The man behind Mother

Blending the tastes of two worlds and shaping Copenhagen’s culinary scene.

Photographs: Chris Tonnesen / Priszcilla Varga

Text: Ophelia Wu

Pizza. The classic comfort food. It’s hard to find someone who truly dislikes it. Sure, not everyone’s always in the mood for a slice, but outright loathing? That’s rare.

With the recent opening of Mother’s new Italian pizzeria in the heart of Copenhagen, I met co-founder David Biffani in a sun-drenched courtyard to talk about all things pizza, Italian culture, and how Denmark’s food scene has evolved, 15 years after Mother first opened its doors in Kødbyen.

From Rome to Copenhagen: A culinary journey

Back in 2010, Mother introduced Copenhagen to 100% natural, organic sourdough pizza, quietly sparking a pizza revolution. Now, with their second location in Indre By, the team is bringing their signature flavours, community-driven ethos, and a few clever twists to the city centre.

David first came to Denmark in the early 2000s after meeting his Danish partner while living in London. Having grown up in Rome and spent years in “big messy towns” like LA and London, he found Copenhagen’s calmer pace a welcome change and better suited for family life. At the time, a gastronomic revolution was already simmering in London. Always staying ahead of the curve, David threw himself into research: eating out, observing, and speaking with guests. Two years after moving to Denmark, he and his then-business partner opened Mother, introducing 100% natural and organic sourdough pizza to the city and laying the foundation for a new kind of pizza culture.

Two years after moving to Denmark, he and his then-business partner opened Mother, introducing 100% natural and organic sourdough pizza to the city and laying the foundation for a new kind of pizza culture.

A gastronomic revolution

The early 2000s marked a pivotal time in food culture. In London, the perception of chefs began to shift, thanks in part to Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential, which played a part in the rising trend of celebrity chefs. “There was this sudden fascination with the chef,” David explains. “But being a real chef takes creativity, vision, stress management, intelligence, and physical strength. Very few people in the world can do what real chefs do.” David was trained the traditional way: starting at the bottom and working his way up, and he remains deeply involved to this day. He tests ingredients, trains staff and stays connected to Italian seasonality. At Mother, menu changes are rare but considered. “When people want pizza, they usually want their pizza. You have to be clever with any updates,” he says. That’s why the core pizza menu, in place since the beginning, remains largely unchanged.

Running a restaurant, however, goes well beyond cooking. David is quick to point out the difference. “Today, being a chef is seen as a status symbol, but real kitchen work is 95% practical: rooted in experience, pressure management, and years of graft.” Social media may have blurred the lines, but running a full-service kitchen is quite different from cooking dinner at home. Equally, running a restaurant requires far more than culinary passion. It takes leadership, adaptability, and business acumen. “Being a good home cook doesn’t qualify someone to open a restaurant,” David says. “It takes years to become a restaurateur who understands trends, staff, and decision-making. Without that, you’re just playing the role of a boss or a cook.”

The Mother philosophy

When Mother first opened, Denmark’s food scene offered little between fine dining and casual eats. Alongside a handful of visionary chefs, some from the early Noma circle, David helped redefine what accessible, high-quality food could look like.

Mother became the first 100% organic sourdough pizzeria in Copenhagen, and one of only two of its kind globally. Even in Italy, sourdough was still uncommon. But in the Nordics, it had deep roots. “It’s a pain to make,” David laughs, “but it’s so much better for people.” That mother dough and oven became the heart of the concept—and the source of the name. Everything stemmed from it: the dough, the oven, the ethos. “There was demand, but not enough quality,” David says. “Mother gave people an alternative.”

There’s no such thing as good pizza, he insists. “Everyone has their own opinion.” A 72-hour matured Neapolitan pizza is nothing like a crisp, thin Roman pizza. Even the idea of receiving a whole, round pizza at your table is relatively new in Italy—an American touch introduced in the 1960s. Because pizza is simple, it’s all about quality. “It’s a humble dish. The least you can do is use the best ingredients,” David says. “Sustainable tomatoes. Good mozzarella. As natural as possible.” Unless you’re following the strict Neapolitan guidelines, authenticity is more about what Italians don’t put on their pizzas. Most traditional recipes use no more than three or four ingredients, varying by region.

