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Two long time Sofo customers earned awards for their prize winning pizza recipes in recent competitions. Ron Erich from Warrior Pizza in Mansfield, Ohio and Brad Rocco from Bexley Pizza Plus in Gahanna, Ohio both won national competitions at the two biggest pizza shows in the U.S.
 

Ron Erich, owner of Warrior Pizza & Drive-In, captured first place and a $7,500 prize at the 2011 Pizza Pizzazz competition with his Lasagna Pizza. The Mansfield, Ohio, operator beat 46 pizza makers in the contest’s traditional category, the second half of the two-day competition held during the North America Pizza & Ice Cream Show Feb. 20-21, at the Columbus Convention Center. Ron’s Lasagna Pizza is a best seller at his pizzeria. It is like a noodle-less lasagna piled with red sauce, cheeses, sausage and beef. The two-day Pizza Pizzazz contest begins with the gourmet category on Sunday, followed by the traditional category on Monday. On each day, a panel of 30 judges evaluates as many as 60 pizzas for taste, presentation, crust quality and marketability. Six finalists are chosen to bake a pair of pizzas that are judged again.   Ron has been a Sofo customer since 2007.

Brad Rocco, co-owner of Bexley Pizza Plus won the Eastern Division’s Best Traditional Pizza and placed third worldwide in the same category at the 2011 International Pizza Challenge, held March 1-3, in Las Vegas as part of the Pizza Expo. Brad beat out some of the best East coast pizzerias in the U.S. He then advanced to the next round where he faced off against 7 winners of other divisions for a grand prize of $10,000. Brad was the highest placing American competitor in the contest. He won $1500 in prize money. Brad’s prize winning entry was made with a spicy Pepato pepperoni and mesquite-roasted portabella mushrooms. Recreating a pizza so far from home can be very difficult. The water and altitude are different and can effect the performance of a dough recipe. In order to ensure his crust was perfect Brad imported his water and made fresh dough in his hotel room the day of the competition. Brad has been a Sofo customer since 1990.