Competition Rules Chef of the Year Competition

Calling all Canadian pizza makers! Bring your best signature pizza to the Chef of the Year competition at the Canadian Pizza Summit!

Monday, Oct. 30, 2023
Faema Culinary Academy, Faema Canada

672 Dupont Street, Toronto, ON M6G 1Z6

Professional pizza makers will compete to be our next Chef of the Year East! The winner will be featured on the cover of Canadian Pizza magazine and receive a free trip to compete in the International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas in March 2024!

Open to owners, managers, chefs and employees of Canadian pizzerias or restaurants that feature homemade (fresh) pizzas. Must be 18 years of age and older. Canadian Pizza employees and their family members are not eligible, nor are employees or representatives of advertisers, exhibitors, other suppliers to the industry or their affiliates.

Our winner snags a free trip to compete in the International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo in March 2024. Canadian Pizza magazine will feature you on the cover! And of course, an award to display proudly in your pizzeria.

Read the rules here (BELOW) and Register to Compete now!

RULES

Professional pizza makers will compete to be our next Chef of the Year West! Our Chef of the Year East will win a cover story in Canadian Pizza magazine and receive a free trip to compete in the International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas in March 2024!

PRIZES!! AND RULES…

WHO CAN COMPETE?
Open to owners, managers, chefs and employees of Canadian pizzerias or restaurants that feature homemade (fresh) pizzas. Must be 18 years of age and older. Canadian Pizza employees and their family members are not eligible, nor are employees or representatives of advertisers, exhibitors, other suppliers to the industry or their affiliates.

WHAT’S AT STAKE? (ASIDE FROM MAJOR BRAGGING RIGHTS)

WINNER: A free trip to compete in the International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo in March 2024. Canadian Pizza magazine will feature you on the cover! And of course, an award to display proudly in your pizzeria.

SECOND PLACE: $300 and an award to display proudly in your pizzeria.

THIRD PLACE: $200 and an award to display proudly in your pizzeria.

ALL CHEFS: A certificate to recognize your participation in Chef of the Year.

HOW WILL THE COMPETITION WORK?
Competitors may enter a pizza with any combination and number of toppings they choose. There are no restrictions on dough, sauce, toppings or styles. Otherwise, imagination is your only limit!

  • Entrants have two choices: Make two (2) round/oval pizzas (same recipe) at least 10 inches in diameter OR
  • Make two (2) square/rectangular pan pizzas (same recipe) at least 10 x 14 inches each.

Competitors will remove the finished pizza from oven, cut it and place it on a plate or tray for the judges. At this time Canadian Pizza magazine will take photos of chef with pizza, then the pizza will be taken to an area to have photos taken of the pizza itself.

Competitors will decide which of the two pizzas will go to the judges. The second will be given to the audience for sampling.

The pizza will be taken by a runner to the judging area. Here the description of the pizza will be read to the judges (who will each have a written recipe at hand). Staff will cut the pizza and allow each judge to choose a slice (piece). The judges will grade the pizza. Score sheets picked up by organizers at the end of the flight. Scores will be tallied during the competition by show management and winners confirmed by end of day.

RECIPES
Chef of the Year competitors must provide their recipe OR a description of their pizza to the organizers by email on or before Oct. 2, 2023, or bring their recipe on paper or cue card to the competition. This information will be used during the judging of each pizza. The more information provided, the easier it will be for judges to evaluate each pizza. In entering, competitors give their permission for Canadian Pizza magazine to publish their recipes and descriptions online and in print.

ASSISTANT
Competitors are allowed one (1) assistant to help with transport of materials and prep work. Assistants must be registered as attendees. All handling of dough and assembly of the pizzas must be done by the competitors themselves.

KITCHEN SPACE
All competitors will prepare and bake their pizzas in the kitchen using the ovens provided (details to be announced and emailed to competitors). Oven specifications will be provided by email to competitors at least one month before the event. Chefs will provide their ideal temperature (please indicate whether Celsius or Fahrenheit) and oven assignments will be determined prior to the competition by the chefs’ ideal temperature. IMPORTANT: The ovens may be set at fixed temperatures based on an average of the ideal temperatures provided at registration time. If this is decided, the decision will be communicated to all entrants at least a week prior to the competition.

TIME
Competition prep and presentation times will be emailed to competitors a week prior to the competition. See the Schedule on the main page of the Summit website for a general rundown of the day’s activities. Each chef will have 30 minutes to assemble and bake their pizzas. Chefs will be timed by Pizza Summit staff. In addition, each contestant will be required to clean up their assembly space prior to presenting the pizza for judging. Failure to adhere to time restrictions or to clean up in a presentable fashion will result in an automatic deduction of three (3) points on each judge’s scorecard.

I REGISTERED… NOW WHAT SHOULD I BRING?

CANADIAN PIZZA SUMMIT WILL SUPPLY…

  • Oven
  • Prep station (metal counter)
  • Metal perforated pizza peels
  • Pizza wheels
  • Ladles
  • Pie servers
  • Food-grade rubber gloves
  • Lint-free cloths
  • Spray cleaner
  • Hand-wash station

COMPETITORS NEED TO BRING…

  • Ingredients in coolers (there may be only limited refrigeration space available and cannot be guaranteed)
  • Ingredients for 2 pizzas (same recipe) (see above for size guidelines)
  • Pizza peel (if a specific type than noted above is preferred)
  • Pans or anything specific to your pizza at the prep or bake stage
  • Presentation plate or tray
  • Any other items that you may require and are not listed on the Canadian Pizza supply list, such as a probe thermometer or rolling pin

WHO WILL JUDGE MY PIZZA?

