U.S. Pizza Team has joined with Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers in Downtown Chattanooga, TN to host the inaugural National Pizza Trials Thursday December 11th, 2014. The events included will be the traditional culinary pizza competition, fastest dough stretch, largest dough stretch, and box folding. First place in each event will earn the winner a spot on the United States Pizza Team.

The grand prize for the first place winner from the traditional culinary pizza competition will be a trip to Italy  with the team to compete in the World Pizza Championships in Parma, Italy in May 2015.

The entrance fee for the traditional culinary pizza competition will be $125. For the fastest dough stretch, largest dough stretch, and box folding, the entry fee will be $50 each or $125 to compete in all three. Flour for the National Pizza Trials is provided by Grain Craft.

To sign up, visit www.pmq.com/mellow-register/ or contact L.J. Knight at levoyknight@gmail.com or email U.S. Pizza Team Coordinator Brian Hernandez at Brian@pmq.com.

The U.S. Pizza Team consists of expert pizza makers and dough-spinning acrobatic performers from pizza restaurants across the United States. The squad won second place in Individual Free Style in 2014 and first place in the Team Acrobatics World Championship in Italy in 2011. PMQ Pizza Magazine, the business trade publication for the pizza restaurant industry, created the U.S. Pizza Team in 2000.  The US Pizza Team is sponsored by Grain Craft, California Milk Advisory Board, Gordon Food Service, LaNova, Paradise Tomato Kitchens, Bag Solutions, Fontanini Meats, Lillsun, Marsal and Sons, Univex, PizzaInsurance.com and Presto Foods.