In Campania, Naples will host the grand finale of the "San Genna'... Un Dolce per San Gennaro" contest by Mulino Caputo on September 9th. Seven finalists will compete at the Renaissance Naples Mediterraneo Hotel for the title, as the competition aims to address the gap in Italian pastry tradition for a dessert specifically dedicated to the patron saint of Naples. Participants were tasked with creating a unique single-serving dessert featuring either a red ingredient, symbolizing the miracle of the blood of San Gennaro, or a yellow ingredient, referencing the popular nickname "Faccia 'ngialluta" (the yellow face). Starting September 10th, all desserts entered in the contest will be available in pastry shops across Naples.
This year, seven finalists from different regions of Italy are competing for the title: some hail from Bergamo and Riccione, but also from their hometown of Campania, bringing with them the aromas of provincial cuisine and the creativity of small pastry shops that have already become landmarks.
They are Alessandra Bernardini, Guglielmo Cavezza, Giuseppe Cristofaro, Benedetta D’Antuono, Angelo Guarino, Andrea Marano, and Bruno Merlonghi: seven names, seven stories, seven interpretations of what it means to link a dessert to the figure of San Gennaro.
The final prize for the first place winner in the competition—a dessert for San Gennaro 2025, in addition to a check for one thousand euros—is a supply of 1,000 kilos of flour from the Naples mill. The creations will be judged by a panel of master pastry chefs who need no introduction: Sal De Riso, Gennaro Esposito, Sabatino Sirica, and Antimo Caputo.
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