Participant entries close Friday, 18th April. Finalists will be announced on Tuesday, 29th of April.

ELIGIBILITY & ENTRY The competition is open to any foodservice operator, owner, manager or chef.

Selected finalists will be asked to provide a copy of your pizza recipes by Friday, 9th May. These pizza recipes must be original and unpublished (ie. not available in a cookbook, online or has previously been shared with the general public).

Finalists are required to compete in both of the following categories:

Classic Pizza Traditional dough/base & high-quality toppings.

Creative Pizza Technical ability & creativity with the inclusions of provided sponsor ingredients.

CLASSIC PIZZA Traditional dough/base & high-quality toppings.

1. Competitors must bring pre-made traditional dough (sufficient for four round pizzas 15-30cm) plus a test run), sauce, cheese, and high-quality toppings.
2. Contestants are permitted to use any style of sauce

CREATIVE PIZZA Creativity is your only limitation when it comes to dough, sauce, toppings, baking techniques, or styles. Competitors will be judged on their inventiveness & creativity with the inclusions of provided sponsor ingredients.

1. Competitors must bring pre-made dough (no limitations on the type of dough for the Creative category), (sufficient for four pizzas, plus a test run) & any other desired toppings, outside of the provided sponsor ingredients.
2. Competitors will be given a list of sponsor provided ingredients pre-event. Competitors will be judged on the creativity & inclusion of sponsor provided ingredients.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

1. All pizzas must be prepared and cooked on-site.
2. Each contestant will be expected to arrive 30min before their allocated heat to set-up their workstation and be briefed on the provided equipment. Competitors will then have 10 minutes for preparation and 20 minutes to cook their pizzas during their heat.
3. Contestants are responsible for cleaning their workspaces after completion and will be judged on the cleanliness of their station.
4. Cooked pizzas must be placed on the provided wooden pizza boards for presentation to judges and the viewing audience.
5. Your pizza recipes must be original and unpublished (ie. not available in a cookbook, online or has previously been shared with the general public).
6. Competitors are only required onsite for their allocated heat times (one heat for ‘Classic’, and another heat for ‘Creative’). Please note, winner announcements will be at 4.15pm on Monday 19th May at Food & Hospitality Week in the VIP Lounge.

JUDGING, SCORING & PRIZES

The competition will be point-based, participants will accumulate points for the following criteria, with the winner determined by the highest total score.

-Preparation & execution -Balance of flavours & ingredients -Overall look & aesthetic -Technical execution -Presentation (competitor & workstation) -Cooking precision

PRIZES -Pizza Chef of the Year ($3,000 Prize Money) -Best Classic Pizza ($1,500 Prize Money) -Best Creative Pizza ($1,500 Prize Money)

• Pizzas will be graded by an esteemed panel of judges using a universal score sheet.
• The judges’ decisions are final.
• For all non-judging matters, the Competition Coordinator’s decision is final.
• Prizes are non-transferable and cannot be substituted.

LOGISTICS & SUPPORT

• Finalists will be assigned a competitor number, and cooking order will be determined by a random draw.
• Start times will follow a sequential order based on competitor numbers. Each contestant will be assigned a preparation station before their start time.
• Only the competitor is allowed in the preparation area and on the competition stage.
• Coaching or advice from others in the preparation or competition area is strictly prohibited.
• Travel, accommodation, meals, health insurance, and pizza ingredients are the responsibility of the competitors (sponsor ingredients will be provided).

Competition management will provide the following items:

• Sponsor ingredients
• Pizza Wheels
• Disposable Containers
• Corn Meal of Flour
• Prep Tables
• Small Wares
• Ovens (Marana Napule Fisso 120, Marana TT95 Rotary with Napoli Covering, Euroquip Rotante, Euroquip Neapolis). *Competitors will have use of 2x ovens each, which will be determined by which station they are allocated).
• Pizza Pans & Screens
• Knives
• Dough Dockers
• Induction Stoves

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES

1. Employees of National Media, affiliates, advertisers, promotional agencies, event sponsors, and their immediate families are not eligible to enter.
2. Competitors must wear an appropriate, clean uniform consisting of shirt/jacket/t-shirt, kitchen trousers and appropriate footwear. This uniform can be your restaurant or association.
3. All ingredients must be transported in labelled containers (glass is prohibited) and comply with Australian Food Safety standards. Correct food handling must be adhered to. The Melbourne Exhibition Centre, prohibits the use of single-use plastics.
4. Ingredients must be brought in insulated coolers to maintain temperature control. Improperly chilled products will lead to disqualification. On-site refrigeration will be available.