RIMINI, Italy--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With votes cast and flavors tasted, these seven gelato artisans have secured their place in the Grand Finale of the Gelato World Tour taking place in Rimini, Italy this September 8-10, 2017. The Americas gelato “Dream Team” will compete against the top 36 gelato flavors from around the world. Representing the best gelato flavors the Americas has to offer, each finalist will try to capture the gelato crown for the World’s Best Gelato Flavor.
The seven flavors representing North and South America are:
- Amor-Acuyá by Daniela Lince Ledesma; Medellin, Colombia
- Chicago Pothole by Angelo Lollino and Ali Caine Hung; Elmwood Park, Illinois
- Rich Chocolate by Tammy Giuliani; Ontario, Canada
- Saffron Pistachio with Candied Lemon Peel by Gianluigi Dellaccio; Washington, D.C.
- Breakfast at Nonna’s House by Chef Michael E. Meranda; Addison, Illinois
- Coconut Pineapple by Kelly Chu and Doran Matthew Cook; Charleston, South Carolina
- Caramelized Fig by Spin Mlynarik; Los Angeles, California
Winner of the Illinois Challenge, Michael Meranda says, “I just did what I do every single day and that is to make gelato from the heart with passion… it is a great opportunity to work with such amazing people.” Making gelato every day from only the freshest ingredients, these seven competitors create wonderful flavors that not only taste good, but also have one-third the fat and considerably less air than ice cream, with bursts of flavor combinations and amazing mouth-feel.
Having competed in gelato events before, many of the artisans on the gelato “Dream Team” are looking forward to competing in the Grand Finale in the country where it all started… Italy! “Working with gelato gives me an opportunity to express my passion for food and the Italian Culture, right here in America,” Meranda says.
As the gelato culture grows across America, the seven finalists are helping to further spread its awareness. It all comes down to the Grand Finale this September in Italy to see if someone from the Americas “Dream Team” has what it takes to bring the title of World’s Best Gelato Flavor to America for the first time ever.
Since competing in the preliminary stages, many of these skilled artisans have had the chance to tweak their recipes, improving their chances of showing the world that you can also get amazing artisan gelato in America. Follow our “Dream Team” on all our social media sites and at gelatoworldtour.com.
About Gelato World Tour
With more than 1,500 competitors from 5 continents, the Gelato World Tour is the most comprehensive gelato competition in the world. It has already visited dozens of cities including: Rome, Valencia, Melbourne, Dubai, Austin, Berlin, Rimini, Singapore, Tokyo and New York City. The prestigious Carpigiani Gelato University and Sigep – Rimini Fiera, the most important trade show for traditional gelato and pastry, have organized the event. Main Partners are IFI, leading manufacturer of gelato display cases, and PreGel, the world’s largest producer of ingredients for gelato and pastry. The event is supported internationally by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, and the Emilia Romagna Region.
Media credentials, photography, b-roll and more information are available upon request.
