On Monday January 29, on the outskirts of Toulouse, the greatest master pizza makers in the country will will compete in the French Neapolitan Pizza Championshipto determine the best Neapolitan pizza of the year! So, who will succeed Lucien Bruno, chef at Marinara Pizzeria Napoletana (St-Julien-Les-Rosiers) and holder of the 2023 title?
Who will be crowned French Championship of the Neapolitan Pizza 2024?
There will be more than fifty pizza makers from the four corners of France to compete to try to win the prestigious title: that of French Neapolitan Pizza Champion 2024. This 5th edition will take place not far from the city center, at the Smahrt trade fair, at the MEETT - exhibition center, convention center & Toulouse congress, Monday January 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
For five hours, they will be evaluated by a jury of experts supervised by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN) and will thus have to stand out from competitionby offering official recipes determined in advance: Marinara (tomato, garlic, oregano) or Margherita (tomato, bufala mozzarella and basil), which perfectly meet the specifications in accordance with the STG protocol (Specialità Tradizionale Garantita).
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A competition with very specific criteria
Emblem of Italy and pride of Naples, Neapolitan pizza is recognizable thanks to the soft and elastic texture of its dough. But that's not its only characteristic! It also presents precise measurements, from preparing the dough to condiments and cooking. It must in particular respect a homogeneous shape measuring between 29 and 35cm, its crust must be honeycombed and swollen by 1 to 2 cm and it must be cooked between 60 to 90 seconds in a wood oven. To try to win the Grail, the competing candidates must therefore respect this strict protocol decreed by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN).
"La Pizza Napolitaine is a real institution in Italy which requires very codified specific know-how With this competition, we are proud to highlight the respect for the traditions linked to the execution and the respect of a precise protocol." explains Julien Panet, director of the APF (association of French pizzerias).
An event as part of the SMAHRT, organized in Toulouse from 28 to 30 January
This event, as competitive as it is gourmet, will take place as part of the 8th edition of the Grand Sud-Ouest food - hotel - catering trade show (SMAHRT) which returns to Toulouse from January 28 to 30, 2024. An unmissable event for catering and the food industry in Occitanie which aims to bring together more than 300 exhibitors on 18,000 m2, and which will be punctuated by numerous regional or national competitions (including the French Neapolitan Pizza Championship).
An edition particularly focused on women, which has Andrée Rosier (at the head of a starred restaurant in Biarritz) as godmother.
Come and take part in this unforgettable experience to find out live whether a Toulouse resident will be awarded the best pizza chef at the Neapolitan Pizza of France, or not!
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