Andrew Zimmern Says Guidelines Are Meant to Be Damaged, And This Pizza Proves It

Casey’s is heating issues up in an enormous approach with the debut of its Barn Burner Rooster Pizza, a daring new slice born instantly from the corporate’s annual Pizza Competitors, and personally topped the winner by culinary icon Andrew Zimmern. The pizza, created by Casey’s district supervisor Terrell Banks, delivers a spicy, candy, and savory punch due to its sriracha base, grilled hen, bacon, actual mozzarella and cheddar cheese, crimson onion, jalapeños, and a post-bake drizzle of Candy Child Ray’s BBQ sauce. It is the type of flavor-forward threat that Zimmern says completely aligns along with his lifelong method to meals discovery. “Nice meals can come from surprising locations,” Andrew Zimmern defined, and Casey’s, he says, resides proof.

Chef Andrew Zimmern did not simply pattern the profitable slice, however he praised your complete philosophy behind Casey’s meals program, noting that many individuals nonetheless underestimate the model. “People do not count on a comfort retailer or a fuel station to be an ideal pizza vacation spot,” he advised The Blast. “However Casey’s proves that nice meals can come from surprising locations.”

He identified that Casey’s is quietly one of many largest pizza gamers within the nation, and that high quality begins on the basis. “A pizza’s platform is its dough and its crust, that is the place most pizza loses me,” Zimmern stated. “Casey’s has an ideal crust. A number of, actually. They usually make it in-house.”

That dedication to high quality components stood out to him as effectively. “Casey’s makes use of 100% actual mozzarella cheese,” he emphasised. “They’re sticklers for high quality, and it is why they’ve an ideal pizza.”

Judging Casey’s Pizza Competitors was no small affair. Zimmern described it as huge, high-energy, and much larger than he anticipated. “They stored telling me, ‘You are going to be blown away,'” he recalled. “And it was enormous. 1000’s of individuals. 4 groups making their award-winning pizzas.”

However one entry rose above the remainder. “Primary on my rating sheet, and it should have been primary on the opposite judges’ rating sheets too, was the Barn Burner,” Zimmern stated.

He broke down precisely why it labored, tying it again to the science of taste. “The science of consuming is about contrasts,” he defined. “Crunchy crust with gentle toppings. Candy versus savory. Smoky versus acidic, and this pizza has all of that,” pointing to the BBQ sauce, hen, sriracha, bacon, crimson onion, and jalapeños as the proper steadiness.

Regardless of the identify, Zimmern made it clear the Barn Burner is not designed to scare folks off. “I would not name it spicy scorching prefer it blows your mouth off,” he stated. “It is extra heat and alluring than it’s spiced scorching on the tip of your tongue.”

As somebody who admits to all the time reaching for additional warmth, Zimmern stated the pizza nonetheless delivers. “This definitely scratches everybody’s itch for certain,” he advised The Blast.

Past Casey’s, Zimmern used the dialog to dig into the larger image of pizza tradition and why he thinks the class is about to blow up creatively.

“There is a super quantity of creativity happening on this planet of pizza,” he stated, noting that financial pressures are pushing cooks towards pizza as a extra accessible medium. “It is a inexpensive meal… and it may be handed on to folks at a good value.” That accessibility, he believes, is unleashing innovation. “Every time that occurs in any meals class, there is a torrent of creativity unleashed,” Zimmern stated.

And on the subject of pizza guidelines? He is able to toss them out fully. “I am an anarchist on the subject of meals,” he admitted. “I believe every part is healthier whenever you break the principles, so long as it nonetheless tastes good.” He even revealed that a few of his favourite pizzas do not embody cheese in any respect. “My favourite pizzas haven’t got cheese on them,” he stated, pointing to tomato pies and world flatbreads as inspiration.

As for Casey’s, Zimmern stated the model already will get it. “A taco pizza was a rule breaker. A breakfast pizza was a rule breaker,” he stated. “It simply proves my level. Guidelines are supposed to be damaged.”

The Barn Burner Rooster Pizza is obtainable for a restricted time in choose markets, together with Indianapolis, Grand Rapids, Dayton, Bloomington-Regular, Champaign-Urbana, Decatur, Peoria, and Springfield. Followers can order in-store or by way of the Casey’s app.

To have fun Nationwide Pizza Week (January 11–17), Casey’s is providing 25% off complete pies with code PIZZAWEEK, together with the Barn Burner.