It's a family affair at winning pizza place

News-Times reporter

One Amherst family-owned-and-operated pizza joint has proved they are a slice above the rest.

David Zinn, along with his daughter Jill -- owners of Jilliano's Pizzeria, 2275 Cooper Foster Park Rd. -- headed to the state capital to compete in the 2010 Pizza Pizzazz competition at the Greater Columbus Convention Center on Sunday, Feb. 21.

"This is the first time that we competed and we didn't know what we were getting in to," Zinn said. "We've been down there two other years and we talked a lot with the ones who put all the seminars on and they kept telling her you got to get in and do the pizza thing. So, this year we decided to try it."

In round one, the Zinns were competing against 54 other pizza shop owners from around the country vying for a chance to be one of the top six to move on to the final round in the Gourmet Division.

Jill chose to make her signature seafood pizza of spinach, shrimp and crab meat on top of a lobster cream sauce. It is then smothered in mozzarella and provolone cheeses. The pizza baked for eight and a half minutes in a 460-degree oven.

"They just had tables set up and you bring all of your own ingredients, your own dough, everything and make your own pizza there," Jill Zinn said. "They provided the deck and conveyer ovens."

Once the pizza met Jill's expectations, it was whisked away uncut and presented to a panel of eight judges seated in a separate room. The Zinns did not know who they were nor were they told anything about their professional backgrounds.

"They don't know who made it," Jill said. "You're a number and that's it."

About two hours later, number 25 was moving on to the final round of the competition after placing second.

In the final round, Jill had to make her seafood pizza the exact same way she did the first time around. This time, however, her pizza would be presented to a panel of 36 judges.

"I was nervous about getting everything done, making sure I was cooking it right and it was going to turn out the way it should," Jill said. "There really wasn't any pressure because it's something I've done every single day for years. It's just making pizza like I always do when I'm here."

Tim Michitsch -- a culinary chef instructor at the Lorain County Joint Vocational School -- was also at the convention center for a high school cooking competition going on at the same time.

Nevertheless, he was there to witness his former student's third place finish. Jill was only a quarter of a point shy of second.

She came in behind Frank Baird, owner of Pizza Plus in Avon Lake and David Smith II, owner of Pizza Palace Plus located in Emporium, Pa. He took home the top prize of $7,500 in cash.

"We were excited," Jill said. "We were surprised."

As a result of her third place finish, she received a plaque and $250 in cash.

Zinn told the News-Times the judges did not let Jill or the other contestants view their results on paper.

"They don't want people if they didn't get in to go over to the judges and question them," he said. "They just keep everything private."

Both Zinn and Jill plan on making the Pizza Pizzazz competition an annual event.

"There were quite a few pizza owners that wanted to know how she did hers because they had people asking for seafood and a lot of places don't have that kind of pizza," he said. "She just told them what was on it and they have to figure out how to do it."

Jilliano's Pizzeria has been in business for about four years at Heritage Plaza.

Jill said their homemade dough and pizza sauce sets their business apart from the national chains.

The mozzarella and provolone cheeses used on their pizza, pasta, subs, and salads comes from a company called Grande Cheese.

"It is the best cheese which none of the chains get," Jill said. "It's only for independent pizza owners and they don't sell to the chains. It's the best cheese you can buy."

They also have side dishes like cheesy bread, mozzarella and garlic sticks, French fries and homemade potato chips. Zinn also makes wings, strombolis, St. Louis-style BBQ ribs and chicken baskets.

Jilliano's has also received the Clean Plate Award from WOIO-Channel 19 after receiving a perfect score from county health inspectors in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

"We just want the people around here to know we're here," he said. "We still get people coming in and they say we never knew you were here. How long have you been here? We have some people who come from Vermilion, North Ridgeville and Strongsville to eat here."