Kamil Sohajko and Jacek Pleciński are the chefs and co-founders of the Olio pizzeria chain. Their philosophy is based on transferring their extensive experience from professional kitchens to the realm of pizza, creating unconventional compositions with a Polish touch and an emphasis on high-quality, local ingredients. They aim for their dishes, which combine Polish culinary traditions with an Italian character, to evoke fond memories for their customers.
The Best Chef: You both have a background in professional kitchens. What inspired you to focus specifically on pizza and start Olio?
Kamil Sohajko: The main inspiration came from wanting to do something unconventional after years in professional kitchens. We wanted to transfer all our experience from cooking in large kitchens to a single piece of yeast dough, which is pizza. It was about taking that culinary expertise and applying it in a new, focused way.
The Best Chef: You talk about a “Polish accent” in the dough. How does this fit into the evolution of the Polish pizza market where, as you’ve noticed, more and more places are moving away from simply copying Italy towards creating their own original compositions?
Kamil Sohajko: We were looking for that Polish accent in the dough, so we started to experiment, to try things out. We wanted to transfer a bit of our Polish bread, using sourdough, into our pizza dough. That’s why we use sourdough, for a more pronounced taste, a bread-like aroma, and crispy, delicate edges. As for the market, it used to be about transferring Italy to Poland one hundred percent. But then, about three or four years ago, it really took off, and everyone started to experiment, to try to make something of their own, something original, to finally start working on compositions in a way that would surprise people. And that really shot up very quickly over the last three or four years.
The Best Chef: Olio has expanded to multiple locations. How do you ensure that the quality and the unique Olio experience remain consistent across all your pizzerias?
Kamil Sohajko: From the very beginning, our core principle has been to never compromise on quality – good ingredients and good compositions are paramount. We don’t adjust our quality to fit the number of pizzerias; instead, we carefully select and train our teams in each location to uphold our standards.
Jacek Pleciński: We invest a lot of time in thorough training, both theoretical and practical, before a new place opens, and we continue to support them long after. We are constantly revisiting, meeting, and observing to react to any issues. It’s also an ongoing process of improvement; we don’t rest on what we created years ago. We’re always looking to refine our dough or source even better ingredients, sometimes from small producers, as our brand grows.
The Best Chef: What kind of experience or emotion do you ultimately want to evoke in customers who visit Olio and try your pizzas?
Kamil Sohajko: The most important emotion we want to guide our customers towards is memory. Our pizza compositions are often designed to evoke childhood memories, particularly those associated with Polish cuisine, because that’s what we grew up with.
Jacek Pleciński: We try to weave these Polish memories and traditions into our pizzas, while always maintaining an Italian character. So, it’s about offering a mix of Polish tradition with an Italian flair, something that feels both familiar and exciting, and ultimately leaves a lasting, positive impression.
Instagram: @olio.napoletana.krakow
Restaurant website: https://olio-pizzanapoletana.pl/krakow
Restaurant Address: Nadwiślańska 7, 30-527 Kraków
