Coal Mine Pizza's award-winning truffle pizza.

Is Palm Beach County home to the best pizza in the country?

I can hear the ex-New Yorkers amongst us saying, “Get outta here.” And as an ex-New Yorker, I’d be equally skeptical of such a statement.

But consider this: Steve Lieber, operations director of Coal Mine Pizza in Boca Raton (and its sister restaurant, Racks Italian Bistro and Market in North Miami Beach), was recently crowned the victor at the American Pizza Championship in Orlando.

That’s won him a spot on the United States Pizza Team, allowing him to compete in events in New York (America’s Plate competition) and Italy (the World Pizza Championship).

Lieber’s prize-winning pie? The same black truffle pie that’s available at Coal Mine, starting at around $40.

But don’t think the 48-year-old Lieber, who bested nine other top pizza makers from around the country at the Orlando event, gets by just on fancy ingredients. The real key to winning, he says, is in the dough.

“The crust has to be crisp and hold all the ingredients. It can’t get soggy,” he says.

Lieber can offer plenty more specifics, talking about “pore formation” (the tiny air bubbles that give a crust a certain lightness) and even how a pizza settles in your stomach.

“It Italy, they call it digestability,” he explains, adding that you know you’ve eaten a properly made pizza if you still feel like getting up and dancing after your meal.

A native of Brooklyn (ah, those New York roots), Lieber says he’s been a sucker for a good slice — specifically, a corner slice of a Sicilian pie — since his childhood days in Canarsie. But his initial professional culinary calling reflected his Jewish roots: Lieber worked at bagel shops in New York’s Catskill Mountains.

Though he considered a career in chemistry — he attended Florida Atlantic University — he opted to stay in the food business. He worked for the Cheesecake Factory chain (including the Boca location), then moved on to Brewzzi’s in Boca and a couple of David Manero’s restaurants (Vic & Angelo’s in Palm Beach Gardens, Shore in Delray Beach).

Finally, Lieber joined budding Boca restaurateur Gary Rack’s organization, opening Coal Mine (399 S.E. Mizner Blvd. in Royal Palm Place, 561-826-2625, grrestaurant.com), then Racks Italian Bistro (3933 N.E. 163rd St. at the Intracoastal Mall, 305-917-7225, grrestaurant.com). Lieber hints that the company is looking at launching another Boca eatery at Mizner Park.

Lieber discovered the world of competitive pizza-making at Coal Mine, when the restaurant hired legendary pizza man Tony Gemignani (he’s a five-time world champ) as a consultant. From there, Lieber went on to train with Tony G, as he’s simply called, at his San Francisco school.

Lieber admits the world of competitive pizza is something of a strange fraternity, replete with guys who have pictures of patron saints hanging above their ovens. “It’s almost like firemen,” he says of the bond.

But there’s also the spoils of victory — specifically, sponsorship deals, plus publicity that brings patrons into the restaurants. Lieber is so hooked he says he may compete in additional categories, including dough throwing and dough stretching.

As for his next competition in New York, Lieber may put the prize-winning black truffle pie aside. It’s a cream-based pie, which isn’t exactly in the New York red-sauce spirit. “I’d feel more comfortable making my meatball ricotta pizza,” he says.

Openings …
A new Don Ramon’s is planned for Clematis Street (at the corner of Olive Avenue) in downtown West Palm Beach. Look for the popular Cuban chain’s space to be ready by November.
… and closings
ZaZa Mediterranean Grill in West Palm Beach has shut its doors. And there’s been another closing at Downtown at the Gardens in Palm Beach Gardens — this time, the ’50s-themed burger chain Johnny Rockets.