American-made cheeses can compete with any in the world, as evidenced by the results of the prestigious Caputo Cup (Trofeo Caputo), held June 17-19 in Naples, Italy.
Three pizzaiolos who claimed honors in the Traditional American Division at the 2024 event shared a strong connection: All three chefs used California-made mozzarella in their winning pizzas, according to the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB).
The overall American Division winner, Siler Chapman, co-owns King of Fire in Fort Mills, South Carolina. Lars Smith, co-owner of State of Mind Public House & Pizzeria in Los Altos, California, earned second place, and Leah Scurto of PizzaLeah in Windsor, California came in third. Scurto, who was sponsored by the CMAB for winning the Real California Pizza Contest Tournament of Champions cook-off in October 2023, used two California-made cheeses on her winning pizza.
Another American also shone at the Caputo Cup: Audrey Kelly of Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage, located in Boulder, Colorado. She won the Pizza in Teglia division with a sesame-crust grandma pie—her mother’s recipe.
Top honors for this year’s Caputo Cup went to Daniela Zuniga of Massa Mia in Lo Mirando, Chile. She became the first Latin American woman to win the overall competition.
In the American category winner, Chapman took home the prize with his Honey 2.0 pizza, which included California-made whole-milk mozzarella, sauce, pepperoni, bacon, red pepper flakes and honey. He said he has been competing in pizza cook-offs since 2003 and never won a major competition before. “I previously won three world championships in acrobatic dough tossing, but to win in the pizza competition in Naples is the biggest accomplishment of my life…next to my family, of course!” Chapman said. “It really meant the world to me.”
Chapman added that the Caputo trophy validated a business decision he made earlier this year to switch cheese suppliers and source a California-made mozzarella.
Smith, meanwhile, made a California-style pizza to impress the judges and earn second place. The key ingredients on his winning pie were all California-made: Whole-milk mozzarella, tomato sauce and extra virgin olive oil. “Competing in the city that gave the world pizza was a dream come true,” Smith said. “I really wanted to show off what we do every day in our restaurants, using the same ingredients and techniques. I believe the best mozzarella in the world comes from California, and I think I proved my point.”
Smith also earned second place with a Roman-style pizza in the Pinsa, Metro & Pala Division, comprised of styles of long pizzas made on wooden peels.
Scurto’s award-winning pizza was a three-cheese pie with garlic. “It’s a personal favorite of mine since I was a child,” she said. It included two California-made cheeses: fresh mozzarella and an Asiago-style cheese. “I was absolutely thrilled to be the CMAB’s representative,” Scurto said. “As a native Californian, I’m very proud of showcasing all things California around the world. Winning the CMAB’s Tournament of Champions allowed me the opportunity to do just that.”
The three chefs maintain a close friendship and were strongly pulling for each other at the Caputo Cup. “The camaraderie was the fun part, as it elevates all of us to be better,” Chapman said.
Smith added, “The win was being there with so many friends and family celebrating our love for pizza. Getting to share the podium with two of my close friends, Leah and Siler, made it even more special.”
“A winning pizza needs a winning cheese,” said Mike Gallagher, the CMAB’s business and market development consultant. “We’re so proud of all of the pizza makers and thrilled that the three best pizzas in the American division were topped with Real California Mozzarella, a testament to the cheesemakers and the quality milk from our California dairy farm families.”
“The CMAB, California’s dairy farmers and cheesemakers want to say thank you to the three chefs for letting us be a small part of their accomplishments at the 2024 Caputo Cup,” Gallagher said. “And, of course, we are especially proud to sponsor Chef Leah Scurto, who helped to shine the light on California dairy!”
