Arabella Justice of Pizza A Modo Mio takes first place in Young Pizza Maker Division at California Pizza Challenge
by Lorne Chambers | Editor
Pizza A Modo Mio in West Ashley has earned plenty of accolades in recent years, but its latest honor feels especially meaningful to owner Mike Pitera. Last month, 17-year-old Arabella Justice won first place in the Young Pizza Maker Division at the California Pizza Challenge in Anaheim. It was a proud moment for Justice, her friends and family, and owner Mike Pitera, who is quick to brag about his young team member, who was one of the first people he hired when he opened the West Ashley pizzeria a couple of years ago.
“Bella started working here at 15. She started as a counter girl but always wanted to be involved and learn more about the business. So, about a year ago, she jumped in and really started learning about making pizza. I told her, ‘Keep doing what you’re doing, and I’ll take you to the next competition,’” says Pitera, who’s a member of the United States Pizza Team (USPT) and was recently named to the organization’s advisory council. He says part of what the USPT wants to do is nurture young pizzamakers, like Justice.
In addition to Justice’s first-place finish, Pitera took first place in the Traditional Sauce category, second place in Fastest Pizza Maker, and third place in Fastest Box Folding. But it was Justice’s victory that had West Ashley cheering loud enough it could almost be heard on the West Coast. While her mother and aunt were along with her for the trip, back home, her boyfriend, friends, and other family members, including her two younger sisters, were all watching on the live stream.
“Honestly, when I was up there, I was trying to keep cool. We were doing a live stream so everyone was watching back home, which made me a little nervous,” said Justice. “But then I just told myself: ‘You know what you’re doing. You’ve practiced this so many times.’”
“She was cool as a cucumber up there. She stole the show,” says Pitera proudly. “Bella just got up there and started making pizza. The judges were firing questions at her, stuff that only a tenured pizzamaker would know—questions about proofing the dough and seasoning—real culinary questions. And she nailed it, answered them perfectly while making her pizza.”
Justice, who just graduated from West Ashley High School in June, turns 18 this December, which means next year she would have to compete in the adult category. But that doesn’t intimidate her at all.
“Oh, I would definitely do it again,” she says with a confident smile.
Justice proudly displays her large First Place championship-style award chain with a large medallion in her bedroom. She says that she had it with her and was stopped and questioned by TSA when she was heading home. Ultimately, they got a good laugh out of the award and let her through. Her championship pizza paddle award hangs at Pizza A Modo Mio along with the restaurant’s other awards, like being named the “Sixth Best Cheese Pizza in the World” at the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas.
“The whole experience was just really cool. I had never been on a plane. Never been across the country. I loved every minute of it,” says Justice, the only female who competed in the Young Pizza Maker Division. “Everyone there was so nice and welcoming, even though I was a woman surrounded by men.”
In addition to the four days at the convention in Anaheim, she also got to see San Diego, Venice Beach, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and the Hollywood sign, which she says doesn’t look as big in person as it does on the movie screen.
Justice’s winning pizza was the “Chica Fajita,” which she describes as “a chicken fajita on top of a pizza, basically.” It included three different cheeses, three different kinds of peppers sautéed with onions, marinated chicken, a signature dressing/sauce, and drizzled with “crème de cow,” which she describes as a tangy ranch sour cream. The real secret, however, is in the crust, which Justice takes a lot of pride in.
“I like my crust to be more prevalent,” she says. “I love bread, and so I like to have crust to dip in something afterwards.”
Despite her love of bread, Justice says hands down her favorite slice at Pizza A Modo Mio is the Grandma pie, a thin crispy crust with tomato sauce dolloped over mozzarella cheese.
Asked if the Chica Fajita would ever be on the menu at Pizza A Modo Mio, she just laughs. “No way. I don’t think so,” she jokes. But Pitera has other plans. He hasn’t told her yet, but he says Justice’s prize-winning pie deserves a spot in the rotation. Pitera says he will feature the Chica Fajita weekly at the popular West Ashley pizzeria on a certain day of the week when he knows Justice is working.
For her first-place victory, Justice received a $750 check. While most 17-year-olds would probably have already blown it on clothes or video games, Justice says, “It is going straight into savings for school!” Currently, she’s studying to be an esthetician, but she plans on continuing to work at Pizza A Modo Mio while continuing to hone her pizza skills.
