After live streaming for 12 hours with the selected 32 Gelato Chefs from 18 countries around the world, the verdict of the Gelato Festival World Masters Final, the tournament with partners Carpigiani and Sigep - Italian Exhibition Group, has finally arrived. The best gelato flavor in the world is Hungarian, “Frutta di Pistacchio” by Ádám Fazekas of Fazekas Cukrászda in Budapest, a creamy salted pistachio gelato with a Tonka bean spiced raspberry coulis and a pistachio crumble

The Hungarian Fazekas impressed the jury for his technical competence, the quality and combination of the ingredients and the taste presentation. His journey began in 2018 with a selection in Hungary and then, the following year, the victory in the “Gelato Festival Next Generation” competition which brought together the 16 best European gelato artisans under the age of 30. Finally, he won the European Final last July. “I come from a small European country, Hungary, with big dreams, professional humility, and unstoppable hunger for knowledge. It was a huge step and also a great honor to win the National Championship then to come out on top of the "Next generation" category in Rome in 2019. My special gelato poem was inspired by one of the best-selling desserts of our confectionery. That's how the salted pistachio gelato was created.” commented the world champion.

In second place overall, from Spain, Carlo Guerriero of La Cremeria Gelato Italiano in Cádiz with the flavor “Cremoso al Vino Oloroso²”. A captivating zabaglione gelato flavored with Palo Cortado sherry wine, raisins soaked in the same wine and crunchy almonds.

In third place overall, from Italy is Marco Venturino of I Giardini di Marzo gelateria in Varazze (SV) with the flavor “Bocca di Rosa”. A delicious and fragrant white chocolate gelato with precious rose water made by Venturino, who was inspired by the Ligurian rose syrup Slow Food Presidium.

The technical jury was made up of 11 Gelato makers, frozen dessert professionals, pastry chefs and culinary chefs of international standing: Giancarlo Timballo, Gelato Chef & president of the Organizing Committee of the Gelato World Cup; Cinzia Otri, Gelato chef and owner of the Gelateria della Passera, a 3-min walk from the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy; Antonio Mezzalira, Gelato Chef of the Golosi di Natura in Gazzo Padovano nearby Padova in northeast Italy; Paolo Lavezzini, executive chef at the ilustrius Il Palagio restaurant at the Four Season Hotel in Florence, Italy; Peter Bertoti, Gelato Chef of Quattro Si in Warsaw, Poland; Arpad Szucs, pastry chef & pastry consultant of CottoCrudo in Budapest, Hungary; Helena Fléglova, pastry chef of the illustrious HF Pastry Academy in Prague, Czech Republic; Edouard Bechoux, Pastry chef and Master chocolatier from Belgium; Steve Christensen, frozen dessert educator & consultant at the Scoop School in Missouri, USA; Panjaree Boonchuay, culinary chef behind the infamous Thai Firenze restaurant in Florence, Italy recently awarded in 2021 with Thai SELECT Classic, an award certifying authentic Thai cuisine worldwide.
The technical jury awarded the following special mentions following the criterion of non-accumulation of prizes:
•    Special mention “Miglior sorbetto”: Fernando Alberdi of the Dona Doni Gelateria in Getaria with the flavor “Mango Ezpeleta”. Note: by sorbet we mean a gelato without milk and derivatives, water-based.
•    Special mention “Best flavor from Europe”: Tomasz Szypula of the Lodziarna pod Ortechem Gelateria in Baborów with the flavor " Miracle Yogurt"
•    Special mention “Best flavor from South America”: Juan José Orueta of La Obra Gelateria in Curicó with the flavor "Fruición"
•    Special mention “Best flavor Middle East & South Africa”: Mohamad Majd Tabbakh of Yamama Gelato in Riyadh with the flavor "Cardamon & Saffron"
•    Special mention “Asia & Australia”: Hidenobu Yamamoto of Gelato Daigozakura in Okayama with the flavor "Japanese forest-scented fiordilatte (with kuromoji)"

Here is the list of special mentions awarded by the jury of the international press composed of: Luis Concepción, journalist of the magazine Arte Heladero; Yumi Hasegawa Picone, journalist and Gelato ambassador in Japan; Carlo Gentile, RAI CINEMA journalist and food and wine expert; Elena Postelnicu, Gruppo del Gusto Foreign Press Association in Italy and correspondent journalist of Radio Romania; Sabina Castelfranco, correspondent reporter for CBS News; Monika Soszyńska-Masny, Director of the Polish magazine Przegląd Piekarski i Cukierniczy dedicated to pastry and Gelato.
•    Special mention “Plating”: Sandro Tomassetti of the Gelateria La Cremosa in Johannesburg with the flavor " Ricotta cheese and Pears"
•    Special mention “Storytelling”: Fabiano Franzoso of Cremoloso Gelato in London with the flavor “Amaretto salato"
•    Special mention “Pairing Flavor and Territory” : Massimiliano Scotti of the Gelateria VeroLatte in Vigevano (PV) with the flavor “Il mio primo vero latte”
•    Special mention “Creativity”: Elisabeth Stolz of the Hubenbauer Osteria in Varna (BZ) with the flavor "Gioia Verde"
From Gelato Festival’s Headquarters in Los Angeles a special jury of influencers awarded the following special mentions:
•    Special mention “Best Flavor from the USA”: Diego Comparin of Paciugo Gelato in Dallas (Texas) with the flavor "Texas Pecan Sea Salt Caramel"
•    Special Mention “Best Video”: Taseer of the Faboulous Ice Fires Gelateria in London with the flavor "Wild Cherry"

