Our first pizza competition: 6th place out of 31 teams

A whole Saturday at the oven, pizza after pizza, and in the evening we are in 6th place out of 31 teams. Our first real competition was exhausting, unpredictable, and a really cool experience.

We went to Kaindorf without great expectations. We didn’t know exactly how such a day would go and what the jury looked for in terms of taste. The result was all the more pleasing. The direct feedback from the many people who tried a slice of our pizza was almost even more valuable.

For the first time with pizza at the Grill State Championship

The competition is officially called 4th Austrian Pizza Competition and is part of the Austrian Grill State Championship, organized by the ABA Austrian Barbecue Association (all information at grill-meisterschaft.at). For two days, teams compete in many categories, from fire plate to Dutch oven to smoker. On Saturday, it was pizza’s turn. For us, this was completely new territory.

When you compete for the first time, several questions go through your mind. What’s the process like? How will our own pizza be received by the jury? What is expected in terms of taste? And where do we stand compared to the others?

We had no answers beforehand. So we decided to just do our own thing, have fun, and submit a pizza that we stand behind.

We were only there on Saturday. But that one day had it all. Between setup, the competition, and the many pizzas for visitors, there was hardly time to catch our breath.

Klausi and Moritz as the competition team

In the competition, Moritz and I competed as a team. We prepared, baked, and went through the day together. At an event like this, you quickly realize how important it is for the teamwork to be right. Especially when there’s a lot going on around you and pizza after pizza comes out of the oven.

Big thanks to Moritz. We worked really well as a team, had a lot of fun despite the hustle and bustle, and could rely on each other.

Support in the background

My wife was there the whole Saturday and had our backs. She wasn’t part of the competition team, but she was worth her weight in gold on site.

At an event, it’s not just about what happens directly at the oven. It’s the many small tasks around it that ensure everything runs smoothly. An extra thank you for that.

Our competition pizza: vegetarian, with a ricotta base

For the jury, we submitted a vegetarian pizza. Instead of tomato sauce, a ricotta base, with beetroot puree, grilled broccoli, fennel, artichokes, and mushrooms. Finally, a citrus olive oil drizzled over it.

The idea behind it: many components, but each with a clear task. The beetroot brings color and sweetness, the grilled vegetables bring roasted aromas, the ricotta makes it creamy instead of heavy. Nevertheless, we keep the toppings restrained, why less is almost always more, I’ve already written about it.

Many pizzas and honest feedback from visitors

Besides the competition pizza, we baked pizza for visitors all day long. Normal Neapolitan dough, with Margherita, Salami, and Prosciutto with arugula. It was great to see how many people stopped by and tried it.

We were particularly pleased with the feedback. When you stand at the oven all day and people show their immediate reaction right in front of you, it’s different from a number on a score sheet. This immediate feedback was a great confirmation for us.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by, tried our pizza, chatted with us, or cheered us on. You contributed greatly to making this Saturday a positive memory.

Jury taste: What counts in a pizza competition

The biggest unknown for us was the jury’s taste expectations. What makes a good competition pizza in their eyes? Which direction is well-received? And how is your own pizza judged in direct comparison with 30 others?

When you compete for the first time, you lack the experience. We could only try to bake a harmonious pizza and stay true to our own style. In the end, that apparently worked out quite well.

6th place out of 31 teams

With 6th place out of 31 teams, we achieved a result in our first pizza competition that we are extremely happy about.

Of course, you go there to perform as well as possible. But without experience with the competition and without a clear idea of what the jury expects, the placement was hard to estimate. The fact that we immediately secured sixth place makes us proud.

At the same time, we’re taking away many impressions. We now know better what such a day feels like, how intense the process is, and where we can improve next time.

The victory went to the neighboring stand

Especially nice: the team at our direct neighboring stand won. We congratulate them heartily and begrudge them the victory.

But there’s one thing we pizza people still have to process. The winning pizza came from a kettle grill. Yes, you read that right. While we rack our brains endlessly about ovens and heat, the stand next door is casually showing what’s possible in a kettle grill. We take it with humor and tip our hats.

What remains from our first pizza competition

The Saturday in Kaindorf was much more than a placement. A day full of new experiences, many encounters, and even more pizza.

• 6th place out of 31 is a result we are more than satisfied with for our first participation.
• The feedback from visitors showed that our pizza is well-received by people.
• As a team, we also functioned well amidst the hustle and bustle.

Sixth place is the visible result. At least as important are the atmosphere on site, the many conversations, and the feeling of having experienced something special together at the end of a long day. You cherish a day like this, just like the first full year with the shop in Teesdorf back then.

Was this our last pizza competition?

Definitely not.

After this Saturday, we know: a competition like this is demanding, sometimes unpredictable, and at the same time really exciting. You learn a lot the first time. About the process, about teamwork, and about how your own pizza is received outside of your usual environment.

One question for you: Have you ever participated in a cooking or grilling competition? How did it go for you? Tell us about it in our Facebook group PizzaLiebhaber Österreich, that’s where we talk about exactly these kinds of things.

We are happy about 6th place, congratulate all teams, and thank everyone who supported us once again.

See you at the next pizza adventure.

Best regards
Klausi from PizzaStunde