GFWM European Finals in Bologna: 59 Gelato Artisans, 17 Countries

The Gelato Festival World Masters, which has toured the world since 2017 looking for the best gelato flavours, ran five European qualifying rounds on the road to its World Finals. In total, 59 gelato shops from 17 countries took part.

The calendar

All five stages were hosted at the Gelato Museum in Anzola Emilia, Bologna, the first museum dedicated to the social and technological history of artisan gelato. The competition, organised with Carpigiani Gelato University (20 campuses in 19 countries) and Sigep (run by Italian Exhibition Group), had made the flavours of more than 2,500 artisans known despite the pandemic pause.

• 29 June: Spain, nine shops, top two to the World Finals
• 6 July: United Kingdom, six shops, top two qualify
• 6 July: Austria, six shops, winner qualifies
• 8 July: Poland, eight shops, winner qualifies
• 13 to 14 July: Rest of Europe and Mediterranean Area, 30 shops from Germany (3), Belgium (5), Bulgaria (1), Croatia (2), Greece (2), Israel (1), Morocco (1), Norway (1), the Netherlands (6), Portugal (1), the Czech Republic (3), Sweden (2) and Hungary (2); three go through

A hybrid format

• Artisans shipped their mixes and the ingredients for decorating and variegating each flavour in refrigerated consignments.
• Carpigiani Gelato University instructors made the gelato while competitors supervised via live video.
• A Gelato World Cup Committee jury judged each flavour in a real-time conference with the artisan.
• Artisans, broadcasting from their own shops, described the idea behind the flavour, how they chose the ingredients and why they entered.

Each stage’s judging was streamed online. In Italy, the second semi-final with 76 artisans was set for September 2021, the Italian Final with 16 for October and the World Finals for December. The Gelato Festival began in Florence in 2010, inspired by Bernardo Buontalenti’s 1559 gelato recipe, and has held 64 festivals across Italy, Europe and the United States.

What this means for gelato makers in Australia

Competitions like this are a reminder that great gelato starts with technique. Majors Group can connect you with Carpigiani Gelato University training and the machines used to make the flavours, or help you plan a shop through our guide to opening a gelato shop.

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