Sandra Mastio is one of Sweden’s most renowned pizza experts, cookbook authors, and TV personalities—and this fall, she will host the live kitchen at FFCR Malmö. With her creative approach to cooking and passion for Italian cuisine, she has become a prominent entrepreneur in southern Sweden.
For Sandra Mastio, the path into the restaurant industry was far from obvious. With a stable office job and fixed working hours, the idea of a career change seemed completely unimaginable. But despite the absence of any particular culinary or restaurant culture during her upbringing, Sandra has developed a unique perspective on food and ingredient-driven creation.
“When I was growing up, food was just fuel for me—a toasted sandwich on the way to school. There wasn’t much drama around it,” Sandra says with a laugh.
But then he came—a man who would later become her husband—and with him his mother: a quintessential Italian “food mom,” a woman who didn’t just cook, but ran an entire kitchen with such authority that no one dared do anything other than follow her rules.
“I had never met anyone like her, so completely in command of her kitchen, and it was truly a culture shock for me. Suddenly, I was part of a world where a meal wasn’t just about filling your stomach, but about creating togetherness and truly experiencing something as a family. And it was here—in this Italian household—that I discovered my love for food in a way I had never understood before,” Sandra explains.
“At first, my diet was very limited. Prosciutto? Mozzarella? That was strange to me. I was used to farmhouse cheese,” she says with a laugh.
But bit by bit, Sandra began to embrace the Italian food culture—a journey that was both surprising and educational. Eventually, she started experimenting in the kitchen herself, and shortly thereafter met another chef—Jennie Walldén, who won Sweden’s MasterChef in 2013.
“When I saw Jennie win, I thought—why not me?” says Sandra.
And so she did—Sandra Mastio won the entire competition in 2014.
“I had no formal training, no family recipes behind me, but I could understand flavors. It was as if I somehow saw food as a puzzle,” she explains.
But the path into the industry hasn’t always been easy. Despite her win, the exciting TV career, and published cookbooks, the restaurant industry Sandra entered was just as uncertain as it was fun.
She first made a guest appearance at a pizzeria in Stockholm, and it was there—amid her joy for simple Italian food—that Sandra began to find her culinary identity. In December 2017, she took her first step as a restaurant owner with her very own eatery in Malmö, together with her husband Stefano.
“We started with a pop-up pizza service in our garden, and when we saw it was going well, we opened our own. After all, everyone loves pizza, so what could go wrong? Pizza is the perfect canvas for creativity in cooking. You can do anything with a pizza.”
But nothing is predetermined. In 2020, Sandra suffered a horseback riding accident that changed everything. A brain hemorrhage and a long recovery put her life on hold.
“It was a life-altering experience for me. I didn’t know if I would be able to continue in the restaurant industry. There were so many questions,” she explains.
She recounts the months of not being able to leave the house, the migraines that never went away. But eventually, when she returned to the kitchen floor, it felt like a triumph.
“Being back on the floor, feeling that I had made it through—it was incredibly joyful,” she says.
Since her career took off, Sandra has opened a total of four restaurants—including a seasonal pop-up on a hotel rooftop. Today, she runs two of the restaurants, and one of the things she is most proud of is how she has been able to give people memorable experiences through food.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of this job is seeing the people you hire grow and gain confidence. That is one of the most valuable things for me—being able to inspire others and make the world a little better—especially when it feels so upside-down,” she explains.
But for Sandra, it’s not all about being at the forefront in the kitchen.
“I love this job because it gives me so much in return, but I never think too far ahead. I live in the moment,” she says with a smile. “But one thing is certain—Sandra Mastio will continue doing what she loves, in her unpretentious and genuine way.”
By: Rebecca Hyde-Price Aggestam
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