Berlin-Based and True Italian Gelato Maker Enrico Piccin Ranks 11th in the World at Gelato Festival World Masters

From Berlin to Las Vegas: Artigiani’s Enrico Piccin ranks among the world’s best gelato makers

One of the top 11 gelato makers in the world is based in Berlin. His name is Enrico Piccin, founder of Artigiani, who achieved an impressive 11th place at the Gelato Festival World Masters Finals, held in Las Vegas from March 24 to 26.

The final brought together 34 of the best gelato artisans worldwide, representing 18 countries, selected through a four-year competition involving more than 3,500 participants across hundreds of international events.

On top of his ranking, Piccin also received a special recognition from the international jury: the “Mastery of Gelato Science” award, highlighting his technical excellence and deep understanding of gelato craftsmanship.

For Berlin—and for Germany—this is a remarkable achievement. Piccin was in fact the highest-ranked competitor representing Germany at the world finals. His journey started with a victory at the Germany Challenge in Gießen, followed by qualification through the national finals.

Today, Artigiani operates two gelato shops in Berlin: one in Lichterfelde-Steglitz (Unter den Eichen 94b) and one near Schlachtensee (Matterhornstr. 52/54). A third location is expected to open soon in Potsdam.

Artigiani is also a long-standing member of the True Italian network and has been part of every edition of Gelato Week Berlin—including the upcoming one taking place from May 7 to 17, 2026, a public event entirely separate from the international competition in Las Vegas.

The flavor that brought Berlin to the world stage

The gelato that secured Piccin’s place among the world’s best is called Mediterraneo: a milk-based gelato infused with rosemary, enriched with extra virgin olive oil and finished with lemon zest.

“It’s a milk-based gelato with a rosemary infusion,” Piccin explains. “As the main fat component, I use an olive oil from the Chianti hills—very aromatic and slightly pungent—which pairs perfectly with rosemary.”

The final touch is citrus: “The gelato is variegated with organic lemon peels, left to rest in lemon juice, then dried and incorporated into the recipe to add freshness and acidity.”

The result is a flavor that balances herbal, creamy, and citrus notes—technically complex, yet deeply rooted in Mediterranean identity.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Artigiani, das naturliche Eis (@artigianiberlin)

From uncertain beginnings to international recognition

Piccin’s story didn’t start with a clear plan. He moved to Berlin in 2014, at just 18 years old. “At that time, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life,” he says.

His first experience in the gelato world was far from ideal: “It was the typical situation of a young Italian working abroad for Italians—underpaid, often off the books, and treated quite badly.” Yet that experience became the foundation for everything that followed.

“It made me stronger and helped me understand the potential of this field.” He went on to attend gelato schools, gain experience across Europe, and eventually spent three years in India working on a project with an NGO. There, he trained young people from orphanages to produce gelato and manage gelato-pizzeria businesses as a social enterprise, creating income and reinvesting it into the organization.

In 2019, he returned to Berlin and opened Artigiani. “I did it by going into debt and using everything I had saved.” The beginning was tough, but things gradually changed thanks to customers and word of mouth. A second location followed almost by chance: “A customer couldn’t manage her gelato shop anymore and offered it to me at a very low price.”

The real turning point came after the pandemic: “From 2021–22, we really started to grow.” From there, the project gained momentum—eventually leading to the international stage.

A global result, firmly rooted in Berlin

Looking back at the journey, Piccin describes the experience as almost unreal: “It still feels surreal—especially considering that to get here I went through four years of competitions and surpassed more than 3,000 gelato makers from all over the world.”

Today, his result is not only a personal achievement, but also a reflection of Berlin’s growing food scene—where quality gelato is increasingly taken seriously.