Gelato Festival World Masters, the main category tournament with partners Carpigiani and Sigep - Italian Exhibition Group, continues its journey around the world searching for the world’s best gelato. After Athens, Łódź and Budapest, the fourth European stop of 2023 was in Santa Cruz de Tenerife on May 24th where 12 Spanish gelato artisans took part in the sweetest competition of the year hosted by Clifrican SLU, Carpigiani distributor, in occasion of the GastroCanarias fair that is celebrated until the 25th of the month. 

The winning gelato artisans are:

First place
Alfredo José Marrero Páez of Boutique Relieve in Santa Cruz de Tenerife with the flavor “Origén cacao”;
Description: Gelato made with chocolate in different textures

Second place
José Javier Rodríguez Medina of José Javier Rodriguez Medina Gelato Shop in Las Palmas with the flavor “Cynara”;
Description: Cream cheese gelato with caramel and dried fruit notes

Third place
Davide Grillo of El Tucán in Arguineguin with the flavor “Velvet Red Rose”;
Description: Mascarpone and Philadelphia gelato with strawberry chocolate chips and red velvet and strawberry cookies

The selected gelato artisans will go on to the Spanish Finals of Gelato Festival scheduled for 2024 in Italy at the Carpigiani Gelato University headquarters. Flavor, structure, creativity and presentation are the four parameters used for the evaluation, highlighting the choice of ingredients, the craftsmanship in elaborating the recipe and the visual impact of the gelato (see below the full list of participants). 

The jury was composed of: 
•    Alessandro Rusconi, Pastry Chef 3°place National Pastry Championship 2021
•    Luis Perera, Pastry Chef and Trainer
•    Rubén Medina Santos, Pastry Chef 1°place “Concurso Regional de Pastelería y Confitería Artesana de las Islas Canarias”

Gelato Festival debuted in Florence in 2010, inspired by the creation of the first gelato recipe by the versatile architect Bernardo Buontalenti in 1559. Since then, the event has expanded its borders, first to the rest of Italy, then to Europe and – starting in 2017 – the United States, with a total of 80 Festivals held, before embracing the entire planet with the world championship of Gelato Festival World Masters 2021, which concluded in December 2021 - with the victory of Adam Fazekas from Budapest - and saw a record of 3,500 gelato artisans judged by international juries. 

GELATO FESTIVAL WORLD MASTERS - CHALLENGE
May 24th, 2023
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Host: Clifrican SLU

LIST OF PARTICIPATING FLAVORS:

WINNERS

First place
Alfredo José Marrero Páez of Boutique Relieve in Santa Cruz de Tenerife with the flavor “Origén cacao”;

Second place
José Javier Rodríguez Medina of José Javier Rodriguez Medina Gelato Shop in Las Palmas with the flavor “Cynara”;

Third place
Davide Grillo of El Tucán in Arguineguin with the flavor “Velvet Red Rose”;

List of the other participants:
1.    Eloidio Aguilera Quintana of Fratelli Invest S.L in Santa Cruz de Tenerife with the flavor “Zabayone di la nonna”; 
2.    Stefano Rosso Viera of Bambola Gelato Crepes & Gofres in Santa Cruz de Tenerife with the flavor “Space jump - chocolate bacon”;
3.    Jesús David Rodríguez Barroso of Pastelería Heladería Café David Rodríguez in Puerto de la Cruz with the flavor “Red Velvet de Pistacho”;
4.    Laura Ferrari of Gelato del Mercato in Los Cristianos with the flavor “Leche dorada”;
5.    Isidro Ortiz Trujillo of Guirlache in Las Palmas Gran Canaria with the flavor “Chef de Paris”;
6.    Carina Graciela Rodz Nickel of Kerrico Heladería in Adeje with the flavor “Rafaelo Vegano”;
7.    Carlos Rojas Rueda of Trompa & Co. In Barcelona with the flavor "Dark Emotion”;
8.    Gianfranco Viscito of Gelatomania 2.0 in Las Palmas Gran Canaria with the flavor “Arroz con leche”;
9.    Roberto Scarlatella of Heladería Panna Cioccolato in Arona with the flavor “Isla de sabores”;