France took second place in The World Artisan Gelato Championship 2026, held from 16 to 20 January in Rimini, Italy, as part of SIGEP WORLD, the leading international event dedicated to excellence in the foodservice industry.
This world-class achievement further highlights France’s expertise in artisanal gelato and pastry, as well as the contribution of Allan Cartignies, master gelato chef and professor at the École Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie (ENSP – École Ducasse), and a member of the French national team.
Organised by Gelato e Cultura in collaboration with SIGEP WORLD, the Gelato World Cup is regarded as the most prestigious international competition dedicated to artisanal gelato. Over four days, 12 national teams competed in nine technical and creative challenges, and were assessed by international juries comprising technical, artistic and media experts.
A collective performance praised by international juries
Under the theme “The Dance of Animals”, the French team impressed the juries with an elegant and expressive interpretation, combining technical precision, artistic creativity and mastery of flavour balance. Led by Hervé Dartois (Team Manager), the French team consisted of Enzo Baptista (Pastry Chef), Jean-Sébastien (Chef) and Allan Cartignies (Gelato Chef).
This performance enabled France to rank second in the world, behind Singapore and ahead of Argentina. The French team also distinguished itself by receiving the award for best workplace hygiene, highlighting the professional rigour and standards of excellence maintained throughout the competition.
Recognition of the expertise passed on at École Ducasse
Allan Cartignies’ participation in this international competition fully illustrates the mission of École Ducasse: to transmit excellence-driven expertise rooted in French tradition, while fostering innovation and creativity at the highest level.
A recognised master gelato chef and professor at ENSP, Allan Cartignies supports future professionals in the pastry and gelato trades on a daily basis, guiding them in acquiring the techniques, skills and discipline essential to high-level performance. His presence within the French national team embodies the close link between excellence in education and the international influence of the culinary professions, as well as École Ducasse’s commitment to proudly showcasing French gastronomy on the world’s most prestigious stages.
École Ducasse is a network of schools founded in 1999 by multi-starred chef Alain Ducasse, dedicated to the transmission of outstanding French expertise and excellence in culinary and pastry arts. It runs three schools in France – Paris Studio, Paris Campus and École Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie – as well as international schools and studios in the Philippines, India, Thailand and UAE.
All are united by a desire to share a passion for gastronomy, the broad portfolio of programs aims to meet all training needs: from short programs for experts or food enthusiasts to intensive two to nine-month programs for career changers, to three-year undergraduate programs and bachelor’s degree in culinary and pastry arts.
École Ducasse is part of Sommet Education, the world’s leading network in hospitality, luxury, and culinary arts education and training. École Ducasse was named the World’s Best Culinary Training Institution in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
