On June 13th, fifteen pizza chefs from coast to coast competed for a grand prize trip to Italy with the Groupon U.S. Pizza Team. The trial event, hosted by Panino's Pizzeria in Chicago, was the first of several to be held in the coming months as the team gears up to compete in the World Pizza Championship in Parma, Italy, next April.

Michael LaMarca, owner of the Cleveland-based Master Pizza chain, took the top prize with his Figgetaboutit, an artisan pie featuring fig preserves, honey-cured bacon, buffalo mozzarella, pecorino romano and smoked olive oil. Second place went to the Indian-influenced Maharajah, created by Haider Ali of 786° Degrees in L.A., while Leonardo Giordano of Staten Island's Mona Liza Pizzeria claimed third place. Ready to see the masters in action? PizzaTV has the story!