By John Gattey | Our second episode in the Fed By Hand series profiles James Coleridge and his exceptional gelato at Bella Gelateria. When you step into James’ Coal Harbour shop, the first thing that strikes you is his incredible enthusiasm. If he’s not happily encouraging you to taste through his menu (with an army of tiny plastic spoons at-the-ready), then he’s likely extolling the virtues of the old-world processes employed in crafting all of his beautiful flavours. It’s a passion that comes through in his products.

Bella is the real deal. Last year they won both the technical jury prize and the people’s choice award at the Florence Gelato Festival in Italy. It’s not hard to see why. There is a clarity of flavour here that I’ve never experienced in gelato before. You can’t go wrong with classics like lemon, bright in citrus balancing tart and sweet delicately, or with their incredibly creamy hazelnut, the toasted notes of which making it (and this is strange to say for an iced dessert) almost warming. And if you’re one to experiment, try either the black sesame and salted chocolate.

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Fed by Hand is a web series produced in Vancouver by the Gattey brothers (John, a professional cook and aspiring vagabond, and David, a fully-dedicated film geek). The series is dedicated to honest eating – the sort of simple, wholesome fare that satisfies stomach and soul – and the shining of spotlights on the people that make it possible.