CELEBRATION, FLORIDA.

On April 19-20, 2008, American Pie Council along with Crisco(c) hosted its Annual Great American Pie Festival and National Pie Making Championship.   

DIONNA HURT, of Longwood, Florida, took top Professional honors becoming the first African American to win the championship.

The 2008 competition, sponsored by Crisco, drew the largest number of entrants from all over the nation to compete in 4 levels.   The competition categories included Commercial, Professional, Amateur and Junior.

In 2005, Hurt's daughter, Christiana Hurt, won first place in the Junior category for her "Pineapple Cream Pie".

Dionna, a native of New Jersey and LCA Alumni, is the winner of the Professional category.  She won 1st place in the Fruit Division with her "Razzle Dazzle Raspberry Cheese Pie", 1st place in the Cream Pie Division withher "Bananas Foster Cream Pie" and 2nd place in the Chocolate Division with her "Romance Pie".  Her performance landed her Best-in-Show and the $5,000 Grand Prize.

Dionna has appeared on the iVillage Live, Food Network, NBC TODAY Show, and will be seen Monday, April 21, 2008 on WESH TV 2.  The competition will be shown in the fall this year on the Food Network.