. Kyle Rosch (40.40) — Brenz Pizza Company, Columbus, OH

2nd. Giovanni Labbate (39.31) — Tievoli Pizza Bar, Palatine, IL

3rd. Daulton Cornell (39.05) — Six Hundred Downtown, Bellefontaine, OH

Traditional Preliminaries – Northwest Region Winners

1st. Tissoyo Davis (40.79) — Wind River Pizza, Lander, WY

2nd. Mikey Scoville (40.44) – Righteous Slice, Rexburg, ID

3rd. Ruben Armas (40.00) — South Town Pie, Seattle, WA

Traditional Preliminaries – Northeast Region Winners

1st. Patrick Elston (39.87) — Gus Francos Pizza, Lower Burrell, PA

2nd. Apaar Verma (39.21) — Pizza Love, LLC, dba The Onion Tree Pizza, New York, NY

3rd. Chris Weisman (38.82) — Pizzeria Baci, Montrose, NY

Traditional Preliminaries – International Winners

1st. Wilhelm Rodriguez (43.73) — Papas Pizza, Cabo Rojo, PR

2nd. Fiodar Huminski (41.78) — Pizzeria No 900, Montreal, QC

3rd. Paulo Guerra (41.52) — Gatto Wood Oven Pizza, Toronto, ON

Non-Traditional Pizza Division Winners 2025

Leo Dicesaris of Cerrone’s Brick Oven Pizzeria in Columbus, Georgi, wins Non-Traditional Pizza Division at 2025 International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas.

Leo Dicesaris of Cerrone’s Brick Oven Pizzeria, in red, takes first place in the Non-Traditional Division at the International Pizza Challenge.

The Non-Traditional Division, which was packed with 110 competitors, has no restrictions on dough, sauce, toppings, styles or application of pre- and post-bake ingredients. Top 5 qualifiers advance from the semifinals to the Finals. The winner of the Non-Traditional Division receives a trophy and $7,500. Second and third place receive $2,000 and $1,000 respectively. Regional winners from the Non-Traditional Division receive a recognition plaque and $500.

Non-Traditional Division Finals Winners

1st. Leo Dicesaris (54.41) — Cerrone’s Brick Oven Pizzeria, Columbus, GA

2nd. Jeremy Viale (54.33) — Casa Viale, Faramans, France

3rd. Benjamin Tobin (53.72) — Mezzaluna Wood Fired Pizza, Kennett Square, PA

Read a full feature on Leo Dicesaris and his win.

Regional Pizza Winners in the Non-Traditional Division 2025

In addition to awarding 1st, 2nd and 3rd in best non-traditional pizza in the Finals, pizza makers from the southwest, southeast, midwest, northeast and northwest United States, as well as an International region, also receive a top three pizza ranking. They are:

