One of the beauties of any living or non-living existence on this earth is that it is cherished and protected, and we feel blessed and empowered whenever we experience this sentiment. This time, we would like to share with you a story about love, passion and ice cream.

“For 40 years we have been defending the value of technique and the beauty of ice cream. We have been looking for the best version of ice cream. And thanks to our collaborators, from Arte Heladero we have been weaving a big family that has always believed in our work. All this has marked the starting point to decide to take a new step in ice cream. Thus was born so cool..magazine as the beginning of a new love story with ice cream as the protagonist. Because we are talking about a passion that flourishes at the highest peaks.”

That’s what Arte Heladero magazine, a long-running publication from Spain for professional pastry chefs specializing in ice creams, sorbets, and other frozen curiosities, wrote on their instagram. Their first issue of this new magazine became a reality in November 2023.

The philosophy of so cool..magazine is simple yet profound: to showcase the most avant-garde works in ice cream, pushing the boundaries of technique and creativity. Whether it’s a revolutionary new flavor or a daring presentation, so cool..magazine aims to capture the evolution of ice cream, welcoming contributions from ice cream makers, pastry chefs, and cooks alike. With an international audience in mind, the magazine aims to appeal to anyone with a passion for this versatile dessert, from ice cream parlors to haute cuisine establishments.

Behind every great publication lies a visionary, and in the case of so cool..magazine , that visionary are Grupo Editorial Vilbo and their publishing label, Books for Chefs. so cool..magazine was born from their extensive experience in publishing leading ice cream magazines such as Arte Heladero and the global success of such an influential publication in haute pastry as is so good..magazine .

In a candid interview, Luis Concepción Sepúlveda, Director of Arte Heladero and so cool..magazine shares insights into the genesis of this new magazine, its editorial philosophy, and the profound impact it aims to have on the ice cream industry worldwide.

Luis is a food journalist with more than 21 years of experience in this field, as well as collaborating teacher at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) and scientific researcher in Communication Sciences at the Universitat Ramon Llull. He has a PhD in Communication Sciences. He has directed ice cream and pastry books such as Evolution, Break! ; Más ; and 30 indispensable ice creams (Best Ice Cream Book of the World 2018). He is also part of the team of journalists of other magazines like Dulcypas , and Saber y Sabor . 

Here’s the conversation between Luis and CTI.

CTI: Can you share insights into the editorial process behind so cool magazine , from the naming to determining who your audience is to identifying trends to commissioning articles and recipes?

Luis: We chose the name of the magazine because its philosophy and image connect with our international and most prestigious magazine in pastry arts, so good..magazine . 

In so cool..magazine , we are looking for the most avant-garde works in ice cream, both those which are innovative in terms of technique and those that simply break the mold in terms of creativity. We want to show what the evolution in the ice cream world is, regardless of whether these contributions come from ice cream makers, pastry chefs or cooks. All these professional profiles are welcome to the magazine. Our readership is also very broad and is aimed at all those who are interested in a product as versatile as ice cream, present in ice cream parlors, haute cuisine, and pastry shops.

Sometimes chefs contact us because they are working on an interesting topic, other times we contact chefs who are making interesting contributions to the world of ice cream. In addition, we have delegates in such important countries in the sweet world as France (Verónica Bustamante) , Japan (Reiko Matsuno) and the United States (Lisa Shames) to help us identify trends and chefs.

CTI: What role does visual storytelling play in so cool..magazine , and how do you ensure that photography and design enhance the reader’s experience?

Luis: so cool..magazine  is a very exclusive professional magazine that aims to project the best version of ice cream and ice cream making as a profession. It is an inspiring publication that makes a difference in content that has been highly selected.  One of the essential ways to achieve this is through a very careful image of the creations and their production processes. In order to maintain a high standard of visual quality, we send to our collaborators a Quick Guide with guidelines for preparing and sending photos.

CTI: Can you elaborate on the process of selecting cover designs for so cool magazine , and how do you ensure they capture the essence of the first issue?

Luis: I believe that selecting a cover follows an intense process of debate and discussion, which is essential to choosing the best cover. In the specific case of the first issue of a new magazine like so cool..magazine , the debate was especially broad and enriching for everyone. The debate was one of the longest and most intense in the history of our publishing group and involved all departments and all employees. 

In the end, we chose a cover that brings together the qualities that the first issue should have, the Croissant ice cream with apple tatin by pastry chef David Gil and ice cream maker Albert Soler. A mimetic in which technique and image break the mold in ice cream and, by extension, in the sweet world.

CTI: How does magazine adapt to changing consumer preferences and industry trends, ensuring its content remains relevant and engaging over time?

Luis: Our team of journalists and international delegates and photographers are very attentive to trends and changes in the sweet world. In addition, we are in permanent contact with chefs who are at the forefront of sectors such as ice cream, pastry and cooking and we thoroughly work on current news on our websites. 

All this allows us to stay up to date not only with trends, but also and above all with techniques, concepts and ingredients that will become trends in the future.  But what we are truly interested in is providing elements that allow the ice cream world to advance, regardless of whether they are a trend or not.

