2 Pittsburgh teens take top spots at "prestigious" international pizza competition
Joe Manganiello said Pittsburgh has better pizza than New York City. And maybe he's on to something.
Seventeen-year-old David Hansen from Caliente Pizza & Drafthouse was named young pizza maker of the year at the "prestigious" International Pizza Expo in Columbus, Ohio. And second place went home to 17-year-old Luca Lunardi from Slice on Broadway, meaning the top two spots came back to Pittsburgh.
David Hansen's dad is Eric Von Hansen, Caliente's head chef and a member of the World Pizza Champion Team.
"This award means everything to me," David Hansen said in a press release from Caliente. "I've always admired my dad's passion and skill, and to follow in his footsteps with this recognition is incredible. I can't wait to keep pushing myself to new levels."
David Hansen's winning creation included pink peppercorn creme, two-year aged asiago and smoked rosemary ham. When it came out of the oven, he added burrata, black rosemary truffle honey, fresh chives and a shaving of seven-year aged parmesan.
"I couldn't be prouder of David," Eric Von Hansen said in a news release. "He has grown up watching and learning this craft, and now he's showing the world what he can do. As a father and as a chef, it's a dream come true."
The Columbus Pizza Expo gathered pizza professionals from around the globe. Caliente says the win for David Hansen and the second-place award for Luca Lunardi establish Pittsburgh as a "national hub for pizza excellence." Joe Manganiello would agree.