Tulsa Restaurant Owner Wins Gold At World Pizza Championship

A Tulsa restaurant owner took home the gold at the International Pizza Expo.

World pizza champion and Zasas's Pizza and Wings owner Tara Hattan competed in Las Vegas last week. Hattan added some medals to her collection taking home two first-place titles and one-third place from the world stage. This wasn't Hattan's first rodeo. She's won several trophies and medals at previous competitions. This year's Pizza Expo was no different.

 "Now the past few years, I've walked out with several different titles and it's really rewarding to have all that hard work pay off,” Hattan said.

 Last week in Las Vegas, Hattan rolled out her skills against people from around the world. She placed first in two events including the fastest dough competition. Hattan says for her, throwing dough is just another day in the office.

 "Practicing nonstop, especially right before, literally up until the competition in the hotel room, like throwing pizza dough, trying to nail everything,” she said.

 She made it to the finals in the Masters Division for pizza acrobatics winning the bronze medal. All eyes were on Hattan on the international level.

 “It is extremely intimidating. It never gets easier. I'm always mentally prepared and then right before we go up there, it's just absolutely nerve-racking,” Hattan said.

She says she also beat some of her personal records. Even with a row of recognition, Hattan remembers how far she's come.

"It's really humbling, I guess. To do it for so long and to be where I was when I first started. Literally at the bottom of the bottom,” Hattan said.=

Hattan plans on competing again next year. She's chasing her dreams one dough at a time. 

"That adrenaline, that moment right when you hit the stage and then you forget everything and have fun, it's so worth it,” Hattan said.