Michael Pitera, owner of Pizza a Modo Mio, won first place in the Pizza in the Pan category at the 2026 Galbani Professionale Pizza Cup in Orlando, held Oct. 25 to 27, and took the grand champion title with a pie called Smoky Jewel. The prize is an all-expenses-paid trip to represent the United States at the Campionate Mondiale della Pizza in Parma, Italy, in April 2027.
Why this matters here
A national title is the kind of news a neighborhood repeats for months, and this one belongs to a four-location Charleston business rather than a chain. Most owners sitting on an award like this tell almost nobody about it.
First reported by postandcourier.com.
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