Tag Archives: Panino’s Pizza

U.S. Pizza Team members competed in the “5° Pizza por Pasión” Spanish Pizza Championship in Granada, Spain, on Oct. 8 and took home numerous awards in several categories of competition. Team members representing the U.S. in the culinary division included USPT Culinary Coach Gino Rago and Bruno Brunetti of Panino’s Pizza in Chicago; USPT athletic director Dave Sommers of Mad Mushroom in West Lafayette, Ind.; and Sean Dempsey of Dempsey’s Brewery Restaurant & Pub in Watertown, S.D. Competing for the team in the freestyle acrobatics division were Missy Green and Caroline Felker, former USPT members and representatives of PMQ Pizza …

The United States Pizza Team headed out for the 28th edition of the World Pizza Championships in Parma with high hopes — and returned with accolades galore. USPT member Scott Volpe of Fiamme Pizzeria in Tucson, Ariz. wowed the crowd with his seamless blend of hip-hop break-dancing and flawless dough spinning, earning first place in Freestyle Acrobatics. His performance was set to custom-edited music by fellow team member Lenny Rago of Panino’s Pizza in Chicago, Park Ridge and Evanston. The culinary side of the USPT took some accolades as well in several events. Rago achieved the second highest score for …

Up against 39 other contestants, Lenny Rago of Panino’s Pizza took home the $5,000 grand prize at the Pizza Pizzazz Culinary Competition with his “Hog Heaven” pizza. Held during the Mid-America Restaurant Expo in Columbus, Ohio, the contest invites 40 pizzeria operators to battle it out in a blind taste test. Second place went to Kyle Rosch of Brenz Pizza in Chapel Hill, N.C., and third place was taken home by Craig Allenbaugh of Sauced Wood Fired Pizza in Fairview Park, Ohio.