Gondola Gold

We are very proud to have received the ‘Champion Award for the Majors Group Grand Champion Ice-Cream, Gelato or Sorbet of Show’ at this year’s Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show, as well as individual awards for each of the four flavours we entered. Not bad, considering this is the first year we have entered the prestigious competition.

Here’s how the competition works:

The Ice cream, Gelato and Sorbet category is divided into 11 different classes. Chief Judge, Mr Russell Smith and other judges, Mr Garry Baker, Mrs Brenda Reilly, Mr Jeremy Ryland, give every individual entry a score out of 20. Those scoring above 18 points earn Gold; 16-18 earn silver; 15-16 earn bronze. Below 15 points, no award is attributed. Special Champion Awards are then conferred for best overall performance across several categories.

Here’s what we won:

• GOLD for Ricotta Agrumi made with ricotta cheese and a medley of Mediterranean citrus. This is one of our, and our customers, long running favourites. We were awarded this in the Ice Cream/Gelato - Reduced Fat class
• SILVER for Panna Cotta Macademia Croccante gelato made with Madagascar vanilla gelato and toasted macadamia toffee. This was in the Ice Cream/Gelato - Full Fat - Any Flavour class
• SILVER award for "Gondola" Arance Rosse Aperol Sorbetto made with Sicilian blood orange and Aperol. You can tell by the name that this is our signature flavour sorbet. We’re thrilled to see it receive this level of recognition in the Sorbet - Citrus Fruit Flavour class
• SILVER for Ananas e Timo Sorbetto made with pineapple and lemon thyme. Last, but by no means least, this was awarded in the Sorbet - Tropical Fruit Flavour class
• Champion Award for the Majors Group Grand Champion Ice-Cream, Gelato or Sorbet of Show – only 5 of these awards were given, we were the only gelateria in NSW to have been awarded it

Since opening our doors in December 2013, we have worked long and hard to create the best gelato and sorbet for our customers. Although our gelato style is simple and true to the authentic gelato we grew up with in Italy, we remain dedicated to using the absolute best ingredients sourced locally and from around the world.

Not only are we staunchly committed to using the best produce but also the best in equipment and processes. The way we create our gelato is very artisanal. It’s certainly more time consuming and labour intensive than the standard gelato offering, but we are passionate about food and like to do things properly.

Although we do this day in and day out as a matter of personal integrity and passion, it truly is an honour to have it recognised in a forum such as the Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show. We’d like to thank everyone at the Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show, especially Cassandra Hamlin who provided us with extraordinary support in getting our application together.

Finally, we’d like to thank you, our customers for your ongoing support and feedback. We couldn’t do what we do without you.