Restaurant in West Sussex village wins gold at ‘pizza Oscars’ after just three years in business

Village Pizza Kitchen in Hurstpierpoint High Street claimed a gold award in the Independent Pizza Delivery category.

The awards are organised by the Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food Association (PAPA).

Founder Jo Malone said: “We have had a clear ethos from the beginning to showcase amazing British produce and to support local producers. We are really proud that almost all of our key ingredients are homegrown, from the flour we use in our pizza dough to the fior di latte used on our pizzas. We source most of our meat and charcuterie from nearby Ashurst, and all of our cheeses are British, with many being made locally in Sussex. We even have the chillies we use to make our chilli oil especially grown for us just a few miles up the road.”

Jo said the restaurant makes virtually everything from scratch, including biga dough, pizza sauce, toppings, pasta dishes and puddings.

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She continued: “Other things that are really important to us are providing excellent value, great service and being socially conscious. This is why we use energy-efficient electric ovens, sustainable packaging, and electric mopeds for delivery.”

Jo founded the business just three years ago and now employs ten people, having built up a sterling reputation in the area.

Village Pizza Kitchen received its gold award alongside five other independent pizza retailers in the country. The overall winner will be revealed at the PAPA Awards Dinner on Thursday, November 9, at the Royal Lancaster, London.

Jo said: “I’m feeling super excited about the awards. We didn't even know about them until earlier this year and are thrilled to be finalists in both categories we entered. Our head chef, Simonetta Held, will also be competing in another of the award’s categories – ‘Pizza Chef of the Year’ in Camden.”

Jim Winship, director, of The Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food Association, said: “Jo and Village Pizza Kitchen showcase exactly what we look for in this category (Independent Pizza Delivery) – a local business serving local customers and collaborating with local suppliers.”