A unique partnership between Torrington High School and Pizzeria Marzano gave students the opportunity to bring their culinary creativity into the real world through a pizza-making competition held on April 29.
The competition, organized through culinary teacher Chef Thomas Johnson’s classes, known to students as Chef Tomm, challenged students to develop original pizza recipes that could potentially be featured at the local restaurant. The collaboration gave students a hands-on opportunity to apply classroom skills while working through the same creative process used in professional kitchens.
“Stuff like this is good for their future,” Chef Tomm said. “You get a product, bring it to market, actually sell it, and make a product recipe.”
The winning team, led by seniors Sanija Abazovski and Samiya Samad, impressed judges with their Butter Chicken Taj Mahal pizza, a creative recipe inspired by South Asian flavors and halal cooking practices.
The pair said they wanted to create something that would “connect with our culture” while also making the dish stand out “not only in appearance but in taste.” Their efforts paid off with a pizza they described as “creamy and delicious.”
Chef Tomm praised both the originality of the dish and the hard work behind it.
“Who ever thought butter chicken pizza could be something? And it’s halal too!” he said. “I’m proud of my students. They worked really hard.”
For Samad, the competition represented more than just creating a winning recipe. The team intentionally chose to make a halal pizza, using the opportunity to introduce others to an important part of Muslim culture.
Halal food follows specific ethical guidelines, including standards for how animals are raised, fed, and treated. Samad explained that these practices are rooted in respect and humane treatment.
She also expressed gratitude that the dish will be featured at Marzano’s, saying she hopes it helps create “a stronger understanding of Islam, halal meat, and South Asian cultures in Torrington and Northwestern CT.”
The competition also highlighted some of the challenges Muslim students can face in culinary settings. Because many other teams used ingredients like pepperoni that are not halal, Samad said her group felt “a little bit disadvantaged” at times.
Still, the students viewed the challenge as an opportunity to showcase their culture and expand awareness within the school and wider community.
The partnership with Marzano’s is part of Chef Tomm’s effort to connect students with local businesses and provide authentic industry experiences. He said the class will continue working with area restaurants, with another competition already planned.
“Next week we’re going to do the same thing with Stella’s. We’re doing a buffalo wing competition,” he said. “We’ll do Marzano’s again next year.”
By connecting classroom learning with real-world collaboration, the partnership between THS and Marzano’s gives students the chance to see their ideas come to life while building skills that could shape their futures in the culinary world.
