The summer may be over, but ice cream maker Stefan Beerens (33) from Baarle-Nassau will not be sitting still in the near future. With his ice cream flavor Imagi, he came second in the preliminary round of the tastiest ice cream in the country. This means he has qualified for the European finals of the Gelato Festival World Masters 2026. Ultimately, Stefan hopes to win the world title.
Stefan works at Ice cream supplier Kennis van IJs in Bladel. Two months before the competition, he was asked at work if he wanted to participate. “My colleague wouldn’t come along, so I was allowed to do it this time. I immediately had a flavor combination in mind.”
The first version of its Oriental ice cream flavor was not an instant hit. “So then you calculate again and write a recipe,” says Stefan. He kept experimenting until he found the perfect flavor for himself.
“I want to take diners on a journey to Eastern flavors.”
This flavor was named Imagi. “That’s because imagination (imagination). I want to let people taste with their imagination and I want to take them on a journey to Eastern flavors. Pineapple, Japanese yuzu (fruit that resembles a lemon, ed.), Thai basil and coconut. It really is a great combination.”
Stefan also participated in the competition in 2019. Then he came first in the national preliminary round. “I was actually allowed to go to Italy, but it was during the corona period, so that was canceled. I had to send everything. How the taste was presented was a gamble,” he says. This time he travels to Italy himself to show, or rather taste, what he has to offer.
The ice cream comes along as a liquid mix and then Stefan has to ‘pre-twist’ it into ice cream on the spot. During the European final on October 30, he will compete with 22 other ice cream makers with his taste. If Stefan finishes in the top four, he will advance to the world championship.