The Gelato World Cup is partner of the Technical Jury. Event Sponsors: Fabbri 1905 and Fabbri USA; ISA, a manufacturer of showcases and displays for gelato and pastry shops; Caffè Vergnano 1882; Rancilio, a manufacturer of professional coffee machines; ENIT. Media partners of Gelato Festival World Masters: Punto IT, Food Professional Network, Gelato Artigianale, Tutto Gelato, Arte Heladero, Przegląd Piekarski i Cukierniczy, Uniteis News.
The Gelato Festival debuted in Florence in 2010, inspired by the ideation of the first gelato recipe by the multifaceted architect Bernardo Buontalenti in 1559. Since then, the event has expanded its borders, expanding first to the rest of Italy, then to Europe and - since 2017 - also in the United States, with hundreds of events held, before embracing the whole planet with the World Championship of Gelato Festival World Masters 2021.

LIST OF WORLD FINALISTS

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (3)
Savannah Lee of Savannah's Kitchen Gelateria in San Francisco with the flavor "The All American"
Mike Guerriero of Guerriero Gelato in Caldwell (New Jersey) with the flavor "Blueberry Basil"
Diego Comparin of Paciugo Gelato in Dallas (Texas) with the flavor "Texas Pecan Sea Salt Caramel"

SOUTH AFRICA (4)
Michael Dube of Aroma Gelato in Pretoria with the flavor "Apple Pie Gelato"
Sandro Tomassetti of the Gelateria La Cremosa in Johannesburg with the flavor "Ricotta cheese and Pears"
Karin Loots of The Ice Creamery in Pretoria with the flavor "Gin & Marmalade"
Fahmida Moolla of Gelato Studio in Johannesburg with the flavor "Macadamia Praline"

ITALY (5)
Fabio Forghieri of the Gelateria dei Principi in Correggio (RE) with the flavor "Oceano Indiano"
Elisabeth Stolz of the Hubenbauer Osteria in Varna (BZ) with the flavor "Gioia Verde"
Marco Venturino of the Gelateria I Giardini di Marzo in Varazze (SV) with the flavor "Bocca di Rosa"
Francesco Sottilaro of the Bar Boccaccio Gelateria in Villa San Giovanni (RC) with the flavor "Fata Morgana"
Massimiliano Scotti of the Gelateria VeroLatte in Vigevano (PV) with the flavor “Il mio primo vero latte”

AUSTRALIA (1)
John Crowl of Cow and the Moon Gelateria in Sydney with the flavor "Pannacotta, poached strawberries and balsamic vinegar"

AUSTRIA (1)
Katarina Rankovic of Eismanufaktur Kolibri Gelateria in Wolfurt with the flavor "Insieme"

BRAZIL (1)
Armando Laiun of the Sorveteria Cairu Gelateria in Belém with the flavor "Carimbó"

GERMANY (2)
Giuseppe Cimino of the Eis Rimini Gelateria in Rastatt Plittersdorf (BW) with the flavor "Physalis-Avocado Sorbetto"
Claudia Trotta of the Eiscafé Venezia Gelateria in Wernigerode with the flavor "Edelweiss Ziegenjoghurt"

JAPAN (3)
Keisuke Katayama of Arima Gelateria Stagione in Kobe (Hyogo prefecture) with the flavor "Salted mascarpone and amazake with hint of Kumquat"
Aiko Matsumoto of Gelateria Santi in Kamakura (Kanagawa prefecture) with the flavor "Rosemary honey with candied nuts"
Hidenobu Yamamoto of Gelato Daigozakura in Okayama with the flavor "Japanese forest-scented fiordilatte (with kuromoji)"

SAUDI ARABIA (1)
Mohamad Majd Tabbakh of Yamama Gelato in Riyadh with the flavor "Cardamon & Saffron"

HUNGARY (1)
Ádám Fazekas of the Fazekas Cukrászda ice cream shop in Budapest with the flavor "Frutta di Pistacchio"

POLAND (1)
Tomasz Szypula of the Lodziarna pod Ortechem Gelateria in Baborów with the flavor "Miracle Yogurt"

UNITED KINGDOM (2)
Fabiano Franzoso of Cremoloso Gelato in London with the flavor “Amaretto salato"
Taseer of the Faboulous Ice Fires Gelateria in London with the flavor "Wild Cherry"

THAILAND (1)
Marina Jonglertjesdawong of TIFTEC - Culinary School with the flavor "Happy Childhood Memories (from root to table)”

BELGIUM (1)
Mathieu Eyckmans of the Oyya Gelateria in Bruges with the flavor "Gorgonzola Fig Gelato"

CZECH REPUBLIC (1)
Martina Březinová of the NamNam Cafè Gelateria in Velká Dobrá with the flavor "Summer Pear"

NETHERLANDS (1)
Marten Riedstra of the Ijssalon Iiskâld Gelateria in Lemmer with the flavor "Sweet & Happiness"

CHILE (1)
Juan José Orueta of La Obra Gelateria in Curicó with the flavor "Fruición"

SPAIN (2)
Carlo Guerriero of La Cremeria Gelato Italiano in Cádiz with the flavor "Cremoso al Vino Oloroso²"
Fernando Alberdi of the Dona Doni Gelateria in Getaria with the flavor “Mango Ezpeleta”