Cool King Hosts the Carpigiani Gelato Challenge – Top 3 Winners Announced!

Celebrating Canada’s Finest Gelato Artisans

Mississauga, ON – The Carpigiani Gelato Challenge at Cool King Refrigeration brought together Canada’s top gelato artisans for an unforgettable competition, showcasing creativity, technique, and passion for authentic gelato. With 10 elite gelato chefs vying for the top spots, the competition was fierce, and the flavors were extraordinary.

After a rigorous evaluation by a panel of industry experts, chefs, and food journalists, three exceptional gelato artisans stood out, earning the highest scores and advancing in the Gelato Festival World Masters 2025 competition, a prestigious world championship spanning five continents.

The Top 3 Winning Flavors

1st Place – “Mio Nonno” by Stephanie Tucci (By Chefanie, Barrie, ON)

With an impressive score of 37.50, Stephanie Tucci’s “Mio Nonno” captured the judges’ hearts with a luxurious Mascarpone gelato infused with Fig Vermouth Caramel & Cantucci Crumble—a tribute to classic Italian flavors and craftsmanship.

2nd Place – “Mastic & Passion” by Onur Yilmaz (Ice Creamonology, Toronto, ON)

Onur Yilmaz secured second place with a Mastic Base Gelato paired with homemade Honeycomb & fresh Passion Fruit, earning a score of 31.00. This unique creation blended the pine-like aroma of mastic with sweet honeycomb and tropical passion fruit, creating a refined yet bold flavor profile.

3rd Place – “Diavola” by Parry Sohi (Nani’s Gelato, Mississauga, ON)

With a daring and unconventional approach, Parry Sohi’s “Diavola” wowed the judges with a Diavola Pizza-infused Gelato featuring Candied Prosciutto & Pecorino Romano, earning a score of 29.00. This bold, savory-meets-sweet creation reimagined a classic Italian dish in frozen form.

A Prestigious Competition with a Global Legacy

The Gelato Festival World Masters, in partnership with Carpigiani and Sigep – Italian Exhibition Group, is an internationally recognized tournament spanning five continents, dedicated to finding the world’s best artisan gelato. The February 20 event in Mississauga marked the second North American stop of 2025, hosted by Cool King Refrigeration, the leading Carpigiani distributor in North America.

The competition is judged based on four key parameters: ✔ Flavor – The balance and quality of ingredients.
✔ Structure – The texture, consistency, and smoothness.
✔ Creativity – The innovation behind the flavor concept.
✔ Presentation – The visual appeal of the final gelato.

The judging panel featured a lineup of renowned culinary experts:

• Gianluca Ruggieri – Private Chef
• Jeremy Day – Flavor Specialist and Bartender
• Luca Vitali – Chef and Owner of “Casa Toscana”
• Alessandro Buccianti – Chef and Owner of “Punto Gelato”

The Road to the Gelato Festival World Masters

With their victory in Mississauga, Stephanie Tucci, Onur Yilmaz, and Parry Sohi now advance to the North America Semifinals of the Gelato Festival World Masters in 2025. Winners from this next stage will compete on the global stage against the best gelato artisans from Europe, Asia, and South America for the ultimate title of World Champion.

Since its inception in Florence in 2010, inspired by the 1559 gelato recipe of Bernardo Buontalenti, the Gelato Festival has expanded worldwide, culminating in the 2021 World Finals, where 3,500 gelato artisans competed for the top prize. The journey continues, with Canada’s best gelato makers now in the spotlight.

Beyond the Top 3: Meet the Other Competitors

While only three competitors advanced, the 2025 Ontario Challenge featured an incredible lineup of gelato chefs showcasing their expertise:

• Lara El Alam (Divino, Georgetown, ON) – Molassini
• Kate Cram (Cold Front Gelato, Nanaimo, BC) – Buttermilk Gelato
• Gisella Zomparelli Chung (Gelato North, Toronto, ON) – Dubai Chocolate
• Daniela Zomparelli (Lola’s Gelato, Toronto, ON) – Mangonada
• Lois Kim (Spoonful of Futura Granita + Gelato, Toronto, ON) – Hummus & Breadsticks
• Salvatore Guarna (I Love Gelato, Burlington, ON) – Meravigghia
• Sevan Kakajan (G for Gelato, Toronto, ON) – Pistacchio

Cool King: Supporting Artisan Gelato in Canada

As a leading supplier of Carpigiani gelato equipment, ISA display cases, and premium gelato ingredients, Cool King Refrigeration is committed to elevating the standards of gelato craftsmanship in Canada. Hosting this prestigious competition aligns with Cool King’s mission to support gelato businesses with world-class equipment, training, and expertise.

Stay Tuned for the Next Round!

The Carpigiani Gelato Challenge at Cool King Refrigeration was a true celebration of artisan gelato and culinary excellence. As we follow the journey of Stephanie Tucci, Onur Yilmaz, and Parry Sohi to the next stage, we invite all gelato enthusiasts to stay connected for updates on the North American Semifinals and the road to the Gelato Festival World Masters 2025!

Follow Cool King Refrigeration for more updates: www.coolking.com
Follow Gelato Festival World Masters: @GelatoFestivalWorldMasters

Supporting Canada’s artisan gelato industry—one scoop at a time!