Qualifications from Monday 17 April to 7 May, final in Naples on 29 and 30 May.
The successful format that last year saw more than 1,300 competing pizzas from 56 countries changes.
The date, for the millions of pizza lovers around the world, is one to be marked in red. The Vera Pizza Contest, the highly anticipated world championship of homemade pizza signed by AVPN (Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana), is back on Monday 17 April. After the enormous success of the last edition, which saw over 1,300 pizzas presented from 56 countries all over the world sparking a social community of over 95,000 likes, the challenge presents a great novelty: the baton of the jury goes from the people of Facebook to a technical jury made up of professional pizza makers and industry experts. Furthermore, to the virtual stage that will characterize the preliminary phases until Sunday 7 May, in this 2023 edition will be added the final in Naples, which will see, this time in presence, the top three of the rankings compete against each other (Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 May).
“The decision to switch from the so-called popular jury to one made up of experts might seem against the tide - explains Antonio Pace, President of AVPN - We have actually chosen this new method to ensure a more meritocratic selection of pizzas, without penalizing the perhaps less social talents. Without forgetting that the increasingly high quality of the pizzas in the competition convinced us of the need to request an assessment as technical as possible, even if based on the photo of the pizza and the ingredients used. It must be said that this year too we will not neglect the social world, in fact all the pizzas in the competition will be visible by users on our Facebook page."
During the contest, free and accessible to everyone, whose rules can be downloaded from https://www.pizzanapoletana.org/it/verapizzacontest, participants will be able to express their skills in the white art, choosing one of the pizzas provided for by the AVPN International Regulations. Whether it is a classic pizza or a creative variant, the indispensable requirement for the competition is home cooking, with a wood-fired, gas, electric oven or in a fryer. The jury will vote according to precise parameters: cooking, shape, dough and filling.
“For us it is an essential format to promote pizza in the world – continues Antonio Pace – highlighting the choice of ingredients of the highest quality and the techniques described by our International Regulation. The great success achieved on all continents confirms the internationality and growing appeal of pizza all over the world, as well as the value of our association. There is great expectation for the competition and above all for the final which will be live for the first time and will offer the finalists the opportunity to present their creations in front of a prestigious jury, right here in our headquarters.”
In the first phase of the contest, from midnight on Monday 17 April to Sunday 7 May, aspiring pizza-makers will be able to apply by sending a photo of their pizza via Messenger to the Facebook page AVPN @verapizzanapoletana. The selection will follow, made by the Masters of the association, who will identify the best 10 pizzas in each of the 3 weeks. Those pizzas will receive free membership in the Club of Friends of Vera Pizza Napoletana and the brand new Verace Pizza Box. The final evaluation will take place in the second phase by 10 May. At this point, the jury will have to draw up the ranking by decreeing the three finalists who will have the honor of making right in front of the jurors, her majesty the Margherita pizza and a pizza of their choice.
The 3 winners, in addition to receiving a madia (wooden kneading box) and a supply of Caputo flour, a selection of La Fiammante tomatoes and Pizzolium and Frienn oil from Olitalia as well as a Gi.Metal equipment kit, depending on their position will receive:
