In the heart of Neapolitan tradition, Ornella Scaturchio is a remarkable example of how family heritage can be renewed with vision and creativity. With Corno Gelato, she has created an innovative project that reinterprets the values of the Mediterranean Diet through artisanal gelato: genuine ingredients, seasonality, balance, and a strong connection to the land. Her brilliance in designing the shop’s interior invites visitors into the rich and colorful world of Neapolitan folklore.
Naples boasts a long-standing gelato tradition that dates back to at least the 17th century, when the monzù-refined chefs serving aristocratic families-crafted sorbets and chilled creams for lavish feasts. The favorable Mediterranean climate and the abundance of local ingredients-such as citrus fruits, milk, almonds, and fresh produce-helped establish gelato as a symbol of Neapolitan culinary creativity. In Naples, gelato is more than a dessert: it is a social ritual, a daily pleasure, and a form of edible art.
A charming anecdote involves Giacomo Leopardi, the renowned Italian poet and philosopher, who developed a fondness for gelato during his stay in Naples. Despite his fragile health, he never gave up his favorite treat-particularly custard-flavored gelato-considering it one of life’s rare and genuine joys. Within this rich historical and cultural context, Ornella Scaturchio’s work with Corno Gelato breathes new life into a centuries-old tradition, restoring gelato to its original role as a noble, convivial, and deeply Mediterranean food-where flavor, memory, and artistry meet.
Interiew by: Giorgia Di Vicino
Video by: Leonardo Elemento, Viola Lo Russo, Christian Saracino, Alicia Martin Viscido
Video Editing by: Leonardo Elemento, Viola Lo Russo, Christian Saracino, Giorgia Di Vicino
Document by: Giorgia Di Vicino
Subtitle ita/eng by: Giorgia Di Vicino, Leonardo Elemento, Viola Lo Russo, Christian Saracino, Maria Lòpez, Alicia Martin Viscido, Michele Rovito
Translation by: Giorgia Di Vicino, Leonardo Elemento, Viola Lo Russo, Christian Saracino, Maria Lòpez Ortiz, Alicia Martìn Viscido
MedEatResarch – Center of Social Research on the Mediterranean Diet of the University of Naples Suor Orsola Benincasa, head by Marino Niola and Elisabetta Moro
Realized: 29/04/2025
