Story by Brian Hernandez | Photos by Tom Boyles
The U.S. Pizza Team (USPT) recently got a memorable taste of what happens when passion, product and purpose come together. In mid-July, 10 members of the team headed to Buffalo, New York, for the 2nd Annual USPT Galbani Summit, an exclusive, behind-the-scenes experience hosted by Platinum Sponsor Galbani Professionale at the Lactalis Culinary & Sensory Institute.
The event was spearheaded by Galbani’s culinary and sensory teams, offering participants a full day of education, hands-on tastings, and a unique opportunity to give operator feedback to one of the world’s biggest cheese manufacturers.
Attendees included a powerhouse roster of pizzaioli:
• Tore Trupiano, Mangia e Bevi, Oceanside, CA
• Mark and Kira Zabrowski, Much Ado About Pizza, Pleasanton, CA
• Derrick Tung, Paulie Gee’s Logan Square, Chicago, IL
• Mike Pitera, Pizza a Modo Mio, Charleston, SC
• Rico Lunardi, Slice On Broadway, Pittsburgh, PA
• Vitangelo Recchia, Bella Napoli Pizzeria, Port Charlotte, FL
• Ray Cullison, Charlie & The Pizza Factory, Kingman, AZ
• Deserai Satullo and Craig Allenbaugh, Sauced Wood Fired Pizza, Fairview Park, OH
The Cheese Lab: First Impressions
When asked what stood out most during the event, Trupiano, the USPT’s team captain, doesn’t miss a beat. “Oh, you mean the playground for pizza minds?” he says with a laugh. “I was really surprised by the number of different moving parts and products—from chefs to advertising to production to manufacturing to testing and packaging.”
Michael Pitera recalls, “We were privileged to learn how their operation ran—from how mozzarella is made to what happens behind the scenes before and after production. And especially how they’re able to support their customers and support us.”
And no visit to Buffalo would be complete without paying homage to one of the most iconic names in pizza: La Nova Pizzeria. As a proud sponsor of the U.S. Pizza Team, La Nova opened its doors (and ovens) to the squad for a post-event feast and kitchen tour. Multiple generations of the Todaro family were on hand to welcome the team with that signature mix of Italian hospitality, Buffalo pride and enough pizza to feed a stadium.
“Hanging out with Joe Todaro and his family brought it all full circle for me,” Trupiano says. “I remember meeting them back in the Pizza Festival days in Vegas—[when I was] wide-eyed, just starting out. Watching them grow, not just as a brand but as a family that really cares about their community…they’ve never lost that balance of hustle and heart.”
A Team-Building Environment
The two-day summit wasn’t just about products; it was about people. It offered the USPT a rare opportunity to regroup, recharge and reimagine their role in the pizza industry. While competitions and conferences sharpen their skills, team-building summits like this forge the kind of relationships that make the USPT more than a roster—it’s a family.
“This was a really great team-building environment,” Pitera says. “It pushed the team to move in a great direction. Galbani letting us cook in their brand-new kitchen helped build the team stronger from both ends: Galbani and USPT, USPT and Galbani. That foundation stuck.”
The intimate format allowed for open conversation—not just with fellow pizzaioli, but with the Galbani and Lactalis innovation teams. In the face of the global cheese market facing supply chain shifts, plus changing ingredient trends and increased demand for performance blends, operator insight is more valuable than ever, inside the kitchen and out.
The USPT Galbani Summit also highlighted the evolving role of sponsors in competitive culinary circles. Galbani isn’t just slapping their name on a banner—they’re inviting dialogue, supporting travel and training, and fueling the kind of innovation that ultimately benefits every pizzeria, big or small.
In the end, the USPT left Buffalo not only with bellies full of cheese but notebooks full of ideas and renewed purpose. As the team headed into the second half of the competition season for 2025, they set their sights on future international appearances and more experiences like this to remind them why they do what they do—and who’s behind them every step of the way.
“When makers involve the people actually using the products every day, everyone wins,” Trupiano notes. “Galbani, Lactalis and the USPT may come from all corners of the food world, but when they come together, the message is clear: Better pizza starts with better connections.”
For more information on the U.S. Pizza Team and how to join, email [email protected].
Brian Hernandez is PMQ’s associate editor and director of the U.S. Pizza Team.
