Davvero Gelato's Layne Montgomery during a pop-up at Libby Hill
Post-college, VCU graduate Layne Montgomery spent almost a decade traveling across Europe and diving spoon-first into the best gelato each dreamy city had to offer. But it was in Bologna, Italy, after studying at Carpigiani Gelato University — a school dedicated to the cool craft — that the now 28-year-old decided to bring her expertise back home to Richmond. In 2020, Montgomery launched her pop-up concept, Davvero Gelato, which directly translates to “Real Gelato” in Italian. Offering classic flavors such as hazelnut and pistachio alongside less traditional combinations including a Turkish-inspired tahini gelato paired with a grape molasses cookie, all vegan, the gelato cart is making pop-up appearances at South of James Market, The Big Market and Libby Hill Park this summer.
Hazelnut gelato from Davvero Gelato
Richmond magazine: Where are you originally from?
Layne Montgomery: I was born and raised in Glen Allen. After attending VCU, I traveled around Italy for two summers, and after that I lived in Istanbul, Turkey, for seven and a half years. I finally made my way back to Richmond in 2018 to pursue my dream of making gelato while being close to my family.
RM: What prompted your decision to study in Bologna, Italy?
Montgomery: I studied at Carpigiani in Bologna. It’s a gelato university, and I took their entire course on making gelato. I had never cooked before or even made homemade ice cream. I figured if I took the course, I might discover I don’t like making gelato and I just like eating it, and that’s OK!
RM: What was one thing that surprised you during your gelato studies?
Montgomery: I didn’t realize how much math was involved — it is so much math. I have to figure out how much fat, sugar and solid [to use]. The course only included one day of vegan and dairy-alternative gelato-making. I have to apply the same principles and percentages used when making [milk-based] gelato to making oat-milk gelato.
RM: Why did you decide to make exclusively vegan gelato?
Montgomery: I’m not vegan, but I am a vegetarian. My mom is lactose intolerant, and I just wanted to create a gelato that she could have. Also, trying to source local dairy became difficult and cost-prohibitive with storage, so vegan gelato became my niche. Everyone can eat vegan gelato, and I wanted to make one that tasted just as good as traditional milk gelato. I always want to be true to authentic Italian gelato.
