Nona Slice House's world champion dough-tossers train for next big competitions
Nona Slice House world champions
Nona Slice House in Safety Harbor attracts people from all over for dinner, and sometimes a show performed by a world champion pizza tosser. FOX 13’s Haley Hinds reports.
SAFETY HARBOR, Fla. - Good pizza is more than just a delicious bite. Its creation is science. Its presentation is art. Its flavor is pure romance. And at Nona Slice House in Safety Harbor, stretching that soon-to-be bubbly dough is a sport that's ranked them among the best in the world.
"It's a fun, delicious sport," explained owner Jamie Culliton. "Myself and my staff, we know dough."
Over the years, they've perfected their recipe, fermentation, proofing, and acrobatics. Their tosses and twirls wow customers at home and score high with judges around the world.
The backstory:
Culliton has been in the pizza business for over three decades, starting as a delivery driver.
"I ended up in a kitchen and that's where I just found my passion for making pizzas," he said.
Like perfectly fermented dough, he's risen through the ranks as one of the top pizza-making and tossing competitors in the world. He has four world championships under his belt and more than 30 national titles.
"You've got everything from just your basic spin, to down the shoulders, to lying on the ground, to through the legs, two at a time and three at a time," Culliton explained.
Award-winning pizza
His Margherita also earned him Best Pizza in the Country at the American Pizza Championship.
It's a performance of its own, watching him sprinkle flour on the peel, gently press the dough, carefully place hand-sliced fresh mozzarella and DOP Italian plum tomatoes, before finishing with their signature spice blend and a little bit of extra virgin olive oil.
Then, Culliton quickly slides the pie into the oven.
"The key is just to let it sit until you see it brown," he said. "Maybe give it one spin and that's it."
Once out of the oven, he finishes it with parmesan, a little bit of fresh basil, and just a touch of that extra virgin olive oil. That's their old-world style. Nona also slices up New York, Detroit pan, Sicilian and Tavern.
Teaching the next generation
Dig deeper:
Culliton has gladly passed down his talents, teaching team members like McKenna Carney about the art of tossing and winning.
Carney said, "I definitely have the competitive edge in me to want to go out and do something and be good at it."
As an athlete, it didn't take long for McKenna to claim her own world championships from Las Vegas to Naples, Italy.
"I just try to keep everything fun and interesting, keeping the crowd involved and interested in what you're doing too," Carney said.
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"She won this year for her vegan pizza that she baked in Vegas," said Culliton. "So, she's a serious pizza maker on top of being one of the best acrobats in the world."
She keeps her eyes on the pies and the next prize.
"I would love to win the Parma Championship; that's like the biggest thing for acrobatics," Carney shared.
"We've been to some competitions where we place in the top three in every single category," Cullliton said. "You know, one of us does. And so, to have that all come from one restaurant here in little Safety Harbor is pretty impressive."
The Nona roster runs deep - more than a dozen at times - with everyone from dishwashers to servers to bartenders throwing their dough into the ring.
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"Everybody asks, well, how did you learn to do this? And it's just practice," Culliton stated. "No one was born to be the greatest anything. They worked really hard at it."
The name recognition these competitions bring makes a difference, especially as they expand. They recently opened Frico on 2nd on New York's Upper East Side.
"It features a New York-style and a Detroit-style pizza," Culliton said.
While we can debate cities, crusts and toppings - what truly makes a good pizza?
"People go back, is it the cheese, is the sauce, is it the dough? For me, it's definitely the dough," Culliton said.
Nona Slice House's hallway is filled with articles and accolades from Fastest Box Folder to Freestyle Champ. But the thing Jamie Culliton is most proud of is the family he's created.
Nona's Slice House is family affair
What they're saying:
"A real family that cares about each other, that really loves each other. That takes care of each other," Culliton said.
It's not just the workers. It's also the customers who keep coming back.
"Every seat in the house, everybody's happy and the employees are having a good time, and the people are having a good time and the music is playing," Culliton said. "And I just sit back and say, look at what we've done. We really created something special here. And it feels really good."
What's next:
The Nona team is preparing for the International Pizza Expo in Vegas later this month, bringing a 10-person exhibition team.
Culliton and Carney are also competing in the master's divisions, with the team baking in the "best cheese" category.
After that, it's the big one in April - the World Pizza Championship in Parma, Italy, where they'll compete in several categories, including pan pizzas and acrobatics.
The Source: This article was written using interviews conducted by FOX 13’s Haley Hinds.