Alex Tenorio & Lisa Hamilton are winners of inaugural EU-Guyana Cup Pizza Making Competition 

The Ministry of Tourism, Industry & Commerce and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) are proud to have supported the inaugural Guyana Cup Pizza-Making Competition, hosted last evening by the Delegation of the European Union in Guyana, in collaboration with the Italian Embassy in Panama.

The competition was held on the eve of the International Day of Gastronomy and brought together culinary talent for a shared showcase of skill and creativity. Participants prepared entries under the Traditional Neapolitan Pizza and Guyanese Gourmet Pizza categories, each presenting their own interpretation and approach to the challenge. In 2017, UNESCO declared the “Art of the Neapolitan ‘Pizzaiuolo'” (the culinary practice and traditional art of Neapolitan pizza makers) an element of intangible cultural heritage.

The Judges comprised of Carmine Candito and Marco Carlesso, who are both Pizza World Champions, Master Pizzaiolos and International Instructors.

The Guyanese Gourmet category featured Hon. Susan Rodrigues, Minister of Tourism, Industry & Commerce and Hon. Steven Jacobs, Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sports, as esteemed judges.

EU Ambassador to Guyana, H.E Luca Pierantoni, highlighted the cultural significance of the initiative, noting the bridge it builds between international traditions and local innovation.

“Food is a universal language that connects cultures, and this competition perfectly illustrates that bond. By bringing the rigorous traditions of Italian pizza-making to Georgetown and blending them with Guyana’s vibrant, rich flavours, we are not just celebrating gastronomy—we are fostering skills, economic opportunity, and culinary tourism. The incredible creativity shown by Guyanese chefs today proves that cultural exchange can taste extraordinary.” Ambassador Pierantoni also thanked Hon. Minister Susan Rodrigues and the Guyana Tourism Authority for coming on board to support the initiative.

In support of the continued development of culinary experiences within Guyana’s tourism offering, the Ministry and GTA provided a GYD $300,000 cash prize for the winning gourmet pizza category.

For the Director of the GTA, Kamrul Baksh, the event was another example of food becoming an increasingly important part of the visitors’ destination experience.

“Food is becoming a key part of how people experience travel. Visitors want more than sightseeing; they want to connect with places through flavour, through stories, through local creativity. Supporting initiatives like the Guyana Cup Pizza Making Competition helps build that space for innovation, while also strengthening the wider tourism product.”

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Hon. Susan Rodrigues, said gastronomy is helping to open up new ways of sharing Guyana’s identity.

“Our food culture continues to play an important role in strengthening Guyana’s tourism product and supporting opportunities within the wider sector. Events such as this contribute to skills development, encourage innovation, and support capacity building within the culinary industry. As Guyana advances its tourism agenda, initiatives like this help to expand the range of offerings available and reinforce the country’s positioning as a diverse and competitive destination.”

At its core, the competition reflects a growing focus on food as part of Guyana’s tourism story. Food remains one of the most direct ways to experience a country, and Guyana continues to share that story with the world through its cuisine.

In the two categories, the Neapolitan and Guyanese Gourmet, the ten competitors each showcased their skills to the judges. Ultimately, Alex Tenorio emerged as the winner in the Neapolitan category and will represent Guyana at the 2026 World Pizza and Empanada Championship, to be held from September 2-4, 2026, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Lisa Hamilton won the Guyanese Gourmet category and was declared the overall winner after garnering the most points. She received the GYD $300,000 prize from Minister Rodrigues and was presented with the winners’ cup by Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Honourable Mark Phillips.