The 5th edition of Gelato World Heritage took place during Excellence Food Innovation, organized by the Italian Gelato Makers Association to promote peace and cultural dialogue through the universal language of artisan gelato. The event brought together six embassies—Albania, Japan, Sweden, New Zealand, Congo, and Tunisia—each represented by a team and judged by an expert panel including World Gelato Champion Eugenio Morrone and gelato professionals Vincenzo Pennestrì, Tiziano Damiano, and Patrizia Morisi from Centrale del Latte.
The top prize was awarded to the Embassy of New Zealand, represented by Cristina Asdagi, Domenico Lucchese, Gianluca Montervino, Ivano Donato, Domenica De Novara, and led by Master Gelato Chef Cristian Monaco, already recognized as an Ambassador of Italian Gelato Worldwide.
Their winning creation? A vanilla-based gelato with crunchy caramel – the iconic Hokey Pokey, a beloved flavor in New Zealand. The presentation was elevated by the artistic touch of Molly Coppini, who sculpted a detailed figure of the kiwi bird, a national symbol of New Zealand.
"We discovered that New Zealand has a rich artisan gelato culture very similar to our own. For this competition, we chose to reinterpret one of their most iconic flavors—Hokey Pokey—enhanced by Molly Coppini’s incredible creativity," explained Cristian Monaco.
This celebration of flavors, cultures, and craftsmanship once again highlighted how artisan gelato can build bridges between nations, conveying a message of peace and mutual appreciation through sweet creativity.
