Italian chefs (in London) want to break the record for the longest Tiramisu

The 2026 of Italian Unesco World Heritage cuisine starts with a confectionery challenge: a 300-metre-long Tiramisù, the longest ever prepared, will arrive from London. It is for a charitable cause, an association that helps children in Africa, and has an institutional and commercial super-team behind it: from Illy to Eataly, from the Italian Embassy together with the General Consulate, Italian Cultural Institute and Consulate of San Marino, from Zonin to Sterilgarda, from Ice to McArthur Glen shopping centres.

The challenge will be held on 25 and 26 April at the Chelsea municipal hall, where the presence of Regina Camilla is also expected, who could be 'paparazzied' while tasting a spoonful of the dessert. "Tiramisù, although young as a gastronomic invention in the country's history," noted Deputy Ambassador Riccardo Smimmo, "has quickly become the most famous and popular Italian dessert in the world.

The hunt for the record starts on the banks of the Thames, but the idea and project are very Italian: the organisation is by Complitaly, a company owned by the Roman Mirko Ricci, who has a history of record-breaking (years ago, in Italy, he had already made the largest tiramisu weighing 1.9 tonnes), while the culinary part, the most demanding, will be supported by the London branch of the Italian Cooks Federation (Fic). The effort is enormous: almost50 thousand ladyfingers biscuits (supplied by Forno Bonomi of Verona), more than 3 thousand eggs (which will arrive from Eurovo) are needed to whip400 kilos of mascarpone cream.

Tiramisù più lungo del mondo: foto di gruppo in occasione della sfida che si terrà il 25 e 26 aprile nel quartiere di Chelsea

With these numbers, the challengers will try to beat the current world record for Tiramisu, held by the Milanese Galbani (owned by the French multinational Lactalis), which waits at 273 metres.

Certifying the record, for the Guinness of Record, will be the official judge Lorenzo Veltri, who is a celebrity in Italy for his appearances on TV with Gerry Scotti. The 10,000 portions of dessert that will be made will then be put on sale to raise funds for charity. Donations are already being collected online (www.longesttiramisu.uk), which will then allow people to pick up their tiramisu. All proceeds will go to finance eShareLife, a charity founded by the Aretine entrepreneur Maurizio Bragagni that helps schooling in Kenya.