20 GOURMET TRAVELLER
News
THE SWEETER THINGS
NickPalumbo’schildrenRemiandAyrtonhaveenjoyedscoopsofGelatoMessinasincetheywere
sixmonthsold(in“tinydoses”,thebrand’sfounderassuresus).Hisbusinessandhisfamilyareclosely
connected,evenwhenhe’snotsupplyingtreatstohiskids:Nick’sbrotherDannyPalumbois alsoa
co-owner,andDanny’ssonAlessandroclockedweekendshiftsatGelatoMessinaduringhighschool.
Whilewelcomingrelativesintotheworkplacecanhavea downside(“MykidstreatMessinaasan
extensionoftheirhouse,whichis notalwaysa goodthing,”saysNick),it’sa successmostofthe
time.DannyheadsHRandoperations,andNickdevelopstherecipes.Alessandrohasmovedfrom
gelato-scoopingtomarketingandthenintothekitchen,whereheoverseeschocolate,nutand
yoghurtproduction.GiventhePalumbos’(literally)sweetcareers,surelythey’repopularatfamily
gatherings,especiallyif arrivingwithtubsofgelato?Yes,anydesserttheybringis a hit,“butthere
is alwaysanelementofcriticismonhowwecouldmakeit better,”saysNick.Thebrothershave
spentmorethana decadeworkingtogether,andsharethesamefavouritegelatoflavour(tiramisù).
Dannystillremainsonhisone-scoopdailydiet,whilehissonlimitshimselftotwo scoops a week.
“Gotta keep my sugar intake in check!” says Alessandro.gelatomessina.com