From Florence to Los Angeles, via London, Washington D.C. and Miami. The Gelato Festival, born in 2010 from an intuition of Gabriele Poli, has become the international event for the promotion of artisanal gelato, a reference point for lovers of the cold dessert and a global showcase for the best gelato masters. But how did this idea come about? And why Los Angeles for the next stop? We talked about it with the founder, a visionary entrepreneur who has managed to transform an all-Italian passion into a global brand.
Gabriele, take us back to the roots: where did the idea of Gelato Festival come from?
Ice cream has always been a part of my life. As a child it was a ritual: every afternoon with my grandmother we would indulge in a cup going around the best ice cream shops in Florence, and that’s where a love was born that has never left me. But the real turning point came in 2010, in Florence. The initial goal was to celebrate the birth of the Florentine cold cream, considered by many to be the first ice cream in history: a marvel created in 1559 at the Medici court by the multifaceted genius of Bernardo Buontalenti, artist, architect and chef, creator of the famous Florentine iceboxes at the Boboli Gardens.Thus the first Gelato Festival was born: an event capable of uniting past and future, roots and innovation, culture and taste. A tribute to Made in Italy and to one of the most beloved and representative excellences of our culinary tradition.
Since then the format has evolved a lot. When did you realize it could become something bigger?
Already after the third edition, when we took the festival first on tour to different Italian cities and then to Europe in collaboration with Italian Trade Agency. I realized that artisan gelato had enormous potential even abroad, where it is often little known or confused with ice cream In 2017 with our historical strategic partners Carpigiani Group and Sigep – Italian Exhibition Group, we made the big leap with the launch in the United States. Today the Gelato Festival, which over the years has spawned the global ‘World Masters’ competition, is the world’s largest network of master gelato makers, industry companies, training schools and millions of enthusiasts.
How does the festival format work?
The heart of the event is the competition between master ice cream makers. Each participant presents an original flavor created especially for the festival. The audience can taste, vote, and interact with the ice cream makers, while a technical jury professionally evaluates the competing ice creams. It is an immersive experience, with workshops, show cooking, children’s activities and talk shows about the world of ice cream. But it is also a showcase of opportunities for professionals: thanks to the results obtained in the competitions, gelato makers enter Gelato Festival’s world ranking and from the selections of the various competitions they aim to enter the world final of the ‘World Masters’ held every four years.
We arrive in Los Angeles. Why this city?
Los Angeles is a crossroads of cultures, trends, and innovation. It is a city attentive to food, to quality, but also very curious about all that is authentic… many of the latest culinary trends in America are born right here. There were all the conditions to take the Gelato Festival to the next level: international audience, very active Italian community, and an area that looks to the future but loves traditions. It is the perfect location.
And this time Los Angeles is not just a stop…
And this time Los Angeles is not just a regular competition stop — that’s right. On August 30 and 31, 2025, the Ice Cream Festival returns to Los Angeles for the first time since 2023 with a must-see event: the North American finals of the ‘World Masters,’ which includes ice cream makers from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Hosting the event will be the iconic Ovation Hollywood, in the heart of the Walk of Fame
For two days, the continent’s best gelato makers will compete to win the title of “Best Gelato Master in North America 2025.” The public will enjoy an immersive experience made up of tastings (with free samples also of the Gelato Festival branded product line), cooking demonstrations, showcooking and, of course, lots of passion for Italian artisanal excellence.
This year, thanks to the partnership with IRCA, the event promises to be even richer and more engaging with the debut of their JoyGelato line in the United States. And there will be no shortage of concrete gestures of solidarity: together with the Hollywood Food Coalition, a fundraising initiative is active through tickets sold online and directly at the event. Attendees will be able to contribute to the fight against food insecurity in Los Angeles and meet the association’s volunteers at a dedicated booth. (For more information on tickets)
In the U.S., the Gelato Festival is not limited to the ‘World Masters’ You have also created a line of branded products to raise awareness of real Italian gelato and the best flavors in the competition. What does this project consist of?
Since 2019 we have been working to build a stable and continuous presence of Gelato Festival on the American territory. We opened a production facility in South California where we produce exclusive flavors made in collaboration with the world’s best master gelato makers. These products, now distributed throughout America in the hospitality and foodservice channel and already present in selected supermarket chains in the main states, represent a permanent showcase of our quality and crown our company’s ultimate goal: to bring to American homes a product made in the Italian way, with an international touch, healthy and nutritious, but without sacrificing taste.
How do you select the ice cream makers who participate in the festivals?
Our collaboration with Carpigiani Group and their Frozen Dessert University is the main channel for entering the competition, and we also have a team of experts and collaborate with trade associations, training schools, consulates and Italian embassies around the world. Participants are chosen based on the quality of the products, the originality of the recipes and their professional experience. We want to tell the story of excellence, but also the passion behind each cone or cup. Artisan gelato is a craft made of technique, but also of heart.
What makes you most proud of the journey so far?
To see that Gelato Festival has created a network that enhances Made in Italy in the world, in a concrete and engaging way. Gelato is not just a dessert: it is an ambassador of our culture.
The article Gabriele Poli: “This is how I took the Gelato Festival to the world: next stop Los Angeles” comes from TheNewyorkese.
