SINGAPORE — The Singapore Chefs’ Association (SCA) and the Singapore Pastry Alliance (SPA) are proud to announce that the Singapore National Pastry Team has emerged victorious, clinching the world championship title at the prestigious Gelato World Cup (Coppa del Mondo della Gelateria) in Rimini, Italy. Held from 16 – 20 Jan, the 11th edition of the competition brought together 12 countries including Argentina, Belgium, China, Ecuador, France, Japan, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Peru and Poland.
In a display of technical precision and resilience, the Singapore team outperformed the world’s top culinary nations, marking a historic milestone for the local pastry scene. This victory signals Singapore’s ascent to the top of the global gelato hierarchy, a journey that saw the team rise from a fifth-place finish in 2024 to the gold medal today.
The Pinnacle of Gelato Excellence
The Gelato World Cup is the most prestigious international competition dedicated to the art of gelato. Held biennially in Rimini, it brings together the elite of the pastry world to be judged by an international panel of experts. The competition is designed to push the boundaries of texture, temperature and taste, defining global standards for the craft.
The Champions: Meet the Team
The victory was achieved by a quartet of local talent, each bringing a specialized skill set to the competition floor:
Jason Tan Yirong (Team Manager): Head of the studio division at Euraco Finefood. A Le Cordon Bleu Sydney top graduate and champion of the 2018 Asian Gelato Cup, Tan provided the strategic leadership and veteran experience necessary to guide the team to gold.
Dexter Lee: Executive pastry chef at Bidfood Singapore and Gourmet Partner Singapore. A 2022 Global Pastry Chef Challenge champion, Lee’s expertise in ice carving and chocolate molding was instrumental in the team’s artistic presentation.
Loh Cheng Kit: Pastry chef at Swissotel The Stamford and Fairmont Singapore. A seasoned competitor and champion of the 2022 Asian Gelato Cup, Loh brought elite technical gelato craft honed in Singapore’s leading five-star kitchens.
Chew Wei Lung: Junior sous chef at Mandarin Oriental, Singapore. The youngest member and a rising star, Chew showcased mastery in sugar sculptures, having recently won Best Sugar Showpiece at the 2025 Singapore Pastry Cup Selection.
A Test of Technical Mastery
The competition structure is grueling, requiring each member to execute specialized tasks under intense scrutiny. The team delivered a comprehensive portfolio of work, including:
The Chestnut Gelato Logcake: A new test in this year’s edition where teams have to create a gelato logcake with Chestnuts.
Gelato Sticks: Another new addition to this year’s test to introduce a playful yet elegant way of experiencing gelato reimagined on a stick.
The Gelato Cake: A sophisticated marriage of pastry architecture and frozen textures.
The Mystery Box: A test of intuition, where the team created a flavor using unknown ingredients revealed only at the start.
Gourmet Gelato with 3 savory appetizers: A savory-sweet fusion designed for high-end gastronomy.
Gelato Glass: An elegant expression of creative textures and contrasting temperatures, brought together in a refined form.
Gelato Snacks: transforming gelato into refined bite-sized creations, highlighting texture, temperature, and creativity in every mouthful.
Chocolate Carving: Showcase of traditional artistry, expressed through the precision and discipline of hand carving.
Artistic Showpieces: Complex, artistic sculptures made of chocolate.
The Singaporean Story: Overcoming the Odds
Behind the flawless final presentation lies a story of sacrifice and the “Singapore Spirit.” The team’s journey was nearly derailed by a personal crisis just hours before departure.
Jason Tan Yirong, team manager, shared his reflection on the emotional win:
“This has been a journey filled with many challenges. One of our team members almost had to pull out because of a family emergency that occurred one day before the team was supposed to fly off. Until the last moment we didn’t know if he will able to join us. He eventually arrived one day before the competition. Despite all the setbacks before and during the competition, the team stayed strong and united in spirit, remained calm and forged on. We had a lean budget this year to work with, so this achievement has been amazing. This is the Singaporean story of how we were able to overcome the odds and reach the top.”
Says Gary Lim, President of Singapore Pastry Alliance, “We are proud of the team and this opportunity do Singapore proud. A big thank you to our mentors and sponsors who supported us.”
Photo credits: Photos courtesy of Gelato World Cup 2026
About Singapore Chefs’ Association
Founded in 1984, the Singapore Chefs’ Association stands strong as the official government-recognised non-profit national chefs association, focused on representing professional cooks in the local food and beverage industry.The SCA umbrella includes two strategic sub alliances – the Singapore Pastry Alliance (SPA) and Singapore Junior Chefs Club (SJCC). These two alliances allow the association to address the needs of the pastry chefs and young chefs in Singapore. SCA is proud to be the only association in Singapore that is a national member in the World Association of Chefs Societies (WORLDCHEFS).
As the official voice representing chefs working in Singapore, SCA also establishes and mentors the National Culinary Team for international competitions locally and overseas, representing Singapore at podium positions in many competitions. The educational and social activities promote interaction and networking among members and helps to train the culinary workforce to improving skills and productivity standards in their respective workplaces. The association is managed by a committee powered by a team of volunteers.
