It’s a bold headline. But don’t take our word for it, as the numerous awards with Gelato Gelato’s name on them are a testament to the statement.
Jo Stevens left the corporate world 10 years ago in search of something less black and white and more colourful. Having moved to the beautiful Surf Coast in the early 2000’s she witnessed the foodie scene starting to take shape in 2015 and knew it was the perfect time to put Lorne on the must-see-and-eat-map by creating something none of the locals had seen before.
Gelato Gelato was born. An artisan gelato offering that focussed solely on using only the highest quality ingredients. But opening a gelato shop is easier said than done, which is why both Jo and her business partner, Stephanie Lewis, flew to Italy and Singapore to learn everything they could about food sciences and gelato-making. From day one they have made everything in-house, using ingredients from local producers wherever possible that include homegrown lemons, milk and cream from Inglenook Dairy near Ballarat, berries from the Yarra Valley and figs from a family property in Gippsland. It’s an ethos that has ensured their gelato remains completely natural and free from any artificial preservatives.
Along with locals and visitors, the food industry started to take notice of what Jo and Stephanie were creating and soon the accolades followed, including winning ‘Champion Australian Dairy Producer’ and ‘Champion Victorian Dairy Producer’ at the 2023 Australian Fine Food Awards. They have also won Best Gelato for their flavours, Choc Mint (2023), Maple Walnut (2017) and Roasted Coconut (2018), along with the ‘Best Champion Frozen Dessert’ for their Raspberry Sorbet (2019) and ‘Australian Champion Small Producer’ (2019), just to name a few.
It’s an incredible feat for a little gelato shop that started in the heart of Lorne with a production kitchen out the back, to have now grown to its current size – with shops also in Angelsea and on the waterfront in Geelong. Their most recent national award-winning choc mint gelato is nothing like you’ve seen or tasted before. Each tub is made of freshly picked mint and organic 70% dark chocolate – nothing else. It’s the reason the gelato is pale in comparison to other more commercialised versions but what it may lack in colour, it makes up for in bold flavour. The roasted coconut is roasted and infused for 24 hours before becoming another award-winning flavour. Jo’s recent experimentation, ‘Persian Rose’ beautifully married rosewater with hibiscus jelly, white chocolate and pistachios.
In an effort to reduce their environmental footprint, Jo and Stephanie recently got rid of both plastic and wooden disposable tasting spoons in place of reusable metal ones which has reduced their consumables considerably. Everything that can be recycled or composted is done on-site as well.
As self-confessed foodies themselves, Jo and Stephanie have created something that would not be out of place on the world food stage and evidently, both the industry and general public agree.
Locals and visitors alike are truly fortunate to have Gelato Gelato here in Victoria and experience Italy’s finest without the jetlag!
