LONDON — A team of more than 100 Italian chefs in London has set a new Guinness World Record for the longest tiramisu ever made, stretching 440.6 meters—nearly the length of four football pitches. The dessert, assembled over two days in a meticulously coordinated effort, surpassed the previous record of 320 meters, set in 2017, and was unveiled at a public event in the city’s Borough Market on Sunday.
The record attempt was part of a broader celebration of Italian culinary heritage, organized by the Italian Chamber of Commerce for the UK and supported by the Italian Embassy in London. Chefs from 12 Italian regions contributed layers of coffee-soaked savoiardi biscuits, mascarpone cream, and cocoa powder, working in shifts to ensure the dessert remained structurally sound and met Guinness’s strict criteria for continuity, and uniformity.
“This was not just about breaking a record—it was about showcasing the precision, passion, and unity of Italian cuisine on a global stage,” said Marco Bianchi, a Milanese chef who led the project. “Every centimeter had to be perfect, and every team had to move in sync. It was like conducting an orchestra, but with mascarpone.”
The event drew hundreds of spectators, including Italian expatriates and local food enthusiasts, who gathered to watch the final assembly and sample portions of the record-breaking dessert. Guinness adjudicators were on-site to verify the length, weight, and consistency of the tiramisu, which weighed approximately 1,200 kilograms—equivalent to the weight of a small car.
Borough Market, where the attempt took place, has long been a hub for international culinary innovation, hosting similar record-breaking feats in the past, including the world’s largest paella and longest sushi roll. Market officials described the tiramisu attempt as a testament to London’s role as a crossroads for global gastronomy. “This is what happens when tradition meets ambition,” said Darren Henaghan, the market’s managing director. “It’s a reminder that food is not just sustenance—it’s culture, identity, and, in this case, history in the making.”
The previous record for the longest tiramisu was held by a team in Italy, which set the benchmark in 2017 during a festival in the northern city of Brescia. That attempt, which measured 320 meters, was part of a regional effort to promote local dairy and coffee industries. By contrast, London’s record-breaking tiramisu was a pan-Italian collaboration, with ingredients sourced from across the country, including coffee from Naples, mascarpone from Lombardy, and eggs from Emilia-Romagna.
Organizers said the event was also an opportunity to highlight the contributions of Italian chefs to London’s culinary scene, which has grown significantly in recent years. According to a 2023 report by the Italian Chamber of Commerce, there are now over 2,500 Italian restaurants and food businesses in the UK capital, employing more than 20,000 people. “London has become a second home for Italian cuisine,” said Bianchi. “This record is a way of saying thank you to the city that has embraced us.”
The tiramisu will not be preserved, as Guinness rules require that record-breaking food items be consumed or disposed of within 24 hours of verification. Portions of the dessert were distributed to attendees, with the remainder donated to local food banks. The event’s organizers have already begun discussions about future record attempts, though they declined to specify what those might entail.
For now, the 440.6-meter tiramisu stands as a symbol of Italian culinary excellence—and a reminder that even the most traditional dishes can discover new life in unexpected places.
