Behind the counter of a quiet restaurant in Alginet, Spain, Francis Tolu prepares long-fermentation dough for the coming day.
To locals, he is a familiar face at Pizzeria Venezia, a family-owned establishment for 40 years.
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On the global stage, Tolu transforms into a high-flying freestyle pizza champion. He performs acrobatic stunts, crafts pizzas blindfolded, throws spinning dough high, and sets them ablaze.
His dedication earned him the 2026 masters acrobatics title at the World Pizza Games and four victories at the Pizza World Championship.
After competitions, he returns to the demanding restaurant routine.
A Day in the Life of a Pizza Athlete
Tolu wakes between 7:30 and 8 a. m.
, sleeping little.
He skips breakfast, preferring to exercise at the gym or run to clear his mind and start energized.
His nutrition includes three meals: the heaviest at noon, then two lighter ones like fruit. One day he prepared spaghetti with shrimp broth, cherry tomatoes, basil, and garlic.
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Afternoons are intense, balancing digital content, ingredient logistics, and physical labor. He prepares long-fermentation dough for the next day and orders supplies.
Tolu creates and edits recipe videos and clips from shows or competitions.
He says freestyle pizza is his passion, focusing on developing his own style to surprise judges and audiences.
His hallmark is playing on the table, a skill refined over 25 years since taking a course with Italian acrobats.
He started competing in 1999 and has achieved unprecedented feats.
Sacrifices of the Craft
Working in a restaurant leaves little time for socializing. Tolu considers his customers friends, many of whom have been around all his life.
Despite fatigue, he rarely sleeps more than six hours and wakes without an alarm. He never sleeps before 1 a.
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m. , getting exactly six hours before starting again.