CTI: Can you share examples of lifestyle and culture-focused content in so cool magazine , such as profiles of pastry chefs, ice cream entrepreneurs, or unique ice cream experiences?

Luis: In so cool..magazine , we don’t focus on the lifestyle of the chefs, but on their “work styles”, that is, how they understand, live and feel ice cream and their different professions in connection with this product .  Now, two good examples of unique biographies from the first issue of so cool..magazine  are Carlo Guerriero and Cathrine Østerberg. 

The first is a man with a soul divided in two, one half corresponds to science and research, and the other half belongs to the ice cream artisan. And the most interesting thing is that both worlds feed off each other in it.  The second example is a Dane who, despite her youth, already owns two ice cream parlors in Copenhagen and one in Vietnam, a training school and a book under her arm, Ice Cream – According to Osterberg . A great example to follow.

CTI: How do you see the role of ice cream evolving in the pastry, chocolate, restaurant dessert, and haute cuisine sectors?

Luis: Ice cream had often been considered a minor discipline of gastronomy for two main reasons.  On the one hand, the potential of ice cream and the complex and advanced work methodology used by ice cream makers were unknown. On the other hand, the world of ice cream had not been able to seduce other sectors with its attributes.

However, in recent years this has changed. The ice cream world has made great progress in technique and presentation, and there is a growing number of chefs from other sectors who see ice cream as a valuable ally of their creations.  All this has allowed ice cream to be a more than consolidated product in other sectors, such as pastry and cooking. Despite everything, there is still a long way to go.

CTI: How does magazine maintain its distinct editorial voice while catering to diverse interests within the ice cream, gelato, pastry, and lifestyle communities?

Luis: We reflect the best version of ice cream in all its formats and registers. This argument is the common denominator that unites our contents, collaborators and audiences with different professional profiles. And this is also what gives us a unique and different voice from other magazines.

CTI: How does magazine engage with its readers beyond the printed pages, such as through digital platforms or live events?

Luis: The sectors we are dedicated to are relatively small and we know a portion of our readers through the publisher’s other magazines. They are professionals who are very passionate about the world of ice cream, as well as pastry and cooking. Let’s not forget that many of them are both collaborators and readers.  We are very active on our websites, on our social media profiles, as well as on our Books for Chefs platform. All these fronts help strengthen the relationship we have with our followers and understand their interests.

CTI: Are you trying to foster a sense of community among its readers and contributors, encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing within the ice cream industry?

Luis: Our publishing experience in magazines such as Arte Heladero  and Dulcypas  has shown us that a magazine has to be much more than a simple publication to become an actor in its sector.  Thanks to this involvement, we have managed to be a reference media, with enough power to unite/structure sectors whose chefs are usually dispersed and focused on their business.  With so cool..magazine  we have confirmed more than ever that the ice cream has a universal language, which goes beyond gastronomic cultures and language differences.

CTI: How does the magazine balance the educational aspects of its content, such as technical recipes and tutorials, with more aspirational and inspirational features?

Luis: In so cool..magazine  all the contents are designed from this double perspective, training and inspiration-aspiration, or what is the same, pedagogy and motivation.

CTI: What are some of the logistical challenges involved in distributing so cool magazine to readers worldwide, and how do you overcome them?

Luis: Through magazines such as so good..magazine  and our professional books we have been accumulating extensive experience in shipping products all over the world. In addition, we have been building an extensive network of distributors around the world specialized in these types of products. .

CTI: Can you share behind-the-scenes anecdotes or memorable moments from the production of so cool..magazine that exemplify its dedication to quality and creativity?

Luis: One of the most exciting moments of any publication is when you publicly release its cover. This emotion is multiplied by a hundred when the cover is the first issue of a new magazine that has generated a lot of expectation. An emotion that is even more intense when you choose such an important date in an editorial launch like Black Friday. This is a date chosen for very important releases in which you have a lot at stake. The launch of so cool..magazine not only had this cocktail of emotions , but it was also a worldwide success.

CTI: What are some of the challenges and opportunities facing the ice cream and gelato industry that so cool..magazine aims to address through its coverage and advocacy?

Luis: For a long time, the ice cream world lacked fundamental bases on which to “build” a methodology that would help control a product that defies physics because it must remain perfect for consumption despite being frozen. Unlike other sectors, until a few years ago the ice cream did not have schools or experts who could train other people in the trade.

Knowledge depended too much on oral transmission between different family generations in Western countries. A stage in which criteria such as productivity, performance and profitability have marginalized other aspects that ice cream needed to advance such as creativity, research and experimentation.

Compared to other sectors such as pastry, cooking and baking, the ice cream parlor is at a disadvantage. But precisely fighting against this disadvantage is the greatest possible motivation and challenge because there is still a lot to do in ice cream. And this places us before an immense and highly responsible collective project that involves numerous actors, including so cool magazine  and Arte Heladero, as well as our books. Fortunately, in recent years this collective effort has helped to begin to overcome these problems. Ice cream is beginning to be conceived as a product of gastronomic value, which reflects the personality of the chef and the identity of a business.