Paola Pedrignani is the owner and founder of Gina la Fornarina ‘s concept: She is also co- owner of Amaranth Restaurant that opened in 1999 On 62 street @Madison Avenue.

It all started with the love for Pizza and Art! Paola inherited the love for great pizza from her father Gino and named the restaurant in his honor; then combined it with one of her favorite paintings from Raphael's “ La Fornarina” which means the baker’s daughter! Father & Daughter used to go on culinary trips to Naples and Rome (the Eternal City is the style of Pizza in Gina: Thin and Crispy!) and eat pizza every day. Then Paola’s American Dream became a reality: she finally got to New York , and during her first Job in the city, became great friends with a wonderful Pizzaiolo, Ciro, who invented the crispy and thin focaccia that everybody enjoys in Amaranth, and in many more versions, at Gina La Fornarina! Try our Focaccia Gina or Focaccia Brunch and you will understand how this type of Focaccia became an instant hit and an absolute new culinary obsession for Paola! Paola is also the designer of Gina la Fornarina, since her love for the arts, made her study architecture in Milan, Italy.