Non-Traditional Preliminaries – Southwest Region Winners

1st. Brad Bean (54.59) — Pizaro’s Pizza Napoletana, Houston, TX

2nd. Fidel Carrillo (52.53) — Pizza Party 209, Stockton, CA

3rd. Emilio B Lopez (51.72) — Pizza My Heart, Los Gatos, CA

Non-Traditional Preliminaries – Southeast Region Winners

1st. Leo Dicesaris (53.33) — Cerrone’s Brick Oven Pizzeria, Columbus, GA

2nd. William Harbison (49.32) — Pizza a Modo Mio, Charleston, SC

3rd. Charlie Emrich (48.38) — Emricci Pizzeria, Locust, NC

Non-Traditional Preliminaries – Midwest Region Winners

1st. Patt Miller (49.12) — Pizza Patt’s, New Vienna, OH

2nd. Brittany Saxton (47.31) — Six Hundred Downtown, Bellefontaine, OH

3rd. Robert Wagner (46.96) — Need Pizza, Cedar Rapids, IA

Non-Traditional Preliminaries – Northwest Region Winners

1st. Adrian Guastavino (50.83) — Wicked Pie Pizza, Puyallup, WA

2nd. Dillon Ikeda (50.27) — Chonghi, Happy Valley, OR

3rd. Rivka Sears (50.15) — Righteous Slice, Rexburg, ID

Non-Traditional Preliminaries – Northeast Region Winners

1st. Benjamin Tobin (54.14) — Mezzaluna Wood Fired Pizza, Kennett Square, PA

2nd. Sara Boyer (53.39) — Iron Born Pizza, Pittsburgh, PA

3rd. Vanessa Vinsick (50.46) — Caliente Pizza & Draft House, Allison Park, PA

Non-Traditional Preliminaries – International Winners

1st. Jeremy Viale (52.67) — Casa Viale, Faramans, France

2nd. Cristian Tolu (52.13) — Crunch di Cristian Tolu, Quartu Sant Elena, Italy

3rd. Claudio Vicanò (51.95) — Catrina Experience, Lugano, Switzerland

World’s Best Cheese Slice Division Winners 2025

Chris Ostapenko of Slice on Broadway, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania wins World’s Best Cheese Slice at International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas.

Chris Ostapenko of Slice on Broadway, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania presents his pizza in World’s Best Cheese Slice Division at International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. Photo courtesy of Slice on Broadway.

With 75 competitors, the World’s Best Cheese Slice Division held semifinal and final rounds. Competitors present their top three cheese slices to the judges with slices consisting of dough, traditional red tomato sauce, cheese/cheese blend and spices. Once the pizza enters the oven, only a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil (infused or not), grated cheese & dry spices/herbs after baking are acceptable; No other drizzles, toppings, cheeses, or work on the pizza is allowed once the pizza enters the oven. Fresh basil is not permitted post-bake. The winner of the Cheese Division receives a trophy and $5,000. Second and third place receive $1,000 and $750 respectively. Regional winners from the World’s Best Cheese Slice receive a recognition plaque.

World’s Best Cheese Slice Division Finals Winners

1st. Chris Ostapenko (40.88) — Slice on Broadway, Pittsburgh, PA

2nd. Damien Moore (40.64) — Jackknife Brewing, Kelowna, BC

3rd. Charles Cullison III (38.97) — Charlie’s Pizzeria, Kingman, AZ

Read a full feature on Chris Ostapenko and his win.

Regional Pizza Winners in the World’s Best Cheese Slice Division 2025

In addition to awarding 1st, 2nd and 3rd in World’s Best Cheese Slice division in the Finals, pizza makers from the southwest, southeast, midwest, northeast and northwest United States, as well as an International region, also receive a top three pizza ranking. They are:

World’s Best Cheese Slice Preliminaries – Southwest Region Winners

1st. Alexis Rorabaugh (44.79) — Rose Pizzeria, Berkeley, CA

2nd. Charles Cullison III (42.72) — Charlie’s Pizzeria, Kingman, AZ

3rd. Dan Maguire (42.50) — Ciao! Mobile Pizzeria, Loveland, CO

World’s Best Cheese Slice Preliminaries – Southeast Region Winners

1st. Alessio Passalacqua (41.99) — Marabella Old World Pizza, Greenville, NC

2nd. George Peyton (36.64) — Good Company Pizza, Swannanoa, NC

3rd. Enrico Aguila (32.75) — Uncle Ricos Pizza, Fort Myers, FL

World’s Best Cheese Slice Preliminaries – Midwest Region Winners

1st. Anthony Scardino (44.69) — Professor Pizza, Chicago, IL

2nd. Gemma Cataldo (37.15) — Antonio’s Italian Restaurant, Elkhart, IN

3rd. Jacob Stephens (36.28) — Post Game Pizza, Sparta, MO

World’s Best Cheese Slice Preliminaries – Northwest Region Winners

1st. Jayme Erickson (41.98) — Danger von Dempsey’s Pizzeria & Brewhäus, Aberdeen, SD

