ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Local food writer Stu Helm has partnered with a plethora of local pizzerias for the second annual WNC Pizza Week, a regional celebration of all things ‘za.
What to expect during WNC Pizza Week
The event, which runs from Monday, Feb. 9 to Sunday, Feb. 15 kicks off from 5-9 p.m. with a charity benefit and launch party at Soprana Rooftop Cucina. The rest of the week, a long list of local restaurants will have special pies for sale, often offering topping combinations exclusive to the event.
The Soprana party will not be the only charity pizza event this year. From 5-7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 12 at Twisted Laurel in downtown Asheville, Helm will helm a “Hot Slice Contest,” where 12 celebrity contestants, including one member of the community, will compete to eat increasingly spicy pizza slices, all to raise money for Meals on Wheels of Asheville and Buncombe County.
The contestants include:
- Sarah the WAXlorette, representing the Campaign For Southern Equality
- Allen Brody of Urban Combat Wresting, representing BeLoved Asheville
- Fireman Alex Phelps from the Asheville Fire Department, representing 12 Baskets
- Officer Robert Crume from the Asheville Police Department, representing Brother Wolf Animal Rescue
- Asheville City Council member Maggie Ullman, representing Riverlink
- Chef Rakim Gaines from Capella on 9, representing Hood Huggers
- Rajdeep Manaise from Mëhfil Indian Restaurant, representing Food Connection
- Karim Olaechea of MountainTrue, representing MountainTrue
- Caleb Montag from Carolina Cannabis Coalition, representing BridgeMeals
- Nikki Harris from Meals On Wheels, representing Meals on Wheels
- Fruitcake Sarah from Asheville Food Tours, representing Linked 4 Life
- A randomly selected member of the crowd, representing MANNA FoodBank
Whichever spicy pizza eater can hold out the longest will win “stupid prizes” and acknowledgement of their ironclad stomach.
While not every single pizzeria in WNC created a specialty pizza for the week, Helm has done his best to add every single one to an interactive map. Check out www.stuhelmfoodfan.com for all the deals and to check out Helm’s map.