At Mother, the pizza isn’t tied to one place; it’s “Mother Style”. While their success has inspired numerous imitators, David remains focused on staying ahead without straying from their core. “The formula of success is easy to copy. That’s why we keep evolving while staying true to what we do best. Our job is to find the best possible ingredients at the best price for our guests.”

A new chapter: Community in the heart of the city

David is also one of the owners of Andersen & Maillard, and with Mother’s new location, the two concepts finally have a chance to cross paths. Until 11 a.m., guests can enjoy coffee and pastries made entirely in-house, from the roastery to the bakery. “It’s a very Danish product and brand,” David says, “but of course, there’s an Italian touch—like the glazed croissants, which are very much an Italian breakfast.”

At the heart of Italian culture is the sharing of experiences, primarily through food. The new Mother embraces this spirit with a generous outdoor seating area: open, lively, and designed for connection. After 15 years at the original Kødbyen site, David remains hands-on, often dropping by the restaurant in the evenings. “This one needs to be even better than the first,” he says. The location was carefully chosen; few places in central Copenhagen offer such expansive outdoor space.

David sees the new space as a way to pass the torch. “It’s important for the younger generation to know there’s a place in the heart of the city where you can get quality pizza at a fair price,” he says. Giving back has always been a massive part of the Mother ethos. Each year, they host a community party featuring free food, wine, and music for everyone. “It’s only fair,” he adds. “There’s no greed in the business. It’s all about passion and staying focused on what we do best—pizza.”

Food for everyday life

Despite the location, the core at Mother remains unchanged: a shared table, a sense of community, and the joy of everyday food. “When we started, Danes weren’t used to sitting closely with strangers,” David recalls. “But it’s slowly becoming more accepted. We don’t really compromise on this one.” Sharing food and space is integral to Italian culture, and to Mother’s ethos.

David believes a successful restaurant must function like infrastructure: “It has to be there all the time. It’s comforting.” Italian cuisine is rooted in making something from nothing, simple ingredients, cooked with care, and shared with joy. Mother reflects this spirit. The vibe is casual, the food unfussy. “In Denmark, people often dine out as a celebration,” he says. “But we wanted to make it easy. Just go out for food. No special occasion needed.” Italians tend to gather spontaneously; Danes, on the other hand, tend to plan. Through Mother, David hopes to introduce a more relaxed, intuitive way of enjoying food. From sourcing ingredients directly from Italy to working with a local organic butcher on a custom recipe, everything at Mother is done in-house—from dough to toppings. “It’s not just about pizza,” David says. “It’s about keeping things real and staying true to our roots.”

A perfect blend of cultures at home

After living in multiple cities, David now feels truly at home in Denmark. “It was more relaxed around foreigners back then,” he reflects. “It was easier to feel at home.” While he still misses the landscapes of Italy, he chose Denmark for a reason—and stayed because it felt right. The structure, the systems, the calm—these are what make life in Denmark work for him. “It’s very solid. The Danes are solid. Everything is easier and healthier here than in London or Rome,” he says. From efficient public transport to a rich cultural life, Denmark offers balance and consistency.

At home, David and his partner have created a multilingual, multicultural family life where both backgrounds are celebrated. His children speak Italian, and traditions from each culture coexist harmoniously. Breakfast might be cookies dipped in milk—quintessentially Italian—or French toast and scrambled eggs. Each parent speaks their native language with the children, and holidays like Christmas are filled with compromise, creativity, and a blend of customs.

David laughs about the cultural contrasts. Italians are known for being more spontaneous than Danes. “It’s not more challenging than being with an Italian partner,” he jokes. While his Danish partner loves planning, David prefers to stay present in the moment. Still, he appreciates the Danish approach to life, which is calm and chill. He also observes subtler differences in manners and social interaction. Having grown up learning how to greet people properly, seat guests at the table, and serve others in the correct order, these small but meaningful gestures are essential to him. He passes these values—politeness, courtesy, cleanliness on to his children, believing they form the foundation of respectful living.

Whether in his home kitchen or at the restaurant, David’s world is rooted in connection. Through food, family, or simply sharing a pizza, his values remain the same: keep it simple, do it well, and do it with heart.