i. Biography
The Neapolitan pizza discipline travels by repetition more than geography: dough handling, fermentation, stretch, oven management, and the read of the cornicione. In Brussels, Belgium, Francesco Paolo Martini works that discipline as pizzaiolo/owner of La Piola Pizza, treating the dough as the primary site of control. Techniques and formulations are updated regularly, then tested in soft, elastic pies with regular bubbling at the edge. Italian toppings and seasonality function as part of the build, not as surface garnish. In Martini’s practice, the Neapolitan-style pie depends on balance between dough, heat, edge, and topping weight. At La Piola Pizza, ownership does not sit apart from the bench; the business identity and the making share the same working center.
The Climb
The professional range around La Piola Pizza remains tied to the same craft base. Francesco Paolo Martini is Executive Chef of La Piola Pizza, pizzaiolo of Pizzeria La Piola, and co-owner of two pizzerias in Brussels. Those roles extend the work without changing its foundation: dough first, oven last, service as the test. Leadership in this register is practical. The Executive Chef role at La Piola Pizza carries direction and responsibility; the pizzaiolo role at Pizzeria La Piola keeps the work in the hands. As co-owner of two pizzerias in Brussels, Martini has built around the same vocabulary used at the bench: fermentation, elasticity, cornicione, toppings, timing, and service. The progression stays close to Neapolitan pizza rather than moving away from it. In this tradition, small adjustments in dough and technique alter the whole pie. Martini’s public identity remains tied to that scale of decision: the kind made before the bake, during the stretch, and in the final read of the cornicione.
Today
The current work at La Piola Pizza in Brussels, Belgium, is organized around dough, shaping, heat, and texture. As pizzaiolo/owner, Martini’s role keeps production and direction in the same frame, with the restaurant’s identity built from daily repetition rather than separation between proprietor and maker. The title pizzaiolo/owner carries its weight through practice. At La Piola Pizza, Martini’s authority is attached to repeated handling, precise adjustment, and the pursuit of pies that remain soft, elastic, and controlled at the edge. The present craft register is concrete: dough, cornicione, Italian toppings, seasonality, and technique. Leadership and making are joined in a Neapolitan-style practice where each service returns to fundamentals, and each adjustment is measured against texture, balance, and consistency.
Recognition
Recognition in pizza is most useful when it points back to repeatable work. Francesco's honors include 50 Top Pizza Europa: La Piola Pizza ranked 8th and named best pizzeria in Belgium (2021). For Martini, that notice sits beside the daily craft that produced it: Neapolitan pizza in Brussels, with attention to dough, technique, and the structure of the cornicione.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Francesco
What is Francesco Paolo Martini's current role?
Francesco Paolo Martini is Pizzaiolo/Owner.
What recognition has Francesco Paolo Martini received?
50 Top Pizza Europa: La Piola Pizza ranked 8th and named best pizzeria in Belgium (2021).
What is Francesco Paolo Martini known for?
Neapolitan pizza.
