Hamilton/IBNS: A Ontario pizzeria, Cowabunga pizzeria of Hamilton, has won an award for best cheese pizza slice in the world at the International Pizza Challenge in Las Vegas against major players from the worldwide pizza scene.

“It’s catapulting us into way more than we could’ve ever imagined…always wanted to win an award like this,” Cowabunga pizzeria of Hamilton co-owner Andy Huynh was reported saying.

“So many buzzer beater moments on our road to winning this competition,” reads an Instagram caption by Cowabunga Pizzeria announcing the win.

Huynh added that the key to Cowabunga’s pizza is its dough, made from a sourdough starter, that needs to sit and chill for at least 72 hours.

After almost missing the flight with their luggage and ingredients being stuck in Toronto, and once they got to Vegas they had to compromise with the carry-on backup dough, Huynh said.

“We almost missed our flight, our luggage with our ingredients got stuck in Toronto and we had to improvise at the last minute in Vegas with the backup dough we flew with us on our carry-on and favours from our suppliers and friends who were on-site at the expo," he said.

Then they found themselves nearly disqualified for showing up to the competition late.

After learning, continued Huynh, that they’d be advancing to the next round, they had to fly a friend in from Hamilton with more ingredients.

But, in the end, co-owners Andy and Justinthe's dream of winning an international prize since opening Cowabunga’s doors in 2020, came true when pizza spoke for itself, securing the win.

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)