Thanks for attending NAPICS 2010!

The seventh annual North America Pizza & Ice Cream Show (NAPICS) attracted nearly 5,000 attendees Feb. 21-22, 2010 to the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio. The national audience of pizzeria and ice cream shop operators walked the show floor lined with more than 175 exhibitors.

NAPICS provided attendees with a forum to meet a variety of food and equipment vendors while networking with peers and learning from experts. The show featured demonstrations of new products and equipment, how-to seminars and recession-busting workshops.

Attendees benefited from educational sessions in the Interactive Pizza Test Kitchen where they could get advice from industry experts on everything from making dough to perfecting sauces. Ice cream and gelato operators heard from frozen dessert experts about making the perfect gelato and adding frozen beverages to their menus.

Pizza with Pizzazz
The North America Pizza Pizzazz Competition attracted entrants from around the country to compete for a cash prize of $7,500 each in gourmet and traditional categories.

More than 100 contestants (50-plus in each division) competed in first-round bake offs with the top six in each category continuing to the championship round where they again prepared their original entry. Ohio pizzerias took four of the top six spots.

David Smith II of Pizza Palace Plus, Emporium, Penn., out baked other national contestants to take top honors in the Gourmet Division. Smith’s award-winning “Meat Eater” pizza combined pepperoni, ham, sausage, bacon, salami, sliced prime rib, mozzarella, provolone and parmesan cheeses, and red sauce to sway the judges.

Joe Carlucci of Tortora’s, Owens Cross Roads, Ala., also managed to beat out national contestants vying for first-place honors in the Traditional Division. Carlucci baked the “Sydney” pizza featuring chorizo, sautéed cherry tomatoes, caramelized onions, bacon and fresh basil to impress the judges.

Second prize and $500 in the Gourmet Division went to Frank Baird, Pizza Plus of Ohio, Avon Lake, Ohio, while third place and $250 went to Jill Zinn, Jilliano’s Pizzeria Amherst, Ohio.

After Carlucci in the Traditional Division, second prize and $500 went to Dominic DeFelice, DeFelice Brothers Pizza, Inc., Shadyside, Ohio. Third place and $250 went to David Zadnik, Carsonie’s Stromboli & Pizza Kitchen, Columbus, Ohio.

Each contestant brought their secret ingredients and baked their finest creations in front of a gallery of industry critics. A panel of 30 judges each day ruled on appearance, marketability and taste.