- Written by: Chefluencer Editorial Team
The balance of power in the pizza world has shifted. Francesco Martucci, the creative force behind I Masanielli in Caserta, has been named Best Pizza Chef 2025 by The Best Chef Pizza Awards, ending Franco Pepe’s near-unchallenged four-year dominance.
Martucci climbed to the top from 5th place in 2024, outpacing giants of the craft and reaffirming his restaurant’s role as one of Italy’s most innovative pizza laboratories. His win was announced during a ceremony in Milan, drawing applause from culinary professionals, critics, and fellow pizzaioli alike.
“Pizza is no longer just street food or comfort food — it’s an evolving language,” Martucci said in his acceptance speech. “My job is to keep discovering new ways to speak it.”
The Rise of I Masanielli: From Local Fame to Global Reverence
Based in the southern city of Caserta, a short drive from Naples, I Masanielli has become a pilgrimage site for pizza lovers. But Martucci’s approach stands apart from the city’s traditionalists. While his dough is rooted in the Neapolitan “canotto” style — with its signature airy rim — his method is anything but purist.
At I Masanielli, Martucci employs techniques more common in high-end kitchens than in pizzerias: low-temperature cooking, precise fermentation control, and even sous-vide ingredients. One of his most talked-about creations is the triple-cooked Margherita, in which the dough is subjected to three different temperature treatments for perfect balance between crunch, chew, and elasticity.
He’s known for deconstructing pizza’s core elements — crust, sauce, toppings — and rebuilding them with elegance and precision. In dishes like his reinterpretation of Parmigiana di Melanzane or the seasonal Pizza al Cacio e Pepe, he transcends nostalgia without abandoning it.
A Changing of the Guard
Martucci’s victory marks the end of a long-standing dynasty. Franco Pepe, of Pepe in Grani in Caiazzo, had held the top spot since 2021. Revered for his terroir-driven approach and singular respect for ingredients, Pepe helped elevate pizza from a street staple to a product worthy of destination dining.
But as the judges noted, 2025 was about “refinement, invention, and a holistic dining experience.” While Pepe remained in second place and Gabriele Bonci of Rome’s Pizzarium came third (praised for revolutionizing pizza al taglio), it was Martucci who ultimately embodied the future-forward vision that resonated this year.
As food critic Eleonora Cozzella commented:
“Martucci is the bridge between tradition and what comes next. He doesn’t shock — he seduces. His pizzas aren’t louder than others; they’re more composed, more complete.”
Technical Mastery Meets Storytelling
Martucci is no newcomer. He began working in pizzerias at just ten years old, rising through kitchens with quiet determination. Over the decades, he became known not only for flavor and texture, but also for his commitment to storytelling through pizza. Each menu at I Masanielli reflects regional memories, seasonal references, and his evolving thoughts on what pizza can become.
This year, the restaurant introduced a tasting menu, designed like a fine-dining experience: six mini-pizzas served course-by-course, paired with wines or beers selected by his in-house sommelier. It’s a bold move that reflects his belief that pizza is deserving of the same cultural and service standards as haute cuisine.
A Broader Shift in Pizza Culture
The 2025 list also signals changes in the global pizza scene. Alongside the Italian heavyweights, bars and bistros from Tokyo, New York, São Paulo, and Copenhagen are inching closer to the top. Pizza, long a staple of comfort, is now being embraced by fine-dining chefs, fermentation enthusiasts, and ambitious restaurateurs alike.
Still, Martucci’s win reinforces the unique position of Campania — the spiritual and literal heartland of pizza — as the epicenter of innovation. Yet innovation here doesn’t mean fusion for the sake of it. At I Masanielli, even the most daring creations feel rooted in Italy’s culinary DNA.
Looking Ahead
Following the win, Martucci has hinted at opening a second location, possibly abroad, though details remain under wraps. What’s clear is that I Masanielli is now not just a restaurant, but a culinary philosophy in motion.
As one judge noted:
“Francesco Martucci doesn’t make pizza for Instagram. He makes it for people who want to think, taste, and remember.”
And this year, the world is remembering.
Photo: Francesco Martucci, Best Pizza 2025