ABOVE: On the Podcast - I spoke with my favorite chef, Steven Goff, about his recent purchase of Tastee Diner in West Asheville among other things!
BELOW: In the Newsletter (May Contain Adult Language) - GMF • Meet The Final Fighters • The Judges Are… • Play Along at Home
GOOD MORNING, FRIENDS…
How about that mask mandate being lifted? Personally, I’m psyched, but also willing to still wear a mask if any venue that I’m in would like me to. I have never cared much about wearing a mask, even though I do find it very physically uncomfortable, I’ve always been like, “You want me to wear a mask in here? Yeah? You got it.” Mask on. No worries, right? But, yeah, now that the mandate is lifted, I’m glad I can keep it off most of the time. Of course, I’m all vaxed-up & maxed-up, and I even think I had the ‘rona way back in January / February of 2020, so I’m not too worried about my own vulnerability (knock on wood), I just wanna follow house rules, be polite, and eat things. Speaking of eating things, tomorrow is the 2022 WNC Pizza Fight!!!
MEET THE FINAL FIGHTERS
Aaaand here are the final four competitors in the 2022 WNC Pizza Fight! It happens TODAY, Wednesday , February 23rd, and I’m super excited about it! 16 Judges, 16 Pizza Makers, 32 Pies!
Thank you Shay Brown Events and The Asheville Masonic Temple for making this fun contest happen!
🍕🤜 WNC PIZZA FIGHT! FEATURED FIGHTER! 🤛🍕 Mean Pies Pizza is a brand new, family run, mobile pizza maker, providing a special 12 X 12 square pie, with a crunchy-focaccia-esque crust and the freshest ingredients. I haven't personally tried this one yet, so I am really looking forward to it on February 23rd at the 2022 WNC Pizza Fight! Stay tuned!
🍕🤜 WNC PIZZA FIGHT! FEATURED FIGHTER! 🤛🍕 Y'all. How frickin' STOKED am I to have Strada Italiano on board for the 2022 WNC Pizza Fight?!? I mean, c'mon, now. They are not just your average pizza maker. Strada is a fancy restaurant, with awesome entrees, and, like, good wines and stuff! The last time the y participated, they made a KILLER specialty pie that became one of my favorites of all time. I'm excited as heck to see / taste what they come up with this year! ❤️
🍕🤜 WNC PIZZA FIGHT! FEATURED FIGHTER! 🤛🍕 TravelinDough is the 4th and final mobile pizza maker competing in the 2022 WNC Pizza Fight, and yet another one that I have yet to try for myself! Their pizza looks frickin' great, and I'm excited to give it a taste on game day!
I will be the only judge who won't be doing this as a blind taste test, because I will be part of the team serving the pizza to the other judges, so I'll know who's is who's, but also, my vote won't count, so it dunn't matter!
🍕🤜 WNC PIZZA FIGHT! FEATURED FIGHTER! 🤛🍕 Even though they've been around long time, and have had pizza on the menu from the beginning, Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville is new to the Pizza Fight, competing for the first time this year! I know they make this delicious "Gandma's PIzza," which I've tried while in there with Asheville Food Tours. I don't know if they'll be serving the Grandma to the judge's, or going with their traditional round pie, or maybe gonna do round for the cheese pizza and square for the specialty pie?!? Who knows? I can't wait to find out! The 2022 WNC Pizza Fight is gonna be bangin', yo! Stay tuned for more hype, and then the live stream on the day of, and the results posted shortly thereafter! You can play along at home simply by ordering the pies form the competitors directly, eating the pies, and ranking them! Form a team if you have to, because there are 16 competitors, each submitting 2 pies, so... attsa lotta pizza!
THE JUDGES ARE…
The Judges are…
Chef Eric Morris - Cultura / Funkatorium
Chef Paty Saenz - Pupuseria Paty Asheville
Chef Sam Kosik - Mother Ocean Market
Chef Steven Goff - Tastee Diner
Chef Jeremy Shurtleff - Kanuga Conference Center & Inn
Shay Brown - Shay Brown Events / Chow Chow Culinary Events
Rebecca Lynch - Chow Chow Culinary Events
C. Cappa Teenie - Burger Bar Owner
Paddy Riels - Asheville Food Tours
Stu Helm - The Food Fan
Luis Carlos Serapio - Descubre Asheville
Mariah Gunther - Friend of the Food Scene
Karis Marie - Team People with Meat Tattoos
Catherine Wright - Food Truck Wrangler
Tyler Lewis - Teenager
Cara Brunetti - Pizza Fan / Contest Winner
Every judge is allowed to bring a friend as their “back-up eater.” Friends are not there to judge, only to help eat pizza. Judges will be rating two pizzas from each pizza maker on a scale of 0 - 5 in six areas: Appearance, Crust, Cheese, Sauce, Toppings & Zhuzh.
This is a blind taste test, the judges won’t know who’s pies are who’s, and each competitor has been assigned a randomly generated number, which is the order in which their pies will be served.
PLAY ALONG AT HOME
Again, I’m sorry that the 2022 WNC Pizza Fight isn’t open to the public, but, you can play along at home by printing the ballot sheets below, and ordering pies from all of the the competitors throughout the year having, or having one hell of a pizza party! Anyone who actually makes it through all 32 pies, and documents it on Social Media will earn an automatic seat at the Judge’s table of the 2023 WNC Pizza Fight!
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Good Morning, Friends...