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Domino's crowns 'world's fastest pizza maker'
June 24, 2008
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Domino's Pizza named Silver Springs, Md., resident Dennis Tran the 2008 World's Fastest Pizza Maker at a competition held at the Towsley Auditorium on the campus of Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Tran, an executive vice president of operations for Domino's Pizza franchise Team Washington, made three large pizzas in 46.4 seconds. Tran won $5,000 in prize money and a trophy presented by Domino's chairman and CEO David A. Brandon.
The finalists in the competition represented Domino's Pizza stores from around the world, as far away as India. They had to hand-stretch fresh dough, add pizza sauce and top three large pizzas —one pepperoni, one mushroom and one cheese — as quickly as possible.
While speed was important, it was only part of the recipe. Quality was scrutinized as two judges highly qualified in Domino's standard pizza-making practices inspected the stretching of the dough, application of the sauce and portioning of toppings during the competition. If the pizza was not perfect, it was returned to the competitor who remade the entire pizza, while still being timed.
Tran has been a Domino's team member for 18 years. Tran won the 2006 World's Fastest Pizza Maker title with a time of 55 seconds and the 2007 title with a time of 49.1 seconds. His 2008 time of 46.4 seconds sets a new world record for Domino's Pizza.
Runners up included Pali Grewal from England, who took second place with a time of 47.9 seconds, and Emmanuell Dicks from North Old Town, Va., who took third place with a time of 49.1 seconds.
Domino's began the "World's Fastest Pizza Maker" competition in 1982 to honor pizza makers who best exemplify the company's philosophy of keeping efficiency in the store to allow sufficient time for safe, timely pizza delivery.
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