Fonterra Foodservices Global Pizza Challenge is on!

Do you have the secret to the best pizza in the land? The Fonterra Foodservices Global Pizza Challenge has arrived in New Zealand to find our best pizza maker and the secrets behind their recipes.

Event sponsor Fonterra Foodservices is inviting Kiwi chefs to flex their culinary muscles and compete in the global challenge. This is the first year New Zealand has participated in the worldwide competition.

To enter pizza chefs must submit an original pizza using Fonterra Foodservices products where possible. There are six categories – chicken, beef or lamb, other meat, seafood, vegetarian and dessert/specialty.

The organisers will select up to 40 semi-finalists who will be invited to participate in the national cook off event held at the Langham Hotel in Auckland on 2 March 2011 before a live audience.

Pizzas will be judged on originality, balance, creativity and excitement factor by highly acclaimed international chefs Martin Kobald, and John Lanzafame who was awarded the title of world pizza champion in 2005 in New York, and a New Zealand celebrity foodie.

The pizza-loving public will be able to come along and watch the event and buy a slice of pizza for a gold coin donation to Dine Aid.

The national winner will take away an expenses-paid trip to Sydney to represent New Zealand at the Global Pizza Challenge final in September 2011. Chefs from Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, United States of America, China, Ireland, Vietnam, Dubai, Australia, Namibia, South Africa, Thailand and Fiji will be vying for the global title.

The prize includes three nights’ accommodation, transfers, meals and a New Zealand winner’s trophy. Eight finalists (including the six category winners) each receive a sponsor-donated prize worth more than $500.

Category, segment and prize sponsors are NZ Beef & Lamb, Tegel, Fresh Connection, Shore Mariner New Zealand, Buitoni Professional, Nat Pac, who has just launched a new innovation in pizza boxes and Crocs footwear.

Simon Best from Augello’s in Mooloolaba, Australia won Global Pizza Challenge in 2010 with his hot smoked salmon pizza with salmon pearls, mozzarella and natural yoghurt.

Stephanie Hague, Communications and New Product Development Manager for Fonterra Foodservices, says Fonterra is sponsoring the competition here in New Zealand to support the pizza sector and to encourage new ideas and innovation.

“We may be a long way from Italy, the home of pizza, but we know there are some very talented chefs out there who’ll put up a good fight in the global challenge and represent us well.”

The Global Pizza Challenge is based on the successful Pizza Contest held since 1998 in Australia, devised and developed by a current director of the Global Pizza Challenge, Peter Wright. It was set up to support the independent pizza sector and to encourage great thinking and ideas around this popular dish. The competition is open to anyone in the hospitality industry who a passion for making great pizza.

Visit www.globalpizzachallenge.com for information and to enter. Entries close on Tuesday, 22 February 2011.