Prize winning at the end of the highly successful Napoli Pizza Village festival saw the World Championship awarded to 28 year old Valentino Libro di Quarto, who scooped up the top Caputo Prize for the Specialità Tradizionale Garantito, thus bringing the trophy back to pizza's hometown for the second year running. In the past, the prize has been won by Japanese pizza chefs.
Other awards included a prize for the fastest pizza maker, sponsored by Italian state railways, Trenitalia, which went to local pizza chef Roberto Barone from the pizzeria Peppe A'Quaglia di Volla. Barone out-speeded fifteen competitors, preparing his pizza in 35 seconds flat. Pizza più Veloce prize was inspired by Trenitalia's fast track Frecciarossa line. Barone won a T-shirt autographed by the Naples football team and two tickets for three games in the Naples football championship.
Another prize, sponsored by the Acqua Lete mineral water company, was dedicated to the Best Family Pizza, designed to satisfy all members of a family, ranging from the adults to the children. Winners were Massimo Staiano and Enzo Ferreri of the Pizza Bra.
Six hundred thousand people attended the event, in which 500 pizzerie took part.
The Festival aims also to encourage tourism to Naples and has become an annual event.
Info: www.pizzavillage.it
