Il Monello Behind the Scenes: A Day in the Life of a Gelato Maker

But behind the counter, there’s a whole world of preparation and care that makes every spoonful possible. Today, we’d like to take you behind the scenes and share a glimpse of what a day in the life of a gelato maker looks like.

The Day Begins: Shopping for Ingredients

Every gelato flavor starts with simple, honest ingredients. Our mornings often begin with selecting the best products — high-quality purées, fresh milk, fine chocolate, or natural pastes. Using purées instead of whole fruits helps us achieve a more consistent flavor and texture in every batch. Choosing well is the first step to creating gelato with character.

Preparing the Base

Once back at Il Monello, it’s time to prepare the base mixes. This is where the craft begins.

Milk base: the classic foundation for many of our gelati, giving that velvety texture and delicate creaminess.

Chocolate base: richer, darker, perfect for chocolate-forward flavors.

Sorbet base: water and sugar balanced carefully, so the fruit purées can shine naturally without dairy.

Each recipe is slightly different, but the goal is always the same: to let the ingredients speak for themselves.

Pasteurising and Turbinating

The base isn’t ready yet. We carefully pasteurise it — heating it to the right temperature to make it safe and stable. Then, after resting, the mix goes into the turbine, the machine that churns and freezes it into the creamy gelato you know. It’s always a bit magical watching the transformation, as liquid turns into soft, fluffy gelato.

Storing and Preparing for the Day

Freshly churned gelato is placed into storage at the right temperature, ready to be displayed. This step may not sound glamorous, but it’s one of the most important: gelato must be kept at just the right conditions to stay perfect for serving.

A Familiar Rhythm

For us, this process is daily life — shopping, mixing, pasteurising, churning, storing. But within that rhythm, there’s joy. Every flavor has its own story, its own quirks. Some batches demand patience, others bring surprise smiles when we taste them. And at the end of the day, the best reward is seeing you — our customers — enjoy it.

Because behind every scoop of Il Monello gelato is not just a recipe, but people who care deeply about what they make.