In Naples from 3 to 6 July 2022, at the AVPN headquarters - via Capodimonte 19A
Real Neapolitan Pizza Olympics: the countdown begins
The greatest challenge between the best pizza chefs in the world is about to return. The True Neapolitan Pizza Olympics, curated by AVPN - Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, will bring together the elite of the white art in the capital of pizza after the 18 preliminary stages that have gone around the world, from Naples to Los Angeles, passing through Paris, Istanbul, Cairo, Atlanta, Poznan, Sao Paulo and Gifu. A cosmopolitan competition, in which the "athletes", professionals and amateurs for the first time, will give their personal interpretation of the True Neapolitan Pizza.
"Pizza is above all an icon of Made in Italy - comments Antonio Pace, President of AVPN - but we are convinced that it is also an element of cultural aggregation on a global level. It is no coincidence that requests have arrived from all continents to participate in the Olympics of the True Neapolitan Pizza, both from great professionals for a long time in the sector, and from passionate pizza lovers. "
The "Amateurs" category makes its debut in this edition of the Olympics, a choice dictated by the growing passion for white art, also due to the long periods spent at home during the lockdowns of recent years. pizza lovers to meet the masters of the dough, learning their tricks and secrets, and living an experience of conviviality and taste. And who knows if some hidden talent may emerge from the "amateurs" category. The competing disciplines will be divided into the categories "Vera Pizza Napoletana", "Per Gourmet", "Pizza Fritta", "Mastunicola" and "Calzone Napoletano", and will see challenge the AVPN-affiliated master pizza chefs present in the five continents, to which will be added the winners of the preliminary rounds held around the world in recent months.
The Olympics of the True Neapolitan Pizza will begin on Sunday 3 July at 15:00, with the start of the Olympic competitions of the "Amateurs" category, in which the participants will compete in the preparation of the dough. But to decree the official start of the Games will be the opening ceremony, scheduled for Monday 4 at 10:30, with the lighting of the Olympic Flame, a ritual that will kick off a calendar full of events, starting from unveiling of the Celebratory Work of the True Neapolitan Pizza and the Art of the Neapolitan Pizzaiuolo, intangible heritage of Humanity, created by Maestro Lello Esposito. Monday will continue with the evaluation of pizza chefs in the Amateur category and with the start of the competitions also for the Professional category in the disciplines Vera Pizza Napoletana, Pizza Fritta, Mastunicola and Calzone Napoletano. The Professionals will be evaluated the following day, Tuesday 5 July, while they will begin preparing the dough for the last discipline in the competition, Per Gourmet. For each competition the jury will be asked to express an evaluation in hundredths, to which a ranking by nation will be added based on the average points of the pizza chefs.To find out who will get on the podium it will be necessary to wait for the last day of the Olympics, Wednesday 6, it will close the Games with the “Pizza con le Stelle” Gala Dinner; an exclusive event, with participation by invitation only, studded with celebrities and personalities from sport and gastronomy, during which the winners of the various disciplines of the Olympics will be announced. Not only that, Pizza con le Stelle will also be the stage for the cooking show that will see great chefs and master pizza makers from AVPN compete against each other.
"It is a source of great pride - concludes Pace - to bring together such a large number of professionals and pizza enthusiasts in a single event. We are sure that in addition to being a competition, the Real Neapolitan Pizza Olympics will be an opportunity for comparison for all operators. There will be experts from all over the world, and it will be essential to encourage constant dialogue to exchange ideas and new business opportunities, also and above all in light of the last, very difficult years that our sector has gone through and is still going through. "
The Real Neapolitan Pizza Olympics are organized with the patronage of the Campania Region and the Municipality of Naples, with the support of Bongiovanni, Caputo, Casillo, Denti, Ooni, Latteria Sorrentina, Ciao Pomodoro, Dallagiovanna, Di Vicino Forni, Manna Forni, Olitalia, Unicredit, Acunto, Solania, Cirio, ITS Transport, Inpact, Pagnossin, Stefano Ferrara Forni, Esmach, Gi.Metal, Papernet, Napoli Caffè and KBirr. Media partner of the event France Pizza, Pizza Today, Pizza and Pasta and European Pizza and Pasta Show.
ORGANIZATIONAL SECRETARIAT
Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana
Via Capodimonte 19 / A - 80131 Naples - Italy
Tel / Fax: +39 081 420 12 05 (Monday - Friday 10: 00-13: 30/15: 00-18: 00)
