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19/3/2007 - SCOTS-ITALIAN CUISINE LENDS GLITZ TO CULINARY CHAMPIONSHIP

Scots-Italian restaurant owner Domenico Crolla will this week represent the UK as the world’s top pizza chefs and experts in Italian cuisine battle it out in Las Vegas at the “International Pizza Expo” from March 20th - 22nd 2007.

Domenico, 40, who owns Glasgow’s Italmania and Bella Napoli restaurants, will take the 10,000 mile round trip to America’s flashiest city to compete in two different categories at the Expo, an event that has been running for over twenty years.

Creative chef Domenico first hit headlines worldwide in November 2006, when he cooked up an idea for a gold and caviar-topped “Pizza Royale 007”. The pizza sold on eBay to an Italian lawyer raising £2,150 for UK charity the Fred Hollows Foundation.

As the only British representative in the competitions, Domenico faces fifty other contestants from locations as far-flung as New Zealand, Italy, and Australia as he enters both the “International Pizza Challenge” and “Italian Chef Wars”. The first competition calls for him to cook a pizza that is “gourmet, exotic and out there”, and the second demands that he put together a three-course meal in just 90 minutes, using 40 selected ingredients, and five “secret” items.

Pizza Close Up Foodie Domenico plans to blow judges away by using a combination of his elaborate Italian flair combined with quality Scottish foods, including langoustines, Aberdeen Angus beef and single malt whisky. He is even meeting with Grant McPherson, Executive Chef of the world-famous Wynn Hotel to glean some top tips before the event.

Domenico said:

“I don’t want to give too much away at this stage, but let’s just say that I think my Italian heritage combined with top quality Scottish ingredients will give me an edge in these competitions. The judges won’t be able to resist the taste sensations that I have put together and I’ve even created a new pasta and a glitzy new drink for the occasion which I call the ‘Vegas Bellini’, guaranteed to put a sparkle into any menu.”

Past winners of the contest include Theo Kalogeracos from Australia, who was victorious in last year’s competition. He said:

“Since winning the Italian Chef Wars competition I’ve found that my business has quadrupled and that hundreds, if not thousands of customers are asking me to recreate my winning dishes for them.”

Judges include E. Jay Myers, the co-founder of Goodfella’s Brick Oven Pizza, who will examine the contestants’ work for taste, creativity, visual presentation and chef’s culinary skills.

Winners of the competitions take home a cheque for $2000 and are automatically invited to return to the 2008 Expo to defend their title.

Notes to the editor / picture editor

This release sent on behalf of Domenico Crolla, owner of Bella Napoli and Italmania restaurants. For more information please contact Jane Nower, Axis Media Group on 0141 889 6868 / 07894607584 Photos attached should be credited to Kieran Dodds. For hi-res photos please contact him directly on kd@kierandodds.com / 07817353481

For more information on the International Pizza Expo go to http://www.pizzaexpo.com/ or contact Bill Oakley on 00 1 502 736 9500 / boakley@pizzatoday.com

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