2nd. Drew Balstad (40.9) — Rhombus Guys, Fargo, ND

3rd. Leon Gordon (36.57) — Wicked Pie Pizza, Puyallup, WA

World’s Best Cheese Slice Preliminaries – Northeast Region Winners

1st. Chris Ostapenko (44.48) — Slice on Broadway, Pittsburgh, PA

2nd. John Vigliotti (42.19) — Peppino’s Restaurant & Catering, Syracuse, NY

3rd. Gennaro Buontempo (42.00) — Franks Pizza & Pasta, Baltimore, MD

World’s Best Cheese Slice Preliminaries – International Winners

1st. Damien Moore (43.20) — Jackknife Brewing, Kelowna, BC

2nd. Gianluca Cataldo (39.11) — Taste of Italy, St. Leonard, QC

3rd. Alex Morangelli (38.26) — Non Solo Pane, Dorval, QC

Pan Pizza Division Winners 2025

Ryan Ososky, DTown Pizzeria in LA, wins the Pan Division at the International Pizza Challenge during Pizza Expo in Las Vegas.

Ryan Ososky, DTown Pizzeria in LA, prepares his Detroit style pizza in the Pan Division at the International Pizza Challenge during Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. Photo by Josh Keown/Emerald

With 60 competitors in the Pan Division, top 5 semifinalists advanced to the final round. There are several pan pizza styles that fall into this category include Roman, Chicago Deep Dish/Stuffed, Detroit, Grandma/Sicilian, Cast-Iron, Ohio Valley, Old Forge, among others. There are no restrictions on dough, sauce, or toppings, except that the pizzas must conform to a pan style. A panel of expert judges evaluated each pizza based on a combination of crust, sauce, cheese, toppings, bake, overall taste, creativity, and appearance, with an emphasis on the culinary attributes. In addition to Finals winners, the Pan Division also awards the top scoring Roman, Chicago Deep Dish/Stuffed, Grandma, Sicilian & Cast-Iron pizzas will receive a recognition plaque along with the top scoring Detroit style pizza receiving the Shawn Randazzo Memorial Award.

Pan Division Finals Winners

1st. Ryan Ososky (54.83) — DTown Pizzeria, Los Angeles, CA

2nd. Davide Lubrano Lavader (53.42) — Pizzata Pizzeria, Philadelphia, PA

3rd. Alyssa Gilbert (51.28) — Melt Pizza Company, Stillwater, MN

Read a full feature on Ryan Ososky and his win.

Pan – Detroit Style Winners

1st. Ryan Ososky (54.28) — DTown Pizzeria, Los Angeles, CA

2nd. Sotirios Tzakis (53.00) — Descendant Detroit Style Pizza, Toronto, ON

3rd. Alyssa Gilbert 52.91 — Melt Pizza Company, Stillwater, MN

Pan – Grandma/Sicilian Style Winners

1st. Oscar Venegas (49.30) — Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, San Francisco, CA

2nd. Daniel Alvarez (49.16) — Lover’s Deli, Merced, CA

3rd. Andy Finlayson (48.63) — Rebellious Tomato, North Vancouver, BC

Pan – Poreno Style Winner

1st. Fernando Greco (37.26) Pizza la Imperial / Pizza Clandestina, Richmond Hill, NY

Pan – Roman Style Winners

1st. Davide Lubrano Lavadera (54.23) — Pizzata Pizzeria, Philadelphia, PA

2nd. Jay Falk (51.32) — Caliente Pizza & Draft House, Pittsburgh, PA

3rd. Luca Zamboni (49.45) — Buona Forchetta, San Diego, CA

Pan – Buffalo NY Style Winner

1st. Jay Langfelder (45.32) — Pizzeria Florian,  East Aurora, NY

Pan – Midwest Round Style Winners

1st. Jason Bernstein (53.02) Athena’s, Akron, OH

Pizza Napoletana Division Winners 2025

Mirko D’Agate, Executive Chef, Pizzeria No. 900, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, wins Pizza Napoletana Division at the International Pizza Challenge, International Pizza Expo, Las Vegas

Montreal’s Pizzeria No. 900 team mates hoist Mirko D’Agata on their shoulders in celebration of Mirko winning the Pizza Napoletana Division at the International Pizza Challenge during Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. Photo courtesy of Pizzeria No. 900.

