Estimated reading time: 13 minutes
Ben Pianese grew up in southern Italy and has spent much of his adult life in London and abroad. His path into bodywork began well before he became known as a massage therapist in Central London. It was shaped by hands-on work, personal recovery, Thai massage training, energy work, and more than twenty years of treatment-room experience.
Since the late 1990s, Ben has worked in different parts of London, such as Covent Garden, Marylebone, Harley Street, and Angel in Islington. In 2008 and 2009, he founded Massaggi, a Central London massage and bodywork brand offering Thai, deep-tissue, and sports massage, postural work, and recovery treatments.
Ben has also played a key role in the development of Asiatic. After many years connected to the original 93 Upper Street studio, he helped shape the Asiatic brand and continues to support its vision of skilled, Thai-informed bodywork in Islington.
Ben Pianese: timeline at a glance
→ 1997: Ben moved from southern Italy to London.
→ 1999: A serious fall on ice caused back and knee injuries.
→ 2001: He started practising bodywork part-time while studying Thai massage, anatomy, and professional massage.
→ 2004–2006: He gained more experience in London spas, gyms, and therapy rooms.
→ 2006: He launched his first website, Earth Remedies.
→ 2008/2009: He created Massaggi, building a modern massage identity in Central London.
→ 2009: Ben built a strong connection with Upper Street in Islington.
→ 2021: He helped update and rename the original 93 Upper Street studio as Asiatic.
→ Today, Ben still runs his private practice, offers coaching and advice, and supports Asiatic’s long-term vision.
Editorial Note
This article was written by Team Asiatic and is based on an interview with Ben Pianese.
Editorial review by Ben Pianese, Co-Founder of Asiatic and bodywork practitioner since 2001.
Asiatic has served the Islington community since 2009.
Early foundations: from technical work to the Italian army
Ben’s relationship with hands-on work began early.
From the age of eleven, starting in the late 1980s, he spent his summers assisting his cousin in a mechanic shop in southern Italy. He later progressed into practical physical trades, including building, plastering and electrical work through the early 1990s.
After graduating from high school in the mid-1990s, Ben earned a five-year diploma in Electrical and Electronic Technology. He then completed one year of service in the Italian army before moving to London in 1997.
These early jobs taught him about structure, movement, mechanics, and discipline. Even before formal massage training, he had already developed strong skills in his hands and in physical work.
Even back then, Ben understood the importance of touch. After long workdays, he and his friends often gave each other back and shoulder massages. What started as a way to relax sore muscles became the first step on a deeper journey.
Ben Pianese launched Massaggi in Covent Garden in 2008/2009 after years of bodywork training, personal recovery, and hands-on experience in London.
London 1997: Soho, Covent Garden and multicultural influence
Ben moved to London in 1997 and started working in the busy hospitality industry. His first job was as a chef on Greek Street in Soho. By 1998, he was working in restaurants in Covent Garden.
In 1999, he became bar manager at Islington Bar caledonian road and bartender at Break for the Border, a lively and multicultural bar and restaurant on Oxford Street. The work was fast-paced, energetic, and physically demanding.
During this period, a colleague who was studying Shiatsu gave Ben a treatment that changed his understanding of massage. The session brought him into a deep meditative state and left him feeling physically balanced and mentally clear.
The team of about 20 people at the venue started giving each other regular back and shoulder massages. For Ben, this was more than just a way to relax at work. It showed him that touch could change how people feel, both physically and emotionally, even in a busy workplace.
The turning point: injury, recovery and the call to bodywork
In 1999/2000, Ben suffered a serious fall on ice, resulting in severe back and knee injuries. After knee arthroscopy and unsuccessful chiropractic treatment, he was left unable to walk properly for years.
Physiotherapy only helped a little, and the experience took a toll on him both physically and emotionally. This tough time led him to look for new ways to recover, find meaning, and understand his body differently.
A referral to a stress project on Holloway Road eventually led him to the School of Five Element Acupuncture in Camden.
