Germany
I am a Romanian-born, Italian-raised Chef and Entrepreneur who has called Berlin home for the last decade. My journey through different cultures has shaped a deeply adaptive approach to cooking and business, blending traditional roots with the fast-paced energy of the Berlin food scene. After years in the high-pressure kitchens of Soho House Berlin, I decided to step out on my own. I started with a food truck, bringing my pizza to festivals and markets across the city, before finally opening our permanent shop in Weissensee in late 2023. My philosophy is simple: high-quality, creative food should be accessible. I use pizza as a humble vehicle for interesting flavors: taking the technical standards of high-end baking and sourdough production and making them part of an everyday meal. As a Founder and Head Chef, I'm focused on more than just the kitchen; I'm driven by the challenge of building a real community in our Kiez. Whether I'm at the oven or managing the business, my goal is to keep our Weissensee shop a place where artisanal quality and neighborhood connection go hand in hand, while I keep bringing our flavours to all Berlin with our purple foodtruck.
Launched as a mobile food truck operation, touring Berlin’s major festivals and street food markets before opening our permanent brick-and-mortar shop in Weissensee in December 2023. As the founder and head chef, I manage the dual responsibilities of business growth and daily kitchen operations. This includes everything from the technical side—serving as the lead baker and overseeing sourdough production—to the strategic side as CEO, managing logistics, staff, and the transition from a mobile unit to a successful retail location.
Maintained high-quality artisanal standards in a fast-paced kitchen, focusing on precise dough preparation, ingredient curation, and technical baking. I managed the full production cycle during high-volume shifts while simultaneously launching my own business, ensuring consistent quality and service throughout.
Started as a Demi Chef and quickly moved into the Chef de Partie role to lead the catering and events. I managed a team of five to seven people in a high-pressure kitchen, overseeing everything from daily shifts and ordering to the execution of major events like Berlinale and Fashion Week. We handled a massive range of service styles for groups of 20 to 400+ guests, including everything from fine dining and full-course lunches to finger food, flying food, and high-volume breakfast and brunch. Every six months, we overhauled the entire menu, managing the consistency and prep for new recipes each season to keep up with Soho House standards.
- Overseeing dough preparation, ingredient curation, and precision baking to maintain high-quality artisanal standards in a fast-paced kitchen. - Managed all kitchen operations, ordering, and staff supervision during the Head Pizza Chef’s absence.
Worked as Pizza Chef in several restaurants: - Gastronomia Parise, Bibione, Italy // Summer seasons 2013, ‘14, ́15 - Pizzeria Marco Magno, Urbino, Italy // November 2014 - May 2015 - Ristorante/pizzeria Gambero d’oro, Oderzo, Italy // December 2013 - 2014 - Monarka, Conegliano, Italy // October 2013 - March 2014
Pizza Maker in several pizzerias: - Pizzeria Arte della pizza, S. Polo di Piave, Italy // November 2012 - May 2013 - Pizzeria Università della pizza, Oderzo, Italy // December 2008 - November 2012 - Pizzeria Driim, Tezze di Piave, Italy // February 2008 - October 2008