Raised between flour sacks and wood-fired ovens in his family’s pizzeria in San Biagio Platani, he was already kneading dough professionally by the age of 13—all while completing high school with a scientific diploma. Early on, he immersed himself in the science of fermentation, spending nights in mills studying the mechanics of flours and yeast. “Science is the first ingredient in my dough,” he often says.

In March 2018, he took a bold step by opening the first location of I Quintili in Tor Bella Monaca, a working-class district on the outskirts of Rome. With its bold “canotto”-style crust, over 75% hydration, and toppings inspired by Campanian and Roman tradition, I Quintili quickly earned acclaim. Italian press called it a “cathedral of taste in the suburbs,” and it became a symbol of culinary revitalization far from the city center.