This achievement earned him the title of Global Pizza Challenge Champion 2012 - and the opportunity to travel to Australia to represent South Africa in the international final of the competition during early 2013.
Tabasco heated things up this year by adding a new category to the existing categories of meat, seafood, vegetarian, speciality or dessert. The Tabasco category carried with it a R10 000 cash prize, which was won by Dion Vengatass from the Mount Nelson in Cape Town. "Tabasco is a beautiful, hot, product and is ideal for adding zing to any meal - but for me, the Pizza In India was just the best. Winning this category is very exciting. Thanks to the sponsors for adding a welcome touch of spice to our exciting competition," said Vengatass.
The other pizza-makers who were ranked in the top six best pizzas were Jenny Morris (Giggling Gourmet) with her Sahara Delight creation, Werner Pons (Pomodora) with his Vivo creation, Jodi-Ann Pearton (Food Design Agency) with her Sexy Smokey Tabasco Sofrito creation and Wynand Van Rooyen (Mount Nelson) with his 'Mary had a Buchu lamb' creation. Each of the top six contestants received a Tabasco hamper, G3 Ferrari Pizza-Maker, Weber Smokey Joe Braai and Tiger Brands hamper.
Twenty aspiring pizza makers were invited to pit their skills against each other in the cook-off based on their entry recipes, which were assessed on their originality, balance, creativity, as well as excitement factor.
The local leg of the Global Pizza Challenge is endorsed by the South African Chefs Association (SACA). The only requirement for entries into the six categories was that the pizzas had to be commercially viable. This year's finalists battled it out in paired cook offs over the three days of the show, culminating in the grand finale, with acclaimed local chefs Philippe Frydman, Jeff Schueremans, Pete Goffe-Wood, Martin Kobald and Vivian van Niekerk making the decision on who will take the title of South African Global Pizza Challenge champion.
"Every year we are amazed that the standards set the previous year have been bettered, with more excitement and attention to detail, as well as glorious flavour combinations, making up innovative and simply delicious pizzas," comments Martin Kobald, former president of SACA and global chairman of Chefs Without Borders of the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS).
