State of Origin Pizza Battle
Two States. One Champion.
The ovens are hot, the rivalry is fierce, and the stakes are high. Ten competitors from Queensland and ten from New South Wales will go slice-for-slice in a fast-paced, points-based showdown to see which state dominates the pizza scene.
Open to pizzaiolos, pizza chefs, makers and cooks from the foodservice industry, this is your chance to show off your skills, signature style and state pride – all in a 30-minute heat.
The prizes are hot too: $2,000 cash for Best Overall Pizza Chef, $300 for each member of the winning team, and automatic entry into Australia’s Best Pizza Awards at Food & Hospitality Week.
This isn’t just a comp. It’s a full-blown pizza war. Big pride. Bigger flavours. One winner.
The Awards
SIGNATURE PIZZA Your hero pizza – the one that defines your style. This is your chance to bring your best-selling creation to the stage. Any dough, any sauce, any toppings – it just needs to be on your current menu and full of flavour and flair that shows off your unique style.
CREATIVE PIZZA This is where things get wild. Competitors will receive a list of sponsor-supplied ingredients before the event and must create a one-of-a-kind pizza that showcases creativity, originality, and big flavour. Bring your A-game and surprise the judges.
The competition will be point-based, participants will accumulate points across all criteria for both the ‘Signature’ & ‘Creative’ rounds, with their total score determining who is the overall winner. The overall winner with the highest total score across ‘Signature’ and ‘Creative’, will determine which state team (NSW or QLD) is the winner of the ‘State of Origin Pizza Comp’. Ie. If an individual competitor from the NSW team has the highest score, then the NSW team are the winners of the competition.
The Details
WHO CAN ENTER?
The competition is open to any pizzaiolo, pizza chef, pizza maker or pizza cook within the foodservice industry based in NSW or QLD.
WHEN & WHERE
12 October 2025 Food & Hospitality Queensland Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
HOW IT WORKS
Step 1 – Online Submission: Submit your signature pizza (the one you’re known for). Include the recipe, method, and a photo that shows it off in all its glory.
Step 2 – Selection: A shortlist of 10 finalists from NSW and 10 finalists from QLD will be announced on the 1st September.
Step 3 – Cook-Off: Finalists cook and present their pizzas to the judges at the Show.
AWARD CATEGORIES
You will make both a signature AND a creative pizza as part of your heat, then based on points an overall Best Pizza Chef: State of Origin Pizza Competition will be crowned. The overall winner will receive $2,000 and entry into Australia’s Best Pizza Awards in May, 2026 at Food & Hospitality Week in Sydney. All 10 competitors on the winning team will receive $300 each
- SIGNATURE PIZZA Your hero pizza – the one that defines your style. This is your chance to bring your best-selling creation to the stage. Any dough, any sauce, any toppings – it just needs to be on your current menu and full of flavour and flair that shows off your unique style.
- CREATIVE PIZZA This is where things get wild. Competitors will receive a list of sponsor-supplied ingredients before the event and must create a one-of-a-kind pizza that showcases creativity, originality, and big flavour. Bring your A-game and surprise the judges.
Best Pizza Chef: State of Origin Pizza Competition will receive $2,000 and entry into Australia’s Best Pizza Awards in May, 2026 at Food & Hospitality Week in Sydney.
- All 10 competitors on the winning team will receive $300 each
JUDGING CRITERIA
Your pizzas will be judged on:
- Preparation & execution
- Balance of flavours & ingredients
- Overall look & aesthetic
- Technical execution
- Presentation (competitor & workstation)
- Cooking precision
KEY DATES
Entries Close: 28th August Finalists Confirmed/ Comp Info Sent: 1st September Competition Date: 12th October, 10am – 4pm
FULL COMPETITION GUIDELINES
Please see here for full guidelines.
Have you got what it takes?
Entries are now open
Entries close Thursday, 28th August.
Finalists announced Monday 1st September.
Please review the Competition Guidelines before entering.
- Your name, company name, logo, and any event-related photos or videos may be used in promotional material for the competition.
- If you are chosen as a finalist, we will contact you to advise the list of ingredients that must be included on your Creative Pizza.
- All sponsor ingredients must be used in the Creative round of the competition — this is part of the judging criteria.
- You agree to our Privacy Policy.