Gelato Festival World Masters Returns to Los Angeles

The Gelato Festival World Masters returned to Los Angeles on 2 and 3 September 2023, taking over the common area at Ovation Hollywood on Hollywood Boulevard, steps from the official Gelato Festival flagship store. Carpigiani and Sigep (Italian Exhibition Group) were strategic partners, and Los Angeles Magazine was the official media partner.

A competition for the best gelato in North America

The event brought 12 chefs together to compete for the title of Best Gelato Master in North America 2023. All had earned top marks at earlier sanctioned events in New York, Toronto, Chicago and Los Angeles. A technical panel and festival attendees judged them, and the winners earned the chance to represent North America on the road to the World Finals in 2025.

The competitors were:

• Giuseppe Lollino, Vero Gelato (Franklin Park, IL)
• Maria Liliana Biondo, uGOgelato (Cincinnati, OH)
• Lauren Brock, Butterfat Gelato (Pittsburgh, PA)
• James Coleridge, Gelato by James (Vancouver, Canada)
• Gisella Zomparelli-Chung, Gelato North (Toronto, Canada)
• Gabriele di Marco, Oretta Restaurant Toronto (Toronto, Canada)
• Patrizia Pasqualetti, Gelato by Patrizia Pasqualetti (Santa Clara, CA)
• Jose Alvarez, Gelato Go El Segundo (El Segundo, CA)
• Simona Vacca, Il Gusto (West Covina, CA)
• Melanie Wolf, Pompelmo Gelateria (Westerly, RI)
• Francia Michelle Magsaysay, Francy’s Artisanal Ice Cream (Bergenfield, NJ)
• Golan Chetrit, Noi Due Gelato (New York City)

Family-friendly activities

The festival ran from 10 am to 7 pm on both days, at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue. Visitors could watch live demonstrations by gelato artisans, join tastings and workshops, and see competitions in several flavour categories. They could also learn about the history and culture of gelato and the stories behind some of the world’s best-known gelato shops. Alongside the 12 competition flavours, sponsors and chefs offered extra samples, including gluten-free and lactose-free options.

About the Gelato Festival World Masters

Founded in Florence in 2010 by Gabriele Poli, the tournament runs on a four-year cycle, with entrants chosen from hundreds of events on five continents. It has run 13 editions and more than 100 public festivals in over 20 countries, with over 1,000 gelato masters competing each year. Gelato Festival has also grown into a gelato brand, sold to hospitality groups, retailers and online, and through its flagship store at Ovation Hollywood.

What this means for gelato makers in Australia

Competitions like this are a good prompt to refine your own signature flavours. Majors Group supplies Carpigiani gelato machines across Australia, and you can build recipe and business skills through Carpigiani Gelato University and our training options.

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