Growing up in a small Italian town with his six brothers and five sisters, young Francesco Illiano had two great passions - soccer and restaurants. At just eight years of age he was spending his afternoons as a right defender, taking the ball away from the opposing team's best striker, and his evenings washing dishes in the midst of a bustling bistro kitchen.
Shortly after his 12th birthday, and already developing the skills of an expert pizza chef, he left home to live with an older sister and work full time in a traditional Italian family restaurant. Then, in his early twenties, following a spell in the Merchant Marine traveling the waterways of the Mediterranean and Northern Africa, he arrived in the United States to work at a friend's restaurant.
In 1983 he took ownership of a small Westminster, Maryland pizzeria and sub shop known as "New York J&P Pizza" - and the first chapter of this great American success story had been written.
Today, Frank Illiano remains just as passionate about his restaurants - with New York J&P Pizza now one of central Maryland's most successful family restaurant chains - and is never happier than when coaching a soccer team with his young son Gennaro playing right defender.
The original Westminster restaurant is gone but five New York J & P Pizzalocations in Carroll, Frederick and Montgomery counties continue the tradition of authentic Italian cooking in a true family atmosphere.
Frank, his wife Miia and their two older children Amber and Randy are all involved in running New York J & P Pizza's Mt Airy location. The Hampstead restaurant, which opened on 5th December 1983, is run by Frank's older brother Augusto; Younger brother Tony runs the Spring Ridge location; Miia's mother Tina is in charge in Damascus and her cousin Leho in Finksburg.
In the spring of 2005, a sixth J & P Pizza was added to the fold - with the
addition of the Taylorsville location. In a remarkably quick turn-around,
Frank and his team were able to transform an existing restaurant into the
newest J&P Pizza - with the great food and great atmosphere that J&P patrons
have come to expect. The Taylorsville location - situated on the busy corner
of Routes 26 & 27 - also features a Crown gas station with breakfast hours
for coffee, sandwiches and doughnuts.
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