Panettone is loved around the world and most often enjoyed during the Christmas period. The sweet, dome-shaped bread has an airy, brioche-like texture and is usually filled with candied citrus fruits and raisins.
But who makes the best panettone? While the bread originates from Milan, Italy, it was a team of Taiwanese bakers who claimed the world title in the 2025 Panettone World Championship. The team was led by Giovanna Chen Shih-chieh – crowned “the new panettone queen” by the competition – who started as a self-taught baker.
Chen credits the win to her teammates and attributes her own success to an unstructured childhood rather than a lifelong fascination with baking.
