11-04-2025
Marabella Old World Pizza chef wins best cheese slice in Southeast region
WINTERVILLE, N.C (WNCT)- A local chef from Pitt County has won the award of the best cheese pizza slice in the entire Southeast region.
Alessio Passalacqua of Marabella Old World Pizza won the top spot for best slice at the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas.
Passalacqua was one in 75 competitors and got 10th place for the all-around score, but number one for all competitors in the Southeast region of the United States. Passalacqua competed in the competition last year and came out empty handed but didn't compete in the cheese slice category.
He came back this year to showcase his simple, yet delicious dish which earned him the top rank. 'So, you got like that good, milky, creamy flavor from the mozzarella and then the tomatoes like fresh plum tomatoes,' Passalacqua said.
'So, you get like a nice tomato, and it hits, it's very good. It is fresh. It's a very fresh taste.'
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