“What a thrill, dear friends! Victory, when it’s not expected, leaves you speechless! ”, That’s how happy Salvatore de Riso, from the Sal de Riso Costa d’Amalfi patisserie, was when he was proclaimed the winner of the II Panettone World Championship, held at Host Milano on the 24th of October.

The competition, organized by the Accademia dei Maestri del Lievito Madre e del Panettone Italiano, aims to promote respect for artisanal and traditional panettone made with quality raw materials, in addition to sensitizing consumers about the importance of the uniqueness of this sweet bread.

In this edition, unlike the previous ones, there were three juries: a technical jury, a jury of critics and, as a novelty, a popular jury. The Riso panettone, president of the Accademia Maestri Pasticcieri Italiani, was selected by the technical jury, made up of renowned chefs, bakers, and pastry chefs. Antonio Pistoni (Saporè Verona) was the highest rated by the jury of critics, made up of renowned journalists and experts in the field of food and confectionery. While Giuseppe Mascolo (El Sombrero di Napoli) was the one that received the most votes from the popular jury.

Of the 20 finalists who participated, 18 are Italian, one from Argentina, and one is Taiwanese: Aniello Di Caprio (Lombardi Pasticceri – Maddaloni), Antonio Pianese (Pasticceria Crem – Batignano), Antonio Pistoni (Saporè – Verona), Carmen Vecchione (Dolciarte – Avellino), Emanuele Comi (Pasticceria Comi – Missaglia), Gabriele Lolli (Ristornate Belsito – Serrone), Giuseppe Mascolo (Al Sombrero – Visciano), Giuseppe Pepe (Pasticceria Pepe – Pagani ), Grazia Mazzali (Pasticceria Mazzali – Governolo), Mario Colombo (Pasticceria all’Angolo – Pontirolo Nuovo), Mattia Premoli (La Primula – Treviglio), Oscar Pagani (Non Solo Pane – Palazzolo sull’Oglio), Roberto Cosmo (Pasticceria Cosmo – Giussano), Roberto Rigacci (Rigacci ’48 – Cerbaia Val di Pesa), Rosetta Lembo (Pasticceria La Ruota – Perdifumo), Salvatore De Riso (Sal De Riso – Minori), Vincenzo Santoro (Pasticceria Martesana – Milano ), Vincenzo Tiri (Tiri 1957 – Acerenza), Juan Manuel Alfonso Rodriguez (Confiteria Artiaga – Zapiola), and Wu Pao Chun (Wu Pao Chun Bakery – Taiwan).