The judging panel will be made up of impartial culinary experts that may include chefs, food critics and others in the industry. The judges’ names and biographies will be published in advance.

Pizzas will be scored on the following criteria:

  • Bake (not burnt, undercooked, etc.) – judged independently of other criteria
  • Crust (texture, flavour, appearance, crumb, etc.)
  • Toppings (do the flavours complement each other? Bland, strong, appetizing, correct preparation, etc.)
  • Creativity (innovation in ingredient preparation and use, wow factor)
  • Presentation (visual appearance)

WHAT RULES DO I NEED TO KNOW?

  • A maximum of 20 spaces are available in the Chef of the Year competition.
  • Entries are accepted on a first come, first served basis.
  • Entries will close when the maximum number has been reached.
  • Those who have won Chef of the Year (East or West) in the last three years are not eligible to enter Chef of the Year East.
  • Each contestant will have the same amount of time to prepare, bake and present their pizza.
  • Entrant must be the owner or employee of a Canadian pizzeria or restaurant that features homemade (fresh) pizzas. They must be 18 years of age or older. The competition is open only to owners, managers, chefs or employees from the restaurant and pizzeria industries. Canadian Pizza employees and their family members are not eligible, nor are employees or representatives of advertisers, exhibitors, other suppliers to the industry or their affiliates.
  • Entrants must bake and present their pizza to the judges within their allotted time. Failure to do so will result in significant point deductions.
  • Only one entry (type of pizza) per competitor is permitted, and up to two competitors per establishment.* *“Establishment” refers to business ownership and not physical location. Corporately owned pizzeria or restaurant chains may enter up to two competitors across the corporation. Individual franchisees count as one establishment and may enter up to two competitors per franchisee.
  • Bake times (order of competitors) will be provided in advance of the competition.
  • Competitors will receive an email from Canadian Pizza Summit organizers approximately one week prior to the competition giving further details of the competition, rules and oven information. They will be asked to provide recipes at this time.
  • Judges’ decisions are final in all aspects of the competition.
  • Competitors will give permission for Canadian Pizza to use photos and statements in any future media without obligation.
  • Winners must be eligible to travel to the U.S. for the International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo in 2024 to collect their prizes. Prizes are non-transferable.

WHAT IS THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER?

Competition registration is on a first come, first served basis. Entries will close on Oct. 2, 2023, or when the maximum number has been reached. Competitors must register for the competition specifically and will receive an email confirmation from Canadian Pizza giving them details about the competition. IMPORTANT: There are TWO types of registration for the Summit: Competitor and Attendee. To compete, you MUST register as a COMPETITOR giving your oven temperature and other information. A valid registration is interpreted as the acceptance by the competitor of all contest rules.

Great Pizza Box Fold-Off

The Great Pizza Box Fold-Off is back and more fun than ever!

SHOULD I ENTER?
• Want to show off your box-folding skills? Enter!
• Owners: Looking for a way to set your pizzeria apart from the rest? Enter!
• Managers: Want to motivate your employees? Encourage them to enter!
• Want to be featured in Canadian Pizza magazine? Enter!
• Want to have fun and win cash in a pizza industry setting? Enter!

RULES

WHO MAY COMPETE?
The Great Pizza Box Fold-Off is open to owners and employees of Canadian pizza operations aged 14 years and older. The winner gets coverage in Canadian Pizza magazine, a framed certificate to display and a $100 gift certificate for the Annex Pizza Bookstore.

WHAT DETAILS DO I NEED TO KNOW?
All competitors should be at the competition stage 10 minutes prior to the competition start time. The Great Pizza Box Fold-Off will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the afternoon at the Canadian Pizza Summit. The award will be given out with other awards at end of day.

I REGISTERED…NOW WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
Canadian Pizza Summit will provide the person with the stopwatch. Competitors need to bring 10 large pizza boxes.

WHAT RULES DO I NEED TO KNOW?
Competitors will compete in groups (depending on the number of entrants, maximum of 10). Boxes must have flaps folded down but do not need to be piled neatly. Timed decisions are final.

WHAT IS THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER?
Registration is open. Register online – first come, first served – or the day of the Summit (IMPORTANT: Be sure to bring at least 10 large pizza boxes)

THE RECORD
The record from our virtual summit in 2020 is Virgil Risi of Maria’s Original Pizza in Brantford, Ontario at 36.33 seconds!

2022 winner: 10 large boxes in 46 seconds. (Jayden Collins, Tuscan Wolf Pizzeria Inc., Whitby, Ont.)

Standing record: 36.33 seconds (Virgil Risi of Maria’s Original Pizza in Brantford, at the Virtual Pizza Summit in 2020)

Previous record: 42.55 seconds (James Timothy, Zen’Za Pizzeria, London, Ont., 2019)

 

For more information on the competitions, contact Editor Colleen Cross at ccross@annexbusinessmedia.com or 519-429-5227.