The Pizza Napoletana Division adheres to strict standards in one of three official Pizza Napoletana variants: Margherita, Marinara or Margherita Extra. Pizzas must be made using wheat-flour type “00” or type “0”; toppings include plum tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, marine salt, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, and grated cheese. The pizza must be baked for 45-90 seconds in a 905 F pizza oven. The Pizza Napoletana Division was filled with 110 competitors with the Top 5 qualifier advancing to the Finals.

Pizza Napoletana Division Finals Winners

1st. Mirko D’Agata (42.90) — Pizzeria No 900, Montréal, QC

2nd. Vincenzo Mansi (41.44) Vincenzo Mansi Evolution, Salerno, Italy

3rd. Marco Carlesso (40.58) Pizza Verace, Panama

Read a full feature on Mirko D’Agata and his win.

Daiya Plant-Based Pizza Winners 2025

The Plant-based Competition is a partner competition, hosted by Daiya, featuring Daiya Foods Dairy-Free Cheeses. The crust/dough/batter must be fresh or parbaked. In addition, the dough and all toppings must be plant-based. Each competitor’s goal will be to showcase Daiya Foods deliciously dairy-free cheeses and blends, including, but not limited to the following: Daiya Dairy-free Mozzarella Style Cheese, Daiya Dairy-free Shredded Cheddar Cheese or Daiya Dairy-free Cream Cheese. 1st place winner receives $4,000 and 2nd and 3rd place prizes are $2,000 and $1,000, respectively.

Daiya Finals Winners

1st. McKenna Carney (43.89) — The Nona Slice House, Safety Harbor, FL

2nd. David Solum (43.15) — Danger von Dempseys ATY, Watertown, SD

3rd. Aldo Palmieri (42.19) – Sauvage, San Cataldo, ITALY

CMAB Pro Winners 2025

The California Style Pizza Competition is hosted by California Milk Advisory Board. The California Style—International Pizza Competition from Across Mexico and Southeast Asia is a non-traditional division. The dough must be fresh or parbaked. There are no restrictions on dough, sauce, toppings, or styles.

CMAB Pro Winners

1st. Chunlogn Liu (46.19)

2nd. Chonnipha P. (35.63)

3rd. Richard Chan (30.04)

For more competition details from Pizza Expo 2025, visit our hub page.

The post Official 2025 International Pizza Challenge Winners at Pizza Expo appeared first on Pizza Today.

A lot of elements had to go just right for Leo Dicesaris to take first place in the Non-Traditional Division at the International Pizza Challenge (IPC) last week. For example, the owner-operator of Cerrone’s Brick Oven Pizzeria spent a week harvesting yeast from apples, grapes and pears to create his cold-fermented pizza dough.

“The biggest challenge was making the naturally leavened poolish and dough. It was a week-long process harvesting the yeast from the fruit to begin the poolish, so timing and temperature had to be perfect leading up to making the dough and transporting it to the competition,” Dicesaris tells Pizza Today of his preparations ahead of the IPC held during Pizza Expo 2025 in Las Vegas.

The crust for his winning pie is a hybrid of Neapolitan and New York styles made with high-protein zero-zero flour using protocols from the Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana. Dicesaris says the dough is made with 20% poolish created from the fruit-based yeast, followed by a five-day cold ferment before balling the pizza dough.

If that sounds like a lot of work, Dicesaris says it’s because he thinks so highly of everyone competing at the IPC. “The competition was phenomenal this year and the biggest it’s been to date, boasting 110 competitors in my division alone. You can always expect elaborate creations in the Non-Traditional Division,” he says.

The Ibérico, a pig originating from Spain, is the inspiration for Dicesaris’ winning pizza, topped with hickory- and cherry-smoked mozzarella as well as Ibérico chorizo. Dicesaris baked the pie in an electric deck oven and garnished it with sliced Anjou pears, arugula, toasted pistachios, shaved two-year-aged DOP Manchego cheese, jamón Ibérico, blueberry preserves and a drizzle of roscato wine reduction.