While still using crutches, Ben signed up for a Thai massage course near Highbury and Islington. Right from the start, the techniques felt natural to him. His teacher, Joanna Ryne, who was Head of City Lit in Covent Garden at the time, noticed his natural skill and encouraged him to study anatomy, physiology, and professional body massage.
That moment became one of the foundations of his professional path.
Ben began to see massage not just as a way to relax but as a skilled practice that involves understanding anatomy, applying the right pressure, being present, and paying attention to rhythm and body awareness.
Thai massage, anatomy and the beginning of practice
By 2001, Ben was practising part-time while continuing to study. He worked with The Healing Tent and supported community events, including Islington Council events and the London Marathon.
His early work combined Thai massage, professional bodywork, anatomy, and a growing interest in how the body responds to pressure, movement, energy, and attention.
Over time, this turned into a practical, hands-on style that still guides his work today.
For Ben, Thai massage was more than just a treatment style. It was a whole system that brought together structure, pressure, breathing, assisted movement, and being present.
Exploring bioenergetic work and inner recovery
Before the internet was widely available, Ben loved to research. He often visited Neal’s Yard Remedies and Mystery in Covent Garden, where he explored natural medicine, energy work, and holistic ways to recover.
During this time, he learned about Bioplasmic Manipulation with Michael Cohen, a type of bioenergetic work. Ben says this was a major turning point in his recovery. After years of pain and treatments that didn’t work, this approach helped him a lot and changed how he saw the connection between body, energy, and awareness.
He later completed Reiki training and became a Reiki Master, although he felt bioenergetic work had the strongest personal effect on him.
This time helped Ben become more sensitive to people, different environments, and the small ways the body responds to touch, pressure, and presence.
Building professional experience in London
Between 2004 and 2006, Ben gained further experience in several London settings. He worked at Aquaterra in Covent Garden (now Better Gym) alongside an osteopath. He also worked at Kimantra, a modern urban spa in Camden Passage near Angel Station, and later at Aveda Spa in Covent Garden.
Working in these places introduced him to a wide range of clients, varying treatment expectations, and professional settings.
He learned that massage can take many forms, from spa and clinical settings to therapeutic, restorative, sports-focused, and very personal approaches.
This time helped him raise his standards and recognise the importance of a professional treatment environment.
Ben Pianese performing shoulder massage in his Marylebone studio in 2012, reflecting his long-standing focus on hands-on bodywork, posture and tension release.
Earth Remedies, Massaggi and early digital strategy
Ben launched his first website, Earth Remedies, in 2006. Back then, most independent massage therapists in London lacked a strong online presence. He studied SEO, backlinks and Google updates using platforms such as Moz and Search Engine Land. This early interest in digital strategy and brand protection helped him understand how people search for trusted massage therapists and recovery services.
In late 2008 and early 2009, Ben launched Massaggi, creating a modern, professional brand that stood out from most spa websites at the time.
After Massaggi launched, demand increased quickly. From 2009 on, Ben worked in several therapy rooms, such as Upper Street in Islington, Neal’s Yard in Covent Garden, and Marylebone. He built a team of eight massage therapists, including an osteopath and a sports medicine therapist, and continued to offer home and hotel visits.
Massaggi built a strong presence on Google Local and collected many genuine reviews over the years.
Why Ben’s story matters to Asiatic
Ben’s connection with Asiatic began long before the name Asiatic existed.
He was a regular client at the original Kobkun Thai Therapy at 93 Upper Street starting in 2009. Over time, he built a strong connection with the space, the people, and the Upper Street community.
In 2021, the owners asked him to help update the brand. Ben chose the name Asiatic, which means “people from Asia” in Latin. The name reflects the business’s connection to Asian bodywork traditions and allows the brand to grow in a modern, London-based way.
He helped create the look and feel of Asiatic Thai Massage in Angel and Highbury, combining a warm, professional, and modern approach.
