Dubbed the Michelangelo of gelato by international megastar Cher, Gianpaolo Grazioli will never forget the first time the hit musician called him.
“I was pretty sure it was one of my friends playing a prank,” tells Gianpaolo, who also goes by Giapo, the name of his Auckland gelato shop.
“She said three or four times, ‘It’s me, Cher, the singer.’ Her voice is pretty unique – you can’t really confuse her with anyone – so eventually I realised it was the real deal. We talked and she said she loved our ice cream and wanted to bring it to America.”
That was in 2018. Five years later, thanks to Covid setbacks, it became a reality in 2023 with the launch of Cherlato, a food truck partnership between Cher and Giapo serving his gelato in Los Angeles.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I couldn’t have dreamed of,”
