Panettone speaks Neapolitan: a pastry chef from San Paolo Belsito wins the world cup

Salvatore Tortora established himself among 22 pastry chefs from all over the world, from Canada to Portugal, from France to Australia, from the United States to Spain and obviously from Italy. The runner-up also speaks Neapolitan, second place goes to a Salerno native. Bronze medal to Tuscany. The Panettone master award in memory of Alfonso Pepe, the great master from Salerno who passed away last year

Lhe world cup of traditional panettoneand went to a master Neapolitan pastry chef, Salvatore Tortora, of San Paolo Belsito in the province of Naples. There proclamation took place in Lugano at the end of a tight competition between 22 pastry chefs from all over the world, from Canada to Portugal, from France to Australia, from the United States to Spain and obviously from Italy.

Salvatore Tortora has cultivated a passion for the art of confectionery since he was a child, when he spent most of his time watching his grandmother prepare sweets for special occasions. He therefore frequents the laboratory of Ciro Scarpato. It will be in the Pasticceria Angela, in San Sebastiano al Vesuvio, under the guidance of the Maestro who will skilfully refine the basics of international pastry, including the study of leavened products, chocolate, decorations in pulled and blown sugar. It was the meeting with Iginio Massari that changed his life and made his pastry shop in San Paolo Belsito a point of reference for Campanian pastry art. "The continuous search for excellence - underlines the motivation of the jury - still leads him today to the incessant experimentation of new flavors".

The Italian flag also stands out on the other two steps of the podium. The international jury made up of Massimo Ferrante (Italy, President of the Jury winner of the Coppa del Panettone 2019), Paco Torreblanca (Spain, Best Pastry Chef in Spain), Massimo Turuani (Switzerland, President of SMPPC), Jimmy Griffin (Ireland, Master Baker), Fabrizio Galla (Italy, Relasi dessert), Debora Massari (Italy, Food Technologist), Davide Malizia (Italy, Artistic Sugar World Champion), Gianbattista Montanari (Italy, Corman Demonstrator and panettone expert), Frank Dépéries (France, MOF Boulanger) , Bruno Buletti (Switzerland, panettone specialist), Vittorio Santoro (Italy, Food Cast Director), Roberto Rinaldini (Italy, World Champion), awarded the silver medal to the master pastry chef Fiorenzo Ascolese of San Valentino Torio in the province of Salerno and third place went to Massimiliano Lunardi from Quarrata in the province of Pistoia.

Fiorenzo Ascolese works in the family workshop, bakers by passion, which produces sweets and delicacies every day. The quality of selected raw materials, imagination and dedication are the ingredients of his trade to make – reads the jury's motivations – biscuits and pastry desserts up to panettone and Christmas cakes, Easter cakes and many other delights for all occasions.

Massimiliano Lunardi grew up in the beauty of Tuscany and is a lover of the marvelous products of the most beautiful regions of Italy. Together with his brother, she decided to bring his passion into a company that bears their name. This is how Fratelli Lunardi was born.

During the award ceremony, the Panettone Master Award 2021 in memory of Alfonso Pepe, the great master who passed away last year, which helped create the history of Panettone in the world. The award was collected by his brother Giuseppe Pepe who, together with his sister, keep alive the tradition of the Pepe pastry shop in Sant'Elgidio di Monte Albano in the province of Salerno.

At the end of the event. The technical committee has announced the creation of the first Panettone World Cup Club which will be based in Italy, the first of a long series which will involve all competing countries.