Franco Di Iorgi

Franco Di Iorgi is one of the most prominent figures in Calabria’s ice cream-making tradition. A second-generation master ice-cream maker and co-owner of the historic Gelateria Ercole in the coastal town of Pizzo Calabro, he has dedicated his life to preserving and revitalising the legacy of his family, which began in the 1960s with his father, Gaetano Di Iorgi. Gaetano is regarded as one of southern Italy’s greatest ice-cream artisans.

Under Franco's leadership, Gelateria Ercole has cemented its reputation as a cornerstone of Calabrian gastronomic culture, particularly due to its association with the famous Pizzo tartufo. This hazelnut ice cream with a dark chocolate centre is originally from Pizzo and is now so famous that thousands of people flock to this beautiful village of 9,000 inhabitants from all corners of the world every year just to taste the original version, made with local ingredients.

Di Iorgi is regarded as a guardian of the local culinary identity. He combines a commitment to traditional methods with a contemporary approach to ice cream making, helping to preserve a tradition that forms part of Calabria’s cultural and tourist heritage.