The International Pizza Expo officially got underway today at the Las Vegas Convention Center. But there were a couple of big pre-Expo events on Monday that I was excited to experience.

As usual, 13-time World Pizza Champion Tony Gemignani hosted his traditional Expo pre-party for friends in the industry on Monday. For the second straight year, Gemignani joined forces with Scott Weiner and Slice Out Hunger to host a fundraiser to feed the less fortunate on 3rd Street in front of the DTLV Pizza Rock. It was called the LV Pizza Tailgate, and it allowed people who aren’t attending the Expo to sample the creations of over a dozen pizza makers from California, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Hawaii, Colorado and the United Kingdom.

Hot Honey on Pizza? That’s a Good Pie

That same evening, Good Pie’s Vincent Rotolo and Mike’s Hot Honey also co-hosted a pre-Expo party at Good Pie in The Arts District. While Rotolo and his team were the only ones making the pizzas, they offered a nice variety for everyone in attendance.