Pizza Competitions for Everyone Kazan, Russia “Pizza competitions should be free and open to everyone,” says Arkadiy Gritsevskiy, president of the Russian Freestyle Pizza Federation and multi-restaurant owner. Gritsevskiy organized the first pizza competition at the Kazan HoReCa show this year based on this altruistic philosophy. Sponsors and government … More

The hot topic at this year’s Pizza World Forum, held as part of the World Pizza Championship in Parma, was the “made in Italy” phenomenon. The forum, which was reserved for select members of the press, featured Michelin star chefs, pizza entrepreneurs and design experts holding forth on a … More

Melbourne, Australia  Customers love to see a pie fly in the air, but how can you give them a similar kick when preparing their pasta? That’s Amore Cheese in Melbourne found just the right way to impress pasta lovers—by putting on a show with a popular made-to-order entrée. The … More

When Omar Qadir went to New York for medical treatment in 2012, he didn’t know that pizza would change his life forever. Today, five years after Qadir’s first taste of New York pizza, he has amassed a wealth of knowledge and launched his own pizzeria out of his basement … More

Stockholm, Sweden  Turning Old Dough Into Fresh Compost  The Green Box from Agrenco is a new machine designed to reduce the amount of restaurant waste going into landfills. At the end of each night, any remaining food in the restaurant can be tossed into the Green Box with a mix of … More

London, England  Tackling Food Waste, One Wonky Vegetable at a Time  After a successful 12-week test run in Notting Hill, the United Kingdom’s first zero-waste, organic, vegetarian franchise has popped up again at the chic Mercato Metropolitano, a street food center in London. The restaurant, called Tiny Leaf, partners … More

As the U.S. Pizza Team heads to Italy for the World Pizza Championship in May, it is certain some food faux pas will be made. I interviewed several Italians from different regions to shed light on food norms to which Americans should be privy when competing (or eating) in … More

Moscow  Scrocchiarella, a Pizza Restaurant Based On a Flour Mix, Opens in Russia   Two Russian families opened a Moscow pizzeria last year that takes its name from a brand of flour mix called Scrocchiarella, which is derived from scrocchiare, the Italian word for “crunch.” Italmill developed the special … More

Bari, Italy  The Father of Pizza Art Meets the Governor   Known as “the father of pizza art in Italy,” pizzaiolo Marco Fumai leveraged his skills to fulfill his dream of meeting his childhood idol, Arnold Schwarzenegger, in November. “Along with all my creations of pizza art honoring the … More

Shanghai, China  Sex Sells: Tyson Shows Skin to Chinese Consumers   Tyson in China is using sex appeal to sell more chicken with a marketing campaign featuring Chinese actor, singer, model and overall heartthrob Huang Xiao Ming. The website BrandinginChina.com says the sex-sells approach to advertising is thriving in the country, which … More