Monday 6 November to Tuesday 5 December 2023. Awards ceremony live on the Association's social channels on Thursday 7 December.
Quality of the pizza, selection of raw materials, food pairings, room service, location design: these are the criteria used by the association's pizza chefs to decide the winner. A contest that this year touches 55 countries with the addition of the Salvo brothers' Bottega di Shanghai, the first AVPN pizzeria in China.
Thus, the Association's last event of the year is the fifth edition of Best AVPN Pizzeria, the format signed by the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association that features over a thousand veracious pizzerias in no less than 55 countries from every corner of the globe.
After the success of the past editions that witnessed the victory of Enzo Coccia's La Notizia in 2014, Ciro Salvo's 50 Kalò in 2019, Attilio Bachetti's Pizzeria da Attilio in 2021 and Salvatore De Rinaldi's Casa De Rinaldi 2022, Best AVPN Pizzeria confirms itself as the contest of reference for the highest expression of the “white art”.
"There is great expectation for this new edition of Best AVPN Pizzeria," says Antonio Pace, President of the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association, "which confirms the formula that has distinguished our event since the very beginning. Which has as its main feature that of being able to boast a jury made up of great professionals in the field, moreover with an international outlook on our field; and it is well known that the value of an award is all the greater the more expert a jury is."
From 11:00 a.m. on 6 November to 11:00 a.m. on 5 December, every Verace pizza maker on every continent will be involved in the selection of the Best AVPN Pizzeria 2023, through the access link sent by the Association. Each member of the association will be entitled to only one vote for each pizzeria they own, without being able to vote for their own business. During the month, the technical jury composed of all AVPN affiliates from all continents will decide the winner, according to evaluation criteria such as pizza quality, raw material selection, wine, beer and cocktail pairings, room service and location design. A real challenge that will end with the announcement of the winner on Thursday 7 December, on the occasion of the 6th anniversary of the Art of Neapolitan Pizzaiuolo as Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
'A jury of international stature, - concludes Antonio Pace - which reaffirms the cosmopolitan nature of pizza and of our association. The year 2024 will see the celebration of 40 years since the birth of AVPN and for those who have been there since the beginning, it is wonderful to see how our team has grown and how there is now an AVPN affiliate in almost every corner of the world. China will be the 55th country in the world with at least one AVPN-affiliated pizzeria as on Friday 10 November, the Shanghai 'Bottega' of brothers Daniele and Paolo Salvo will join the AVPN family'.
Hall of fame Best AVPN Pizzeria
Enzo Coccia: born in 1962 and a true Neapolitan, he is one of Italy's most influential master pizza makers. He entered the world of pizza at a very young age when he took over at 'Fortuna', the old family trattoria in the historic centre of Naples and began his collaboration with AVPN. In the mid-1990s he opened 'La Notizia' in Via Caravaggio, an intimate and modern restaurant, far from the flow of tourists, which in no time at all became a reference point for takeaway pizza and tasty and creative combinations, winning the Best AVPN Pizzeria award in 2014.
Ciro Salvo: born near Vesuvius and third generation of a historic family of pizza makers, he opened the pizzeria 50 Kalò, first in Naples then in London and Rome. A connoisseur of the Neapolitan tradition, Ciro Salvo is known and loved for the lightness and digestibility of his dough. As a great pizza maker, he combines the choice of quality raw materials with experimentation in the combination of flavours. Ciro Salvo is the perfect synthesis of tradition, research and gourmet combinations in all his signature pizzas, which have earned him the fame he enjoys in Italy and around the world, as well as the Best AVPN Pizzeria award in 2019.
Attilio Bachetti: was born in 1967 in Naples. He became passionate about the world of pizza, putting his hands in the dough as a child. Over the years his passion grew more and more until it became a true lifestyle, carrying on the traditional family business, opened by his grandfather back in 1938, with dedication, passion and research. Great studies have contributed to his training, in fact Attilio is also a sommelier and an expert in cheese and evo oil. Faithful to tradition, he wants to continue to amaze the public of enthusiasts with the unmistakable Neapolitan flavours, a light and well-leavened dough, without neglecting creativity and innovation in the kitchen. A great signature also recognised by the Best AVPN Pizzeria 2021 award.
Salvatore De Rinaldi: born in 1970, at a very young age he began working in the family business, the 'Ristorante Pizzeria La Stella', where he fell in love with the art of baking. In 1989, the 'Sasà Pizza Mia' brand was born. However, Salvatore De Rinaldi does not limit himself to the Neapolitan context, but invests in training with numerous experiences in numerous restaurants throughout Italy, to delve into the world of rising (of the dough) and gourmet toppings. A master of dough, he dedicates himself to natural rising and the search for local ingredients of the highest quality. All this makes Pizzeria de Rinaldi the home of true Neapolitan pizza, also confirmed by its recent recognition as Best AVPN Pizzeria.
