Italian Gelateria, ‘Gelato Gusto’, opened just before Easter in the heart of Brighton’s North Laine.
Adams said: “Opening Gelato Gusto was a complete career change – the result of the creativity of my designer background (a career I enjoyed prior to my TV work) combined with my great fondness for a much-loved ice cream parlour in L’Escala Costa Brava.
“Whenever I went to Spain, I’d visit the parlour and see the passion that the Spanish owner had for his establishment. It never failed to amaze me and really inspired me to escape the craziness of city life and setup my own business – and I can happily say that I’ve not looked back!”
For Adams, the experience of starting an entirely new venture has been made easier with help from leading Italian ice cream equipment manufacturer, Carpigiani: “When I decided to open Gelato Gusto, researching what was best for my business led me to Carpigiani.
“ I was so impressed by the quality of their machines, which were like nothing else on the market, that I soon enrolled on a Carpigiani Gelato University course in Bologna to find out the secrets of artisan ice cream production – if I wanted to be the best, I needed to learn from the very best.”
Having undertaken the beginner’s and intermediated introduction to gelato production courses, Adams immediately went to visit Carpigiani at the Sigep exhibition: “Following-up my tuition with a visit to Carpigiani at Sigep meant that I could discuss my requirements with the experts and see the various pieces of equipment and how I might use them, first-hand.
“Once home in the UK, following tests with various pieces of kit which I trialled against rival brands, it was clear just how well Carpigiani machines perform. My decision was made, and I soon enlisted the expertise of the world leaders.”
Since opening, Gelato Gusto has gone from strength to strength, becoming popular in just a short space of time. The parlour is open seven days a week, and despite a rather typical British summer, queues of customers stream out of the door everyday.
As well as selling Gelato Gusto takeaway tubs for customers to enjoy at home, Adams and his team also supply their artisan gelato to a number of local establishments: “We’ve recently started supplying Gelato Gusto product to a local pub, The Dorset and French restaurant, L’Eglise. The pub menu offers customers a choice of traditional ice cream favourites such as Strawberry and Chocolate, as well as something a little more unusual like Sea Salt Caramel.
“Hopefully we’ll also supply themed flavours in the run up to the festive season too, so you never know, Christmas Pudding and Mince Pie varieties may feature on the menu board! For the French restaurant, we’ve developed bespoke flavours especially for their clientele, including an Absinthe sorbet. We have also recently created a bespoke flavour for a middle eastern royal family.”