Each year, Piccolina founder Sandra Foti challenges eight of Melbourne’s best chefs to create three unconventional gelato flavours that are available in stores for one week only.

This year, for the fourth iteration of the series she calls The Piccolina Gelato Project, Foti has tasked chefs with making gelato cups inspired by the quintessential Aussie milk bar. These aren't your everyday scoops though. Chefs are encouraged to go all out and incorporate mix-ins, toppings and multiple gelato flavours.

Expect gelato creations influenced by nostalgic childhood classics including Maltesers, Kinder Surprise, Nerds and more from chefs Jacqui Challinor (Reine and La Rue), Simon Ball-Smith Brico, Phillipa Sibley (Pinotta), Stephen Nairn (Yugen Dining and Omnia Bistro), Charlie Carrington Atlas Dining, Jerry Mai (Pho Nom), Audrey Allard Holy Sugar and Raymond Tan (Raya).

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Kicking things off on Wednesday October 2 is Challinor. She's serving a riff on a Bubble O’Bill ice-cream with stracciatella gelato, bubblegum and strawberry gelato and milk chocolate, topped with a single gluten-free gum ball; she'll also offer a take on a classic finger bun that combines burnt butter gelato with toasted brioche pieces and strawberry buttercream.

New creations from top chefs will be featured each week until Tuesday November 26. Naim will craft three fruity flavours inspired by banana lollies, Trolli Strawberry Clouds and rhubarb and custard gummies. Allard has developed a flavour inspired by Willy Wonka’s Nerds that combines vanilla gelato, strawberry sherbet with jam made to taste like Nerds of the strawberry and grape varieties.

Past chef collaborators have included Victor Liong of Lee Ho Fook, cookbook author Rosheen Kaul, Thi Le of Jeow and Ca Com, Brigitte Hafner of Tedesca Osteria, Nornie Bero of Mabu Mabu and Nagesh Seethiah of Manze.

New flavours in the Piccolina Gelato Project are released every Wednesday and are available for one week only

The Piccolina Gelato Project: Childhood Classics Reinvented

Wed October 2 – Tues October 8: Jacqui Challinor
Wed October 9 – Tues October 15: Stephen Nairn
Wed October 16 – Tues October 22: Philippa Sibley
Wed October 23 – Tues October 29: Simon Ball-Smith
Wed October 30 – Tues November 5: Jerry Mai
Wed November 6 – Tues November 12: Charlie Carrington
Wed November 13 – Tues November 19: Audrey Allard
Wed November 20 – Tues November 26: Raymond Tan