On 26 April 2026, a small army of chefs, volunteers, and passionate food lovers gathered at Chelsea Old Town Hall with one goal: to break the Guinness World Record for the longest tiramisù in history. And they succeeded – beyond anyone’s wildest dreams.
As Editor of London Mums Magazine, proud official media partner to this initiative, I was there not just to report but to take part. I had the honour of being an unofficial Master of Ceremonies, commentating the live streams in English, and I can tell you now: I cried, I laughed, and I ate enough mascarpone to last a lifetime but also interviewed lots of people in the audiences. You can watch them all on social media following the feed @londonmums.
The record-breaking numbers
The final length? 440.58 metres of pure, glorious tiramisù. That is nearly half a kilometre of coffee-drenched, mascarpone and cream layered savoiardi biscuits (Italian ladyfingers), cocoa-dusted delight. The previous Guinness World Record stood at 273 metres. We didn’t just beat it – we annihilated it.
Let me put the scale into perspective. These are the ingredients that went into this historic achievement:
- 99 kg of Illy coffee
- 465 kg of sugar
- over 152,000 Savoiardi biscuits (from Forno Bonomi, Italy’s finest)
- 60 kg of cocoa
- 348 kg of Eurovo eggs
- 1,843 kg of Sterilgarda mascarpone.
Yes, that is almost two tonnes of mascarpone. My scales are still recovering.
The man behind the madness: Mirko Ricci
None of this would have happened without Mirko Ricci, the extraordinary entrepreneur and visionary behind COMPLITALY TV. Mirko is that rare breed of human who can rally masses of people, inspire teams, and actually get things done. He brought together dozens of chefs, volunteers, Italian associations (ICC – Italian Culinary Consortium, Federazione Italiana Cuochi UK, and the pastry group Etica del Gusto), and the backing of top Made in Italy partners: Carnevale 1966, Forno Bonomi, Sterilgarda, Illycaffè, Eurovo, Gelecta, and Bontà Italia.
But Mirko didn’t stop at pastry. He involved Esharelife Foundation, a wonderful charity, and all proceeds from the sale of the tiramisù slices went directly to their humanitarian projects. Nothing went to waste. I watched the entire process from the first tray being assembled to the very last bite being devoured. And yes, I also watched what I lovingly called the “scavengers” – members of our newly formed Mascarpone Gang – licking the last bits of tiramisù off the tables. (I will not name names, but they know who they are.)
A Royal touch
The event carried an extra layer of elegance. On top of the record-breaking tiramisù, the team piped a special dedication to His Majesty King Charles III:
“Grazie Your Majesty” – a heartfelt thank you from the Italian community in the UK for the welcome and support received over the years. And the King even sent a letter of appreciation during the process. Not bad for a dessert, eh?
Tears, laughter, and new friends
I have covered many events in my time, but this one was different. For two days, I watched chefs from Italy and the UK work side by side, volunteers scrubbing tables at 2am, and complete strangers become friends. I baptised our little tribe the “Mascarpone Gang” – a group of people I have grown to love. We laughed until we cried, we cried until we laughed, and we made memories that will outlast any certificate from Guinness.
There was also the small matter of live TV. The BBC featured the event on iPlayer, and RAI Radio 2 broadcast live from the venue. I was commentating in English, desperately trying to sound professional while sneaking spoonfuls of tiramisù between takes. Multi-tasking at its finest.
Why this matters
Beyond the spectacle, this Guinness World Record represented something deeper. It showed what happens when passion, identity, and collaboration come together. It proved that Italians and Britons can create magic when they share a love for good food and good company. And it reminded us all that even in difficult times, a spoonful of sugar – or mascarpone – can bring people together.
So here is to Mirko Ricci, to the Mascarpone Gang, to the chefs, the volunteers, the charity, and to everyone who made history with a whisk in one hand and a friend in the other.
The Guinness World Record is official. The friendships are forever.
Monica Costa founded London Mums in September 2006 after her son Diego’s birth together with a group of mothers who felt the need of meeting up regularly to share the challenges and joys of motherhood in metropolitan and multicultural London. London Mums is the FREE and independent peer support group for mums and mumpreneurs based in London https://www.londonmumsmagazine.com and you can connect on Twitter @londonmums
