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Recipes for Mexican-inspired pizzas propelled two chefs to victory in the 2025 Real California Pizza Contest sponsored by the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB). A total of 12 professional chefs participated in the final bakeoff.
Marcus Medina of Hella Pie Pizza in Tracy, California — one of three first-place winners — won the $5,000 Innovation category prize for his Hellapeno Za’pper. It pairs four Real California Mozzarella, Cheddar, Cream Cheese, and Dry Jack with maple bacon, fresh jalapeños, and smoked hot honey. Click here to read this recipe.
Sean Dempsey of Dempsey's Brewery Pub & Restaurant in Watertown, South Dakota — one of the remaining nine finalists — won $1,000 for his Thanks, Elote pizza. That pie features Real California whole milk Mozzarella, Habanero Jack, and Queso Fresco plus roasted corn, peppered bacon, Tajin seasoning, cilantro, and Mexican lime crema. Click here to read this recipe.
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Sean Dempsey with his Thanks, Elote pizza
“Each year, this contest demonstrates how chefs across the country continue to use California dairy products to push culinary boundaries,” said Mike Gallagher, Business and Market Development Consultant for the CMAB. “This year’s pizza recipes were especially exciting with bold, authentic flavors and inventive spirit. The judges were impressed by the versatility of Real California cheeses and how they were highlighted.”
Now in its seventh year, the contest, which was open to professional chefs and culinary students across the U.S., received a record number of participants, leading to the most competitive finalist selection in its history. The bake-off final was held at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Copia in Napa, Calif.
Additional details, videos, and recipes from the bake-off event will be available in an online recipe book launching this October that will feature all finalist pizzas and tips for working with Real California Cheese in foodservice. For more information, click here.
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