Sound good? The judges certainly thought so. “My experience with having my pizza judged is always something I look forward to. My favorite thing seeing how people grade the wonderful creations you think up – it keeps us humble and constantly striving for perfection,” Dicesaris says, adding, “I really enjoyed the focus on judging this year as well. They did a great job certifying and educating judges on so many elements this year, and I think it really showed well in the scoring.”

Jeremy Viale of Casa Viale in Meximieux, France, took second place in the Non-Traditional Division. Benjamin Tobin of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania-based Mezzaluna Wood Fired Pizza won third place.

Dicesaris says his team at Cerrone’s Brick Oven Pizzeria is “overjoyed” about his first-place win. “They’ve seen me compete for years, placing well but never quite getting the finish we were after,” he says. “What people don’t see … is the journey of how they got there. Thats something my team back home gets to see day in and day out, and it’s incredible being able to share in this victory together.”

The post Leo Dicesaris Wins Non-Traditional Pizza Division With Jamón Ibérico Pie appeared first on Pizza Today.

Mirko D’Agata, Executive Chef at Pizzeria No. 900 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada wins best Pizza Napoletana in the World at the International Pizza Challenge during the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas in March. has earned the title of Pizza Napoletana Division Champion and received a trophy and a $5,000 prize.

A profile view of Mirko D’Agata’s winning Marinara Pizza in the Pizza Napoletana Division at the International Pizza Challenge during Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. Photo courtesy of Pizzeria No. 900.

With 110 competitors in the Pizza Napoletana Division, competition was fierce as D’Agata advanced through the semifinal round as a Top 5 qualifier. The Pizza Napoletana Division adheres to strict standards in one of three official Pizza Napoletana variants: Margherita, Marinara or Margherita Extra. Pizzas must be made using wheat-flour type “00” or type “0”; toppings include plum tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, marine salt, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, and grated cheese. The pizza must be baked for 45-90 seconds in a 905 F pizza oven.

The Neapolitan Pizza Division is judged blind with nothing on the competitor’s ingredient card that identifies them or brands used. “Ah, blind judging—I love it! It ensures impartiality and a rigorous evaluation process,” D’Agata says. “I truly believe it’s the right way to do things. I have a lot of respect for the judges; it’s a demanding job that requires incredible attention to detail.”

Photo courtesy of Pizzeria No. 900.

In the tight Napoletana Division finals, D’Agata bested the second-place finisher by under two points. “Receiving this award is a tremendous honor, especially for a pizza as demanding as the Marinara,” D’Agata says. With no cheese or extra toppings to hide imperfections, this pizza leaves no room for error—only mastery of the dough, the baking process, and the ingredients can make the difference. I have spent years perfecting this technique, refining every detail to reach this level of excellence. This victory is not just a personal achievement but also a recognition of our entire profession. It highlights the dedication and precision required to be a true Pizzaiolo, a craft we strive to share and uphold every day at Pizzeria NO.900.”

For D’Agata, the honor is more than individual accomplishment. It is a testament to his team at Pizzeria No. 900. “This year, the competition was particularly special for us. Every year, more and more pizzaiolos from Pizzeria NO.900 take on the challenge in Vegas, and this time, there were four of us. Fio, our R&D chef, placed 3rd in the Traditional Pizza category, Samuel from our Bromont location finished 10th in the Non-Traditional category, and Simon from Monkland ranked 23rd in the Pan Pizza category. A huge achievement for a team of pizzaiolos specializing in Neapolitan pizza! Since we’re all from the same group, we can’t all compete in the Neapolitan category, but our passion for pizza runs deep, and competitions are what drive us. That’s why we’re always ready to take on an extra challenge, work as a team, and push ourselves to present pizzas we’re proud of in every category—all while constantly refining our craft. Seeing a crew from Québec perform at an international level makes me incredibly proud!”

Learn more about Pizzeria No. 900 and on Instagram @no900pizza.

For more competition details from Pizza Expo 2025, visit our hub page.

The post Mirko D’Agata, Pizzeria No. 900 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, wins Best Pizza Napoletana at International Pizza Challenge appeared first on Pizza Today.