An intense and emotional Italian final has officially named the ten pastry chefs who will represent Italy at the Panettone World Cup 2026, scheduled to take place in Milan on 7 and 8 November 2026.
The Italian final was held on Sunday, 18 January at Sigep, the international trade show for artisan gelato, pastry, bakery, and coffee. After a year-long national selection process across four stages in Reggio Calabria, Maddaloni, Milan, and Rimini, only five finalists per category earned a place in the world final.
TRADITIONAL PANETTONE: ITALIAN FINAL RANKING
Riccardo Manduca – Solodamanduca
Roberto Moreschi – Roberto Pastry & Bakery
Fiorenzo Ascolese – La Boutique dei Lievitati
Luigi Vetrella – Visioni Lievitati per Eccellenza
Matteo Papanice – Cresci di Papanice
CHOCOLATE PANETTONE: ITALIAN FINAL RANKING
Armando Pascarella – Pasticceria Armando Pascarella
Pompilio Giardino – Panificio Pompilio
Luigi Avallone – Pasticceria Fratelli Avallone
Andrea Ceracchi – Maciste Pasticceria
Alessandro Slama – Da Slama
A RIGOROUS JURY EVALUATION
The jury’s work was described as particularly demanding due to the exceptionally high quality of the entries. Products were evaluated on:
External appearance (shape, volume, and color)
Internal structure when sliced (alveolation, fruit distribution, and softness)
Sensory qualities, including aroma, flavor, and overall aromatic profile
This selection completes the Italian shortlist that will compete against finalists from around the world. Following selections already held in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, France, Brazil, Singapore, and the United States, upcoming national finals in Peru, Japan, Taiwan, and Australia will take place between February and May, further building anticipation for the Milan showdown.
THE PANETTONE WORLD CUP
The Panettone World Cup is an international competition that brings together pastry chefs from all continents to reproduce the original Milanese artisanal panettone recipe. The official recipe includes wheat flour, sugar, butter, egg yolks, salt, orange paste, orange-and-lemon peel, honey, vanilla, malt or malt extract, raisins, candied orange cubes, and candied citron.
The competition was founded by master pastry chef Giuseppe Piffaretti, whose long-standing mission has been to promote Italian pastry culture worldwide through competitions, masterclasses, and professional training courses. A key objective of the project is also the de-seasonalization of panettone, already a reality in countries such as Brazil and Peru, where it is consumed year-round.
The Panettone World Cup is held under the patronage of ICE – Italian Trade Agency.