Announced on 17 November 2021 from Bologna and Los Angeles: the 32 best gelato artisans in the world had been chosen. They come from 18 countries, picked from about 3,500 participants over four years of events. The world final of Gelato Festival World Masters, the tournament run with Carpigiani and Sigep – Italian Exhibition Group, was set for 1 and 2 December at the Gelato Museum in Bologna, Italy.

A hybrid world final

A preview for gelato flavours made in the USA was planned for 29 November at Gelato Festival’s Los Angeles headquarters. The promotional videos of the competing flavours were also to be shown and rated by a jury of influencers.

Travel restrictions meant not every participant could reach Italy, so the organisers designed a “hybrid” event, with a team adapting to different time zones.

• The gelato artisans sent in their recipes and any distinctive or hard-to-find ingredients.
• Carpigiani Gelato University instructors batch-froze the gelato while the competitors watched and supervised by livestream from the production laboratory. Work shifts were set to suit each time zone.
• A technical jury of international professionals from gelato, frozen desserts, pastry and foodservice, together with a media and press jury, judged the entries in real time over a connection to each artisan on 1 and 2 December.
• Each artisan joined virtually from their own shop or lab and explained the idea behind the gelato, how they chose the ingredients and why they entered.

Judging was streamed live from 11 am CET on 1 December to 6 pm CET on 2 December on the Gelato Festival World Masters Facebook page and the Carpigiani Gelato University YouTube channel. The award ceremony was scheduled for 10.30 pm CET on 2 December. The Gelato World Cup partnered with the technical jury.

Who qualified

Nine of the 32 finalists are women. The finalists by country were: Australia (1), Austria (1), Saudi Arabia (1), Belgium (1), Brazil (1), Chile (1), Germany (2), Japan (3), Italy (5), Netherlands (1), Poland (1), United Kingdom (2), Czech Republic (1), Spain (2), United States (3), South Africa (4), Thailand (1) and Hungary (1).

• USA: Savannah Lee, Savannah’s Kitchen Gelateria, San Francisco (“The All American”); Mike Guerriero, Gelotti Essex, Caldwell, NJ (“Blueberry Basil”); Diego Comparin, Paciugo Gelato, Dallas (“Texas Pecan Sea Salt Caramel”)
• South Africa: Michael Dube, Aroma Gelato, Pretoria (“Apple Pie Gelato”); Sandro Tomassetti, Gelateria La Cremosa, Johannesburg (“Ricotta e Pere”); Karin Loots, The Ice Creamery, Pretoria (“Gin & Marmalade”); Fahmida Moolla, Gelato Studio, Johannesburg (“Macadamia Praline”)
• Italy: Fabio Forghieri, Gelateria dei Principi, Correggio (“Oceano Indiano”); Elisabeth Stolz, Hubenbauer Osteria, Varna (“Gioia Verde”); Marco Venturino, I Giardini di Marzo, Varazze (“Bocca di Rosa”); Francesco Sottilaro, Bar Boccaccio Gelateria, Villa San Giovanni (“Fata Morgana”); Massimiliano Scotti, VeroLatte, Vigevano (“Il mio primo vero latte”)
• Australia: John Crowl, Cow and the Moon Gelateria, Sydney (“Pannacotta, poached strawberries and balsamic vinegar”)
• Austria: Katarina Rankovic, Eismanufaktur Kolibri, Wolfurt (“Insieme”)
• Brazil: Armando Laiun, Sorveteria Cairu, Belém (“Carimbó”)
• Germany: Giuseppe Cimino, Eis Rimini, Rastatt Plittersdorf (“Physalis-Avocado Sorbetto”); Claudia Trotta, Eiscafé Venezia, Wernigerode (“Edelweiss Ziegenjoghurt”)
• Japan: Keisuke Katayama, Arima Gelateria Stagione, Kobe (“Salted mascarpone and amazake with hint of Kumquat”); Aiko Matsumoto, Gelateria Santi, Kamakura (“Rosemary honey with candied nuts”); Hidenobu Yamamoto, Gelato Daigozakura, Okayama (“Japanese forest-scented fiordilatte (with kuromoji)”)
• Saudi Arabia: Mohamad Majd Tabbakh, Yamama Gelato, Riyadh (“Cardamon & Saffron”)
• Hungary: Ádám Fazekas, Fazekas Cukrászda, Budapest (“Pistachio Fruit”)
• Poland: Tomasz Szypula, Lodziarna pod Ortechem, Baborów (“Cud miod orzeski”)
• United Kingdom: Fabiano Franzoso, Cremoloso Gelato, London (“Amaretto salato”); Taseer, Faboulous Ice Fires Gelateria, London (“Wild Cherry”)
• Thailand: Marina Jonglertjesdawong, TIFTEC Culinary School (“Happy Childhood Memories (from root to table)”)
• Belgium: Mathieu Eyckmans, Oyya Gelateria, Bruges (“Gorgonzola Fig Gelato”)
• Czech Republic: Martina Březinová, NamNam Cafè, Velká Dobrá (“Summer Pear”)
• Netherlands: Marten Riedstra, Ijssalon Iiskâld, Lemmer (“Sweet & Happiness”)
• Chile: Juan José Orueta, La Obra Gelateria, Curicó (“Fruición”)
• Spain: Carlo Guerriero, La Cremeria Gelato Italiano, Cádiz (“Cremoso al Vino Oloroso²”); Fernando Alberdi, Dona Doni Gelateria, Getaria (“Mango Ezpeleta”)

Sponsors and background

Event sponsors included ISA, the maker of gelato and pastry display cabinets. Gelato Festival began in Florence in 2010, inspired by Bernardo Buontalenti’s first gelato recipe of 1559, and has since spread across Italy, Europe and, from 2017, the United States, with hundreds of events held.

What this means for gelato makers in New Zealand

With John Crowl of Sydney in the line-up, Australia had a seat at the world final. The right tools make that standard reachable. Explore Carpigiani gelato machines, Rubicone ingredients and Carpigiani Gelato University through Majors Group.

Source: Carpigiani news. Rewritten for New Zealand by Majors Group.