Pizza Cook-Off Association Rules

→ Events are open to anyone 18 years of age or older and you do not have to be a member of the Pizza Cook-off Association (PCA) to enter a competition.

→ All events will be capped off to the first 50 cooks to register online. 

→ Cook Team registrations are done through the Promoter of the event.

→ Cooking source can be pizza ovens, smokers, or any type of grill. They can be fueled by wood, charcoal, wood pellets, or propane. Electric ovens are permitted, but we cannot guarantee electrical outlets will be available at each event location.

→ Each cook is encouraged to bring their own pizza oven, smoker, or grill. Depending on the event, the PCA will provide pizza ovens for cooks to utilize.

→ Cook teams do not have to be a PCA member to enter a competition. You can have more than one entry, but have to pay a separate entry fee.

→ Each cooking team is required to have some type of fire extinguisher at their cook site.

→ Each cook team will be assigned a site by the PCA Rep. Tents 10’ x 10’ are permissible, and encouraged.

→ Each cooking team will be expected to keep a clean work area, maintain safe and sanitary cooking methods during the competition, and will be responsible to clean up their site after the competition. 

→ Cook’s meetings will be announced prior to the event.

→ Cook teams can use commercially prepared, or self-made dough, or pre-made crust. The dough or crust must be ready and present when checking in for competition. Dough cannot be made onsite.

→ Cook teams will also provide all ingredients and utensils needed to cook and prepare pizza.

→ Pizzas must be 12” round or 12” square. Must be turned in UNCUT and placed on a 14” round cardboard circle.

→ PCA will provide white, 14” round cardboard circles.

→ Pizza Category will be designated as “Creative Choice”, meaning make your best pizza!

→ For initial pizza turn-ins, there will be a 45-minute window minimum. This 45-minute window can change depending on the number of cook teams.

→ The number of judges will be determined by the number of registered cook teams.

→ The timeline for each event will be based on how many cooks participate, and may be adjusted if need be at the discretion of the PCA Rep.

→ Our goal for the PCA is to let people attending the event be able to taste some of the pizzas being cooked. Promoter has the option to request 1 pizza from each team, but cook teams can practice and donate more than one if they choose. You have the option to place a table tent with your name of your cook team or business name with the pizza or pizzas you donate.

→ Each registered cook must make their own pizza. Cooking any pizza for another registered cook or team will be result in a disqualification for both parties.

→ Judging will consist of PCA certified pizza judges who have successfully completed a PCA Certified Judging Class.

→ There will be 2 rounds of judging. The first round, pizzas will be judged one at time. And for the finals, comparative judging will be conducted, meaning all 5 pizzas will be scored against each other.

→ The first round of judging for all cooks will be blind and based on 4 categories…Appearance, Construction, Crust, and Taste. Scores are entered in whole numbers, 7 through 10.

→ The entries with the top five scores will be cook again in the finals and will be judged again by a panel of five final judges. Each of these teams will be notified of their selection as a finalist as soon as possible. After the finalists have been notified, they will have 30 minutes to light their oven and prep, and from that point have 10 minutes to turn in. Scores will be compiled to determine first through 5th place.

→ Judging for the final 5 contestants will be also be blind and based on Appearance, Construction, Crust, Taste, and a 5th category of Overall Impression will be added.

→ Scoring is conducted in a manner that will not result in a tie.

→ All Pizza event winners will automatically be qualified to compete for the Pizza Cook-off Association National Championship held each year. Date to be determined. 

→ Disqualifications include: 

  • Cooking for another registered team

  • Pizza turned in after designated turn in time

  • Foreign object found in turn in box

  • Pizza not meeting category specification

→ An ancillary category will be optional at each event. If it is decided to have an ancillary, the promoter will decide the category.

→ The interpretation of all PCA rules are those of the PCA Representative at the event, and his or her decision is final.

ancillary rules

An Ancillary category is a great way to include all of the cook’s family in the spirit of the event. By adding an Ancillary category, the teams have additional things to cook during the day and more chances to be recognized and win prize money. 

→ Ancillary competitions are open to anyone 14 years or older, and are not required to be a member of the PCA.

→ Ancillary competitors must be a part of a registered pizza team cooking at the event.

→ If there is an ancillary category at the event, the dish must be Italian. The Promoter will decide on one of the following categories:

  • Appetizer

  • Pasta (can include meat, fish, or seafood)

  • Calzone

  • Stromboli

  • Italian Sub

  • Risotto 

  • Desserts

→ Ancillaries can be cooked in pizza oven or any other heat source.

→ Meat products, as well as other ingredients can be pre-cooked and then assembled on site to complete your entry. 

→ Ancillary category must be homemade. No store bought dishes or restaurant dishes will be allowed, and will be subjected to disqualification.

→ Rule of thumb…the more authentic and homemade, the better.

→ All turn-ins can be submitted in any type of dish, platter, tray, bowls, etc. 

→ Garnish is permitted, and will be part of the appearance score.

→ Turn-in amounts must be enough for 6 judges. You can submit 6 single portions, or submit as one large portion.

→ All entries will be judged on Appearance, Taste, Creativity, Execution and Overall Impression.

→ Scoring is conducted in a manner that there will be no ties.