Introduction to the 2026 Panettone World Cup
The 2026 Panettone World Cup has announced its ten Italian finalists, selected from a national final held on January 18th in Rimini. The competition, which aims to promote the culture of Italian leavened products worldwide, has chosen the top contenders for the traditional and chocolate panettone categories. Riccardo Manduca, Roberto Moreschi, Fiorenze Ascolese, Luigi Vetrella, and Matteo Papanice are the finalists for traditional panettone, while Armando Pascarella, Pompilio Giardino, Luigi Avallone, Andrea Ceracchi, and Alessandro Slama will compete in the chocolate panettone category.
The Jury and Evaluation Criteria
The winners were chosen by a team of expert judges, including Giuseppe Mascolo, Jesus Machi, Stefania Mantero, Oscar Pagani, Gianbattista Montanari, Salvatore Tortora, Nicolas Botomisy, and Enrico Cerea for traditional panettone. The chocolate panettone category was judged by Jose Romero, Carlotta Filippini, Marco Dedicated, Matteo Papagno, Matteo Consolo, Angelo Di Masso, Ezio Marinato, and Paolo Staccoli. The evaluation criteria focused on external appearance, shape, volume, color, cut, honeycomb, distribution of ingredients, consistency of the dough, and taste, with a emphasis on technical precision and sensorial cleanliness.
The category podium “Traditional panettone”
The Two Categories Competing
The competition resulted in two distinct rankings, with Riccardo Manduca taking first place in the traditional panettone category, followed by Roberto Moreschi and Fiorenze Ascolese. In the chocolate panettone category, Armando Pascarella finished first, ahead of Pompilio Giardino and Luigi Avallone. The top five finalists in each category will represent Italy in the world final, scheduled for November 7th and 8th in Milan.
The category podium “Chocolate panettone”
Towards the World Final in Milan
The world final will bring together the best panettone from national competitions held in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, France, Brazil, Singapore, and the United States. The competition aims to promote the culture of Italian leavened products and contribute to the deseasonalization of panettone. The Panettone World Cup is now in its fifth edition and has become a significant event in the international pastry-making scene.
For more information about the 2026 Panettone World Cup, visit Here