Your favourite summertime dessert is about to get a wild revamp at the hands of some talented, innovative local chefs. For the next eight weeks, the much-loved Piccolina Gelateria is handing over the reins, inviting a group of kitchen heroes to take over the specials board and deliver their own signature gelato creations.

The Piccolina Gelato Project will see eight chefs from Melbourne and Geelong each have a crack at impressing the masses with their gelato game. A different name will step up to the plate each week, teaming up with Piccolina's Sandra Foti to create three special flavours that capture the spirit of their respective restaurant — along with a healthy dose of personal flair, of course.

From Wednesday, February 10 until Tuesday, April 6, roll into any Piccolina outpost to find inventive desserts from the likes of Andreas Papadakis (Tipo 00), Shannon Martinez (Smith & Daughters), Tom Sarafian (Bar Saracen), Dave Verheul (Embla), Sam Stafford (Mono-XO), Zoe Birch (Greasy Zoes) and Aaron Turner (Igni, The Hot Chicken Project).

Kicking things off is Lee Ho Fook's Victor Liong, who for the next week will be serving up a Lunar New Year-inspired menu featuring flavours like Jasmine tea custard with burnt caramel.

Following Liong's stint, Sarafian will churn out a goat's feta gelato with crushed maamoul (an Arabic cookie); Verheul will scoop up porcini mushroom gelato with chocolate, thyme and sour apple; Martinez will transform her famed cardamom and cinnamon doughnut into a gelato; Birch will cook up a spiced pumpkin pie flavour; and Papadakis will push the boundaries (and Melburnians' tastebuds) with a fior de latte, caramelised radicchio, balsamic and chocolate number. And that's just a taster of what's to come.

Dave Verheul

8 Chefs in 8 Weeks flavours will be available at all six Piccolina locations.