Mario was born in 1942 in the very heart of the historical centre of Naples ...and with his arrival the second world war was declared.

His passion for Pizza and Neapolitan food erupted not only from the pervasive-cuisine orientated, Neapolitan atmosphere of his youth, but mainly by the food shortage of the war time, when even pea pods were treasured and transformed into an appetising soup.

Besides cookery writing, Mario travels in pursuit of new culinary ideas and he is often asked to be a judge in cookery competitions.

The author learnt to cook at an early age at home taking over the catering responsibilities from his mother, who worked most hours of the day as a seamstress.

In his early teens years he was employed, without remuneration in a local Pizzeria, where he happily digested the first notions of Pizza making and at the same time he savoured the original flavours of Neapolitan Pizzas. He also worked as a commis-chef in a restaurant in the Naples Airport, under the direct supervision of chef Achille who, today runs a famous cookery school in Naples.

Lacking opportunities in Naples, the author visits England since 1958, during the summer months where he joins the Fridaybridge Student Camp fruit picking. Occasionally he works in "The Smedley's" and "The Metal Box", two local canneries.

He spends some time in a nearby village called Wisbech, where he enjoys being a coffee-boy in a cafe’ for students and then as a washer up in the “Rose ‘nd Crown “ Hotel. After a few weeks he is asked to help in the kitchen.

Dissatisfied about the slow progress achieved, Mario moves to London where he studies English for three years and at the same time takes on a few catering jobs offered to him, on his spare time.