“This edition has strengthened Roma Food Excel’s role as a premier event for Made in Italy and food innovation,” said Andrew Lookman, the event’s organizer. “We’re thrilled about the collaborations born during the four-day fair, which will fuel new synergies and future projects for the industry.”
The trade show featured a rich program of events, including masterclasses, workshops, seminars on agri-food and food processing excellence, as well as competitions, live demonstrations, and show cooking sessions—specifically designed for professionals in the food and hospitality sectors.
Spotlight on Artisanal Pizza: Trofeo Città di Roma and Master Pizza Champion
Among the highlights was the Trofeo Città di Roma, sponsored by the Associazione Pizza Romana (APR). The competition brought together top pizzaioli from across Italy who competed in categories such as Pizza in Teglia, Pizza in Pala, Pizza Tonda al Matterello, and Pinsa Romana.
The top prize in the Pizza Tonda al Matterello category went to Vanessa Savi from San Giorgio a Liri (Frosinone province), followed by Gianluca Piersanti and Domenico Sancamillo.
Meanwhile, the prestigious title of Master Pizza Champion was awarded to Carlo Ammirata from Bisignano (Cosenza province) for his Pizza Sant’Umile, recognized for its perfect balance between dough and ingredients. Ammirata has secured a place in the Master Pizza Champion 2025 national finals, which will be broadcast on Sky 913, Canale Italia 121, and available online and on-demand via major social channels.
Italian Gelato Excellence Shines with the AIG
The Italian Gelato Association (AIG) also played a leading role at Roma Food Excel 2024, offering a schedule packed with training, live gelato demonstrations, and competitive events.
One of the standout moments was the deep dive into alcohol-infused gelato, hosted by Paolo Cappellini along with world champions Eugenio Morrone and Rosario Nicodemo, who presented innovative gelato creations featuring limoncello spritz.
Major gelato competitions included the “Gianicolo d’Oro”, focused on ricotta romana flavors and serving as the final qualifying event for the AIG Gelato Italy Cup 2024. The competition crowned Gianluca Montervino of Gelateria Cecere (Rome) as the winner.
Another key contest, the “Aventino d’Oro”, ended with a tie for first place between Paolo Costantini of Il Gelatone (Rome) and Davide Pillitteri of Gelateria Diadema (Mazara del Vallo).
Looking Ahead: Bari in 2025, Rome in 2026
“This second edition has shown Roma Food Excel’s true potential in promoting Made in Italy across the food and hospitality industries,” concluded Ezio Amendola, co-organizer of the event. “We’re proud of the strong turnout and enthusiasm, and we’re already planning ahead. We'll return from March 9–12, 2025 in Bari for Levante PROF, and we'll be back in Rome in 2026. Alternating between the two cities has proven to be a winning strategy, with Levante PROF now a key event in Southern Italy.”