The VeraPizzaContest 2021, 2nd edition of the international challenge of the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, closed with record numbers (726 pizzas from 51 countries).
A double from Poland which also wins the bronze medal, proof of the growing success of Neapolitan pizza in this country. A Roman on the second step of the podium.
Rome, March 29, 2021 - The second edition of VeraPizzaContest is an authentic Polish success, the international challenge for at home pizza-makers promoted by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana - AVPN which this year saw 726 pizzas competing from over 50 nations, registering further record numbers compared to the exploit of 2020. To win the title of champion of the homemade pizza world was in fact the Polish Agnieszka Eem followed, on the podium third step by her compatriot Adrian Gromek. The silver medal goes to Italy, which still remains firmly at the top, thanks to the creation of Davide Cormaci from Rome.
"A result - explains the AVPN president, Antonio Pace - which in addition to confirming the extraordinary ability of true Neapolitan pizza to capture the growing interest of amateurs and professionals in every continent, also demonstrates the golden moment that this authentic excellence is especially living in Poland. A sort of golden age that our Association has already intercepted for some time, inaugurating in January 2020 a school for professionals in the heart of the city of Poznan, where only last year, despite the pandemic, eight training courses went literally sold out, thanks to the precious work of the director Ewelina Przygocka and the Brand Ambassador Marcin Garbowski. And now, also driven by the results of the VeraPizzaContest 2021, we are about to launch amateur courses just for for the many Polish who are becoming more and more passionate about the True Neapolitan Pizza ".
Fans who, looking at the overall numbers of this year's competition, were mostly men (68% of competitors) from 51 different nationalities, including above all Italians, Polish and Brazilians. But among the origin countries of the participants it is also worth mentioning Mexico, Macedonia, Algeria, Jordan, India, the Philippines, Paraguay, Bolivia and Peru.
With an increase of +60% compared to 2020, 1280 the total pizzas that were presented at VeraPizzaContest 2021, of which 726 (351 more than last year) were admitted to the competition, generating a massive tam tam on social media (a total of 87000 likes on the AVPN Facebook profile @verapizzanapoletana). And of these, only 20 finalists had access to the second phase of the challenge, which saw the meeting of an international jury composed of: Attilio Bachetti (Da Attilio, Naples), Johnny Di Francesco (president of the Australasia delegation and 400 Gradi, Melbourne), Pasquale Cozzolino (AVPN New York brand ambassador and Ribalta, New York), Andrè Guidon (Brazilian delegation president and Leggera Pizzeria Napoletana, San Paolo), Antonia Ricciardi (AVPN Spain brand ambassador, Granada), Marco Casolla (Marco's factory, Toulon) , Emmanuele Cirillo (Malafemmena, Berlin), Marcin Garbowsky (AVPN Poland brand ambassador and Forni Rossi, Poznan), Aniello Beneduce (AVPN Russia brand ambassador and Pizzot, Omsk), Dareen Akkad (What the Crust?, Cairo).
Panel of experts who, based on requirements such as shape, cooking, palatability and toppings, have chosen as the best pizzas of the VeraPizzaContest 2021 edition the ones created by Agnieszka Eem, Davide Cormaci and Adrian Gromek, assigning them respectively the following pizza-maker courses "signed" AVPN, together with the special prizes made available by the partners of the initiative (technical tools and product kits):
1st place: a 9-day professional base training to be held at the AVPN School in Naples (or alternatively an online 5-day professional base training).
2nd place: a 3-day professional advanced training to be held at the AVPN School in Naples (or alternatively an online 3-day advanced training).
3rd place: a 4-hour amateur course to be held at the AVPN School in Naples (or alternatively an online 2-hour amateur course).
1° place: Agnieszka Eem with her pizza Margherita
2° place: Davide Cormaci with his pizza “La PrimaVera” realized with Neapolitan striped zucchini cream, carpaccio of Neapolitan striped zucchini, orange cherry tomatoes, buffalo burrata and pink peppercorns.
3° place: Adrian Gromek with his “Pizza Cotto & Basil”.
The "VeraPizzaContest" saw the participation of: Molino Casillo, La Fiammante, Ooni, Latteria Sorrentina, Primotaglio, GiMetal and Agorass, Italiana Assicurazioni.
