The Gelato Festival Challenge stopped at The Coolest Fest at The Grove Mall in Pretoria on 5 October 2019, where 11 South African gelato artisans competed. The event was hosted by Carpigiani’s distributor for South Africa.
The winning flavours
- “Macadamia praline” by Ayesha Kajee of Gelato Studio in Johannesburg: macadamia gelato with praline shards.
- “Apple Pie Gelato” by Michael Dube of Aroma Gelato in Pretoria: cream gelato with crostata variegato, cinnamon, apple variegato and cookies.
- “Gin & marmalade” by Karin Loots of The Ice Creamery in Pretoria: milk gelato with locally produced gin infused with roasted oranges and cinnamon.
- “Pistacchio” by Sandro Tomassetti of La Cremosa in Johannesburg.
Next steps
The four artisans advance to the 2020 Africa Final, the next stage of the Gelato Festival World Masters championship, which will select the one African gelato maker to represent the continent at the 2021 World Final. Entries are judged on flavour, structure, creativity and presentation, reflecting ingredient choice, craft in the recipe and visual impact.
What this means for gelato makers in New Zealand
Gin, citrus, macadamia and apple pie all show how local flavours can shape a standout gelato. In New Zealand, Majors Group supplies Carpigiani batch freezers and Rubicone ingredients so you can develop your own signature range.
Carpigiani in New Zealand — Majors Group
Majors Group is the official Carpigiani distributor in New Zealand: machines, Rubicone ingredients, ISA cabinets, Techfrost blast freezers, packaging, Carpigiani Gelato University training, finance and local service.
Source: Carpigiani news. Rewritten for New Zealand by Majors Group.
