The rush towards Christmas every year turns attention to the dessert that more than any other represents the Italian holidays. Panettone, when born in the hands of those who work with live mother yeast, selected flours and raw materials capable of making the difference, becomes a product that brings with it a long tradition and knowledge well-rooted in artisan laboratories. Mastro Panettone d’Elite 2025 is part of this panorama, a national competition dedicated to high-end panettone, designed to reward the best Italian interpretations of the great leavened product.
The event, organized by Goloasi – a company founded by Massimiliano Dell’Aera and already a point of reference for artisanal pastry making – took place at Villa Arvedi, in Grezzana, in the province of Verona. The first edition of the competition ended here, entirely dedicated to high-end panettone and open to professionals from all over the country. Each participant had to respect an essential rule: no preservatives, yes to the exclusive use of fresh sourdough and ingredients that meet very high quality standards.
One of the most relevant peculiarities of the competition was the “Hands in the dough” phase. The finalists worked their dough live, between 3 and 7 November, in the Logiudice Forni laboratory in Arcole, also in the province of Verona. This step allowed the jury to observe the manual skills, organization and precision of the professionals, with evaluations based on cleanliness of the workstation, respect for deadlines and correct processing techniques.
The winners
The competition identified the best traditional and chocolate panettone of the year. For the “Traditional” category, the overall victory went to Riccardo Manduca of SoloManduca, in Aprilia, in the province of Latina. His panettone convinced the commissioners thanks to an impeccable balance between aromas, structure of the dough, quality of the raw materials and respect for the rules of natural leavening.
Alongside the winner, the podium in the “Traditional” category included:
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The jury evaluated the products according to rigorous criteria: aromatic harmony, consistency, flavour, quality of raw materials and correct processing. A clear picture has emerged: the Italian panettone tradition continues to be safeguarded by professionals capable of combining talent, technique and respect for the rules of sourdough.
