La Gelateria di Eataly by Patrizia Pasqualetti has opened in New York’s Flatiron neighborhood, marking the newest chapter in her ongoing partnership with Eataly. Patrizia has worked with Eataly since 2022, beginning in San Jose and later expanding to Los Angeles and Boston. Her New York location continues that growth and introduces something new for the city.
Patrizia’s work is deeply shaped by her early years in her father Giuseppe’s gelateria in Orvieto. The small shop was where she first discovered the beauty of real ingredients and the quiet craft of transforming them into gelato. Those early memories still guide her approach today.
This season, she is offering hands-on gelato classes inside the Flatiron location at 23 West 23rd Street. The first mandarin class took place on December 4, and three additional sessions are scheduled. Guests can book the following classes through Eataly’s website:
December 13th from 6 PM to 7 PM: Mandarin Gelato Class
January 3rd from 2 PM to 3 PM: Blood Orange and Tiramisù
January 6th from 6 PM to 7 PM: Blood Orange and Tiramisù
January 10th from 2 PM to 3 PM: Blood Orange and Tiramisù
Each class takes place inside the gelato lab and gives guests the chance to learn directly from Patrizia.
Chef Patrizia Pasqualetti shared her thoughts about this newest chapter in New York with Appetito Magazine:
What is your earliest memory of making gelato?
I made my first gelato about 35 years ago, and I still remember the powerful impression it left on me. I was amazed by the quality of the ingredients and by how they could be transformed into gelato while preserving the same smell, the same taste, and even the same color. That moment was truly beautiful for me. It was then that I realized this was my calling—I wanted to work with what nature gives us and transform it into gelato.
Explain how you start the process of a new flavor.
For me, creating a new flavor is a combination of these three wonderful elements. First and foremost, it always begins with the ingredients. Inspiration naturally follows from them. Respecting the ingredients is the most important part of the process—their taste, acidity, tartness, and sweetness all guide me and spark ideas for the new flavor. Finally, my goal is to achieve the perfect texture. Every element works together to give its full contribution to the final flavor.
You have opened your latest gelateria in New York. What made this the right city and timing for your next chapter?
New York is the best place I could have chosen at this moment in my life—there is no better city for me right now. It has an incredible energy and an openness to new ideas, which makes it the perfect home for this next chapter. I am truly grateful and happy that I opened my gelateria in New York.
What do you hope guests take away from learning directly under you in a hands-on class?
I hope they discover the true pleasure of understanding what real ice cream is. I want them to feel the passion behind it, to explore the research that goes into ingredients, and to learn the history behind each one. Every ingredient has its own origin, and knowing the geography of what we use is something truly wonderful—it expands our knowledge and deepens our respect for the craft. And if, in the end, we can also enjoy this moment together, then it becomes a great experience for me as well.
If you had to choose a taste or a philosophy to represent you as a gelato chef, which one would you choose and why?
Patrizia is the flavor that best represents my philosophy, and perhaps even my character. It is a blend of three very fragrant fruits: blood orange, pomegranate, and passion fruit. Patrizia is sweet, but not too sweet; she is a little acidic, bold, and full of vibrant, expressive notes. Each fruit keeps its own identity while creating perfect harmony together. It reflects exactly how I see my work: balance, contrast, and respect for the natural character of each ingredient. remain impressed and so I think this represents a bit of my philosophy but above all my life.
