By Brian Hernandez

When two California pizzaioli—USPT premiere member David Jacobson of Acre Kitchen & Bar in Oakland, California, and Spencer Glenn of Pizza My Heart in Pacific Grove, California—teamed up at the Real California Pizza Contest: Tournament of Champions, it sparked a little culinary magic. Vying for the top prize in the event’s Three Cheese Pizza Bake-Off, they tied for first place with chef duo Leah Scurto of Windsor, California-based PIZZALEAH and Bill Crawford of Righteous Slice in Rexburg, Idaho.

The October 17 bake-off saw 10 previous Real California Pizza Contest champions pair up into five teams tasked with creating the quintessential California cheese pizza.

Required to use three cheeses from a wide selection offered by the event’s sponsor, the California Milk Advisory Board, Jacobson and Glenn showcased California mozzarella, ricotta and truffle-infused Toma on their pizza. On the other winning team, Scurto, the tournament’s overall grand-prize champion, and Crawford collaborated on a pie that highlighted California mozzarella, dry Jack and provolone.

Read our coverage of the RCPC here.

Brian Hernandez is PMQ’s test chef and U.S. Pizza Team coordinator.