Anna’s Pizza owner sits in with judges during 2015 Pizza Expo

By Doug Schroder

Editor

WINNEBAGO – The 2015 PizzaExpo was held in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 23-27. The events is easily defined as the biggest and most important show in the Pizza industry. This year there was over 475 suppliers booths ranging from food to insurance to phones, to shoes, to POS computer systems, you name it, whatever is in a pizza restaurant. There were over 100 seminars, workshops, panels and competitive events. One of the keynote speakers included Jason Dorsey, Marc Malnati (owner of Lou Malnati’s) and Big Dave Ostrander.
Brian Weavil, owner of Anna’s Pizza in Winnebago, was fortunate enough to be asked to be a judge for the International Pizza Competition, choosing the best traditional and non-traditional pizzas from around the world. For two solid days Brian sampled and critiqued over 60 different pizzas. He served on panels with several of the biggest names in the industry, including Big Dave Ostrander (the most sought after consultant in the industry), Glenn Cybulski, Scott Anthony, Wily Olund, Scott Wiener (who is in the Guiness Books of Worlds Records), Alan Borgan (LA food critic with his own TV show), Jonathon Goldsmith, John Arena and Domenico Crolla. It was very humbling be mentioned for Brian to be named in the same breath as these superstars in of the industry. He learned a ton from them and had a great time.

Some of the different pizzas that Brian critiqued included buffalo, duck, watermelon on pizza, along with gyros pizza, smoked pork with a mango salsa. You name it, Brian saw it!! Most pizzas were fantastic. Brian thoroughly enjoyed his time as a pizza judge. He would love to do it again.

While there, Brian also attended a seminar on “How to cater to millenials”.

All of this came about from Brian’s stint as guest editor of Pizza Today magazine in 2014.

Brian has done so much for the Winnebago community through his business that it’s great to see him recognized for all of his efforts.