Chef Mathieu Palombino brings a thoughtful, skilled approach to the classic foods that he loves. At his four Motorino pizzerias, he makes what The New York Times restaurant critic Sam Sifton called “the city’s best pizza,” preserving simplicity while using the highest quality ingredients and a meticulous attention to detail.
A native of Belgium, Palombino spent much of his teenage years apprenticing in restaurant kitchens, learning the craft from seasoned professionals before working in several fine dining restaurants, including Bonsoir Clara in Brussels. Palombino arrived in New York in 2000 and continued furthering his classical French training working under renowned chefs such as David Bouley at his namesake restaurant and chef Laurent Tourondel at both Cello and BLT Steak. As the chef de cuisine at BLT Fish, he helped the restaurant earn three stars from The New York Times in 2005.
Though he spent the formative years of his career in high-end restaurant kitchens, Palombino dreamed of opening an intimate restaurant of his own focused on the simple, wholesome food that he had been drawn to for years: pizza. In fall 2008, Palombino realized this goal with the opening of Motorino in Brooklyn. A year later, he opened Motorino in the East Village. In 2013 Chef Mathieu opened the first branch of the pizzeria in Hong Kong and followed in the summer with the re-opening of the sorely missed original Brooklyn spot, this time in a new location on the south side of Williamsburg.
Palombino’s Neapolitan-style pizzas topped with fresh, seasonal ingredients have been called “the best of a new generation of pizzas” by former New York Times critic Frank Bruni, named “Best New Artisan Pie” by Time Out New York and the Margherita DOC pie was described as “a thing of beauty” by New York Magazine. Motorino continues to accrue accolades including Michelin Guide “Bib Gourmand” awards in 2010, 2011 and Michelin distinction in 2012. The pizzeria frequently finds itself on many top ten pizza lists in both New York City and in the United States, most recently honored as the number two pizzeria out of 35 in the country on the DailyMeal.com. Motorino continues to be a sought out destination for both New Yorkers and folks in Hong Kong, from tourists to people in the restaurant industry alike.
When he’s not in the kitchen, Palombino finds inspiration for his restaurants in every facet of the city, from its timelessness to the energy of its various neighborhoods. He also enjoys his wife’s cooking at their home in Brooklyn, New York, where they live with their two sons.