Fiorenzo Ascolese wins 2026 Panettone World Cup

Fiorenzo Ascolese of San Valentino Torio won the traditional category at the 2026 Panettone World Cup, held on November 7 and 8 at the Meliá Milano. The fifth edition of the competition, created by pastry chef Giuseppe Piffaretti, featured participants from 20 nations across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.

In the traditional category, Italy secured the entire podium, with Roberto Moreschi taking second place and Matteo Papanice finishing third. In the chocolate category, Spain's Miguel Angel Castro Garcia claimed first place. Other notable winners included Wilson Ernesto Flores Torres from Ecuador and Jie Lun Jan from Taiwan, who shared honors for best packaging.

The event focused on the international dimension of the dessert and the importance of preserving traditional Milanese panettone through specific ingredients and techniques. The competition was judged by pastry and leavening professionals based on anonymous tastings of dough, structure, aroma, and flavor balance.