Spanish Gelato Maker Leads Global Rankings
Carlo Guerriero of La Cremeria Gelato Italiano in Cádiz, Spain, has claimed the top position in the 2026 Gelato Festival World Ranking, a comprehensive global survey of artisanal gelato makers unveiled today in Rome.
Tomasz Szypuła of Szypuła 1974 in Baborów, Poland, ranks second, followed by Elisabeth Stolz of Osteria Hubenbauer in Varna, Italy, in third place.
Expanding Beyond Italy's Borders
The ranking, compiled by Gelato Festival World Masters, reflects the sector's increasing internationalization. The top 10 includes professionals from Spain, Poland, Belgium, the United States, the Netherlands, and Italy—a geographic spread that underscores how artisanal gelato culture has evolved beyond its traditional stronghold.
The evaluation draws on more than 15 years of international competitions, thousands of tastings, and assessments of over 8,000 gelato makers across five continents. Rankings are determined by competitors' performances in the circuit, evaluated on flavor, creativity, and aesthetic presentation.
"This edition of the Gelato Festival World Ranking has a special meaning because it comes at the conclusion of the latest Gelato Festival World Masters championship, an international journey developed over five years," said Adriana Tancredi, Project Manager of Gelato Festival World Masters. "It is the result of work spanning continents, cultures and thousands of tastings, allowing us to build a genuine picture of the evolution of artisanal gelato around the world. I have been involved in this project since 2013, and seeing such an international ranking today is a source of great pride."
Blending Tradition with Innovation
The 2026 ranking highlights a new generation of gelato professionals combining traditional Italian techniques with regional ingredients and contemporary gastronomic research. Today's leading makers increasingly operate at the intersection of pastry, foodservice innovation, and experiential dining.
Federico Tassi, General Manager of Carpigiani, a partner of the ranking, noted the importance of supporting makers themselves. "The Gelato Festival World Ranking has the merit of making visible what happens every day inside gelato laboratories: talent, research and entrepreneurial spirit. For Carpigiani, supporting this journey means investing in people even before technology, because it is master gelato makers who transform innovation into experience. In an increasingly international market, the real challenge is to support the sector's growth without losing its identity: training, quality and a global vision are the key drivers that allow artisanal gelato to continue being both an ambassador of Made in Italy and a universal language."
Hall of Fame Induction
During the announcement, Ádám Fazekas of Budapest—who won the world championship in 2021—was officially inducted into the Gelato Festival World Ranking Hall of Fame.
Top 10 Rankings
1. Carlo Guerriero – La Cremeria Gelato Italiano, Cádiz, Spain
2. Tomasz Szypuła – Szypuła 1974, Baborów, Poland
3. Elisabeth Stolz – Osteria Hubenbauer, Varna, Italy
4. Giovanna Bonazzi – La Parona del Gelato, Parona, Italy
5. Christian Wu – Gelateria Giotto, Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium
6. Savannah G. Lee – Savannah's Kitchen, San Francisco, USA
7. Massimiliano Scotti – VeroLatte, Vigevano, Italy
8. Maurizio Melani – Véneta Gelato Italiano, Valencia, Spain
9. Kees Baars – IJssalon IJsie Prima, Callantsoog, Netherlands
10. Fabio Forghieri – Gelateria dei Principi, Correggio, Italy (tied); Leonardo La Porta – Gelateria Miretti, Torino, Italy (tied)
Why It Matters
For gelato shop operators and suppliers, this ranking signals the ongoing professionalization and globalization of artisanal gelato. The geographic diversity of top performers—and the emphasis on blending Italian heritage with local innovation—suggests that successful gelato makers are those combining technical mastery with regional culinary identity. For equipment suppliers and training providers, the ranking underscores the continued investment in both professional development and cutting-edge techniques as essential to competitive positioning in an increasingly crowded market.
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Written by FBM Publications Editors