Belgium’s 3 Best Gelato Artisans Named in Zandhoven

Gelato Festival World Masters made its first Belgian stop of the 2022-2025 cycle in Zandhoven, where three artisans earned places in the 2025 European Finals.

The Zandhoven round

Twenty-two Belgian gelato artisans competed at the Carpigiani Benelux headquarters in Zandhoven, on 27 February 2024. The championship runs with partners Carpigiani and Sigep – Italian Exhibition Group. Entries were scored on flavour, structure, creativity and presentation, looking at ingredient choice, the craft behind the recipe and the visual impact of the gelato.

The winners

• First place: Christian Wu of Gelateria Giotto, Ixelles, with “Il Bosco dei Cento Acri”: an aromatic gelato of wild honey and Scots pine, with a porcini mushroom crumble and a lemon and honey variegate.
• Second place: Fabio Marasti of La Gourmand’Ice, Verviers, with “Nessun Dorma”: a Mediterranean-style gelato with olive oil, rosemary and lemon zest.
• Third place: José Romero of Pepe’s, Brussels, with “Ouvre-Toi Sésame”: a gelato with Asian notes from black sesame and azuki beans.

The jury was Bruno Van Vaerenbergh (pastry chef and international culinary consultant for DEBIC België), Bram Hullebroeck (chef chocolatier and teacher at the Belgian Chocolate School), Dylan Vandenberge (sous chef and chef-patissier at the three-starred Boury restaurant in Roeselare) and Gill Walschap (pastry chef and owner of Zoet by Gill).

The other participants

• Bjorn Boudin, Bjornies, Kontich: “Koekjesdeeg”
• Sarah Van den Broek, Isidoor ijsatelier, Poppel: “Pornstar Martini”
• Dennis Roelands, Manus, Brasschaat: “Basilicum-Limoen”
• Kurt Florkin, Gritje Kokx, Merksem: “Baraquita”
• Roberto Milanese, Milanese Gelato, Antwerp: “Dessert di fine cena italiana”
• Hilde Gos, IceLab NiceCream Creations, Antwerp: “Tiramisù”
• Sofie Wouters, Tivoli Boutique, Kortenberg: “Ivory Maracuja”
• Rob Proost, Barijs, Lichtaart: “Duindoornbes Venkel”
• Jelle Haven, Gelato Queen, Oostkamp: “Lemon Queen Pie”
• Anthony Cordaro, Il Gusto della passione, Sint-Pieters-Leeuw: “Kriek, Diospyros & Sambucus”
• Anne-Chantal Dupont, Mystère et Boule de Glace, Lesdain: “Chicorée variegato chocolat blanc et caramel”
• Mathieu Eyckmans, oyya, Brugge: “Pandan Strawberry”
• Maryne Poppe, Tendance Glacée, Flawinne: “Pumpkin Seed”
• Jasper Braeckman, Cremerie Kreem, Nazareth: “Camembert – Zwarte Truffel”
• Tom Van Den Berge, Delicioso, Burst: “Peanuts Chilli and Lime”
• Peter Roman, Atelier du Trieu, Pecq: “Limoen Roomijs met Miso Caramel & Pecannoten”
• Gert Verschelde, ‘t Zoet Gemoed, Zomergem: “Vijgen-Geitenkaas-Honing”
• Jelle Bories, Sorbetes Ni Manong Jelle, Sint-Niklaas: “Durian Tiramisù”
• Kim Smet, Luca’s ijs & Leano’s bakkerij, Hamme: “Bounty”

About Gelato Festival

Gelato Festival debuted in Florence in 2010, inspired by the first gelato recipe, created by the architect Bernardo Buontalenti in 1559. It expanded across Italy, Europe and, from 2017, the United States, holding 80 festivals before going global with the 2021 Gelato Festival World Masters. That edition finished in December 2021 with a win for Adam Fazekas of Budapest and a record 3,500 gelato artisans judged by international juries.

What this means for gelato makers in Australia

Savoury, floral and unexpected pairings are changing what gelato can be. Majors Group helps makers in Australia get there with Carpigiani gelato machines, Rubicone ingredients and Carpigiani Gelato University training.

Source: Carpigiani news. Rewritten for Australia by Majors Group.