My name is Marco, and my story in artisan gelato began in 1995, in the lab. I learned the trade hands-on, following production at various gelaterias — including some of the best-known — and in my early years I was lucky enough to take part in hands-on courses run directly by several companies in the industry. That let me get to know products, bases and semi-finished ingredients from different manufacturers up close, comparing them in practice rather than just on paper. Over the years I also gained experience making ice cream cakes, and later specialized in lactose-free and vegan gelato, an area that requires specific technical knowledge of the ingredients.
Three years ago a nervous system disorder left me using a wheelchair, and since then I haven't been able to work in the lab at full capacity. I decided not to let that experience go to waste: gelateriaingredienti.com was created to give anyone working in the field — gelatieri, labs, anyone who has to choose among the many bases and pastes on the market today — the practical knowledge I've built up over almost thirty years, genuinely comparing products from different companies instead of just listing them.
Marco Lestan at the batch freezer, in the lab.
