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GELATO WORLD CUP: DAY TWO. FINALISTS ANNOUNCED ON TUESDAY
Gourmet gelato: Japan takes the win. Technique and cultural vision at the heart of the challenges in the Gelato Arena – Hall A7

Rimini, January 17, 2026 – The second day of competition at the Gelato World Cup 2026, currently taking place at SIGEP WORLD – The World Expo for Foodservice Excellence, once again confirmed the exceptional standards and complexity of the world’s most prestigious team competition dedicated to artisanal gelato.

Japan wins the “Entrée with Gourmet Gelato” challenge at GWC 2026, a test in which gelato becomes an ingredient within a savory dish rather than a dessert. Each team presented a hot dish paired with a tomato-based gourmet gelato, showcasing the versatility of gelato in contemporary fine dining. This challenge reflects the evolution of the sector and highlights an area that the Gelato World Cup has strongly promoted and enhanced over time, establishing itself as a trend-setting competition. The theme chosen by Team Japan was Discover Atlantis.

The Japanese team’s gourmet gelato dish took the form of a multisensory marine appetizer—a true narrative of the sea that plays with temperatures, textures, and visual illusions. The mussel takes center stage as a black wafer made with squid ink, crisp and precise, enclosing a soft and savory filling of shellfish and white fish, enhanced by an herbaceous green sauce, lime gelée, and a delicate basil mayonnaise that refreshes and balances the palate. Octopus follows with an intense, deeply flavored tartare, slow-cooked to concentrate taste and succulence, set on a velvety white parsley sauce and topped with a Parmigiano crisp in an evocative shape, adding fragrance and umami. The journey concludes with a shrimp ravioli, ethereal and translucent like rice paper, with a fragrant heart of ginger, sesame, and sake, served in a clear, aromatic vegetable broth enriched with saffron and gyokuro tea, evoking elegance and Eastern depth. Overall, the dish achieves a refined balance of technique, creativity, and maritime identity, designed to surprise without sacrificing clarity of flavor.

For the Entrée with Gourmet Gelato challenge, an international press jury was also involved, chaired by Eleonora Cozzella, Director of Il Gusto, alongside specialized journalists from international publications: Chiara Masciocchi (PuntoIT), Sanjay Anand (Bakery Review), Zeina Dammous Nahas (Taste & Flavour), Mackenzie Filson (Boston Magazine), and Michelin-starred chef Luca Landi. Their evaluation focused on the integration of gelato into the savory dish, flavor balance, and the gastronomic coherence of the message conveyed.

The theme of gourmet gelato also featured prominently in interviews and talks throughout the two days, set within the broader context of Italian cuisine recognized as UNESCO heritage. This innovative journey has been pioneered by figures such as Luca Landi, Sergio Dondoli, Sergio Colalucci, and Giancarlo Timballo, protagonists of a vision that has taken gelato beyond sweetness into dialogue with haute cuisine.

Officially opening the day in the Gelato Arena was host Alice Tognacci, who welcomed back the same six teams from day one—China, Japan, Argentina, Mexico, Indonesia, and Belgium—reviewing the rules, key roles, and judging criteria. The teams once again competed in four highly technical and creative challenges: Gelato Snacks, Entrée with Gourmet Gelato, Gelato Cake, and the Final Grand Buffet.

The Gelato World Cup continues tomorrow with the entry of the remaining six teams—Poland, Singapore, Peru, France, Ecuador, and Italy (2024 World Champion)—who will face the same challenges as the first group, also spread over two days to ensure fairness and consistency in judging.

Ensuring authority and transparency in the competition is a structured system of juries and control bodies. The Gelato World Cup 2026 is presided over by Maximiliano Maccarone, President of AFADHYA for Argentina, and Emmanuel Ryon, Meilleur Ouvrier de France Glacier. Coordination of the competition field, juries, and commissioners is entrusted to Sergio Dondoli, Vice President of the Gelato World Cup.

The challenges are evaluated by two main juries: the Worldchefs technical jury, which assesses flavor, structure, balance, and technical precision, and the artistic jury, composed of team managers, responsible for evaluating aesthetics, presentation, and visual impact. Supporting them are competition commissioners, the Control Committee, and the official Notary of the competition, ensuring fairness and regularity at every stage.

Great interest was also generated by the Gelato Cake, a classic challenge reinterpreted in a “world-class” key, and especially by the Final Grand Buffet, the highlight of the day. Each team set up an exhibition table bringing together all creations in a coherent narrative of technique, taste, and vision. An integral part of the buffet was the live chocolate sculpture, along with a single solid block of chocolate carved on site, supplied and worked by Silvio Bessone, renowned Piedmontese master chocolatier known for his research into cacao origins and his artisanal, cultural approach to chocolate.

At the conclusion of the challenge, the Best Entrée with Gourmet Gelato Award was presented, a special recognition dedicated to gourmet gelato, underscoring the strategic and cultural importance of this category within the Gelato World Cup.

The second day also featured numerous guests and key figures from the history of the competition on stage, including Christophe Domange, winner with France in 2018, representatives of the Italian team crowned World Champion in 2024, and masters who have shaped the evolution of the sector. A continuous dialogue between past, present, and future that confirms the Gelato World Cup as a place of meeting, education, and international vision.

During the day, AFADHYA, the Argentine gelato makers’ association, presented a commemorative plaque to the Gelato World Cup as a sign of gratitude for its commitment to uniting nations through artisanal gelato.

The Gelato World Cup 2026 continues tomorrow in the Gelato Arena with the entry of new teams and another two-day round of challenges, leading toward the awarding of the world title.

The realization of the Gelato World Cup 2026 is made possible thanks to the support of a broad network of partners and sponsors who share the values of excellence, innovation, and gelato culture. The competition is organized by Gelato e Cultura in collaboration with SIGEP WORLD, the leading international platform for foodservice, and is supported by major industry companies. As Platinum Sponsors, Coppa Anselmi, Babbi, Electrolux Professional, and Valrhona accompany the event, joined by Adamance as Golden Sponsor together with Carpigiani and Frascheri. The contribution of Silver Sponsors—Medac, Agrimontana, Sosa, and Ico Cialde—and numerous Technical Sponsors, including IFI, Paperlynen, Reire, Rico Caffè, Sara Creazioni, Pomati, Regione Friuli Venezia Giulia, Norohy, and Pasticceria Internazionale, has ensured the highest organizational and operational standards. Completing the support system is the role of Media Partners Punto IT and Pasticceria Internazionale, who accompany the Gelato World Cup in telling its story and sharing its content worldwide.

For updates and live content: @gelatoworldcup
Official hashtag: #GWC2026