Today, Asiatic at 93 and 262 Upper Street brings together Thai yoga massage traditions, London bodywork culture, thoughtful design, and a strong local community presence.
A journey through Thailand and Asia
Ben has travelled to Thailand over twenty times and thinks of it as his second home.
He has studied at well-known Thai massage schools like Loi Kro in Chiang Mai and Wat Pho. He has also visited top spas and massage centres in places like Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore, China, Miami, and Vietnam.
These experiences deepened his understanding of Thai massage, spa culture, pressure techniques, movement, hospitality, and holistic care.
Instead of just copying one method, Ben has used his travels to watch, compare, and improve his own approach to bodywork.
His London practice is influenced by this international perspective, but it remains grounded in hands-on experience and personal care.
Ben’s current philosophy
Ben continues to work as a practitioner, coach and mentor. He maintains a private practice in Covent Garden, Marylebone and Westminster, seeing many long-term clients who have trusted him for years.
Today, his approach is all about integration. He keeps working on his own mental, emotional, and energetic development, so his work with others is grounded in real practice rather than theory.
Ben also uses the Magrin Method and keeps exploring ways to support awareness, emotional clarity, personal growth, and recovery.
Since his schedule is often full months ahead, he sends new clients to trusted therapists at Asiatic for high-quality Thai massage and bodywork.
He also gets regular Thai massage at Asiatic in Angel and Highbury, along with acupuncture and Bowen Therapy. His personal philosophy is simple: focus on your own growth first so you can truly help others.
Living awareness, meditation and presence
Ben values meditation highly, but he doesn’t think it should be limited to sitting on a cushion or being in a quiet room.
For Ben, meditation matters most when it’s part of everyday life. He calls this living awareness—staying present with each breath, feeling, or moment, without getting caught up in the past or future.
In treatment, this presence matters. When a therapist is truly present, their touch becomes more attentive, and their pressure responds more naturally. The session feels less mechanical and more connected to the person they are working with.
Ben believes this kind of awareness has influenced his bodywork more than any single technique.
For a practical introduction to breath and presence, read our guide to breathwork for inner peace.
For a practical introduction to breath and presence, read our guide to breathwork for inner peace.
On manifestation, practice and removing limitations
Ben does not follow the conventional law of attraction.
Instead, he thinks people often already have what they are looking for. The key is to find the right practice, stick with it, and slowly remove the inner blocks that get in the way of clarity and action.
For Ben, real progress comes from daily practice, not from quick fixes or promises.
He sees personal growth as a slow process of improving attention, discipline, awareness, and honest inner work.
What Ben values
Ben is drawn to authenticity, sincerity and originality.
He values people and places that are honest, grounded, and unique. He is less interested in things that feel fake, copied, or disconnected from real experience.
At his core, he values honesty, love, healthy food, disciplined practice, and real connection.
These values still guide his work, his relationships, and his approach to massage.
The standard of care clients can expect
With over 25 years of dedicated practice, Ben keeps high professional standards.
He gives every treatment with presence, technical skill, and real attention to each person. His work brings together hands-on experience, anatomical knowledge, Thai massage training, deep-tissue techniques, and a commitment to personal growth.
Many clients have stayed with him for years, and some have been coming since 2007. This long-term trust shows not just his technique, but also his consistency, care, and professional judgment.
Ben keeps learning and improving so that every client gets a treatment that feels safe, grounded, and thoughtfully done.
Contact and current practice
Ben runs a private practice in Covent Garden, Marylebone, and Westminster, where he still sees many long-term clients.
Since his schedule is often full months ahead, he usually refers new clients to Asiatic Thai Massage in Angel and Highbury, where the team continues the tradition of skilled Thai-inspired bodywork.
He also offers online coaching with the Magrin Method, helping people with personal growth, letting go of blockages, and working toward their goals.
In his free time, Ben studies, travels, and keeps exploring new healing and bodywork methods.
His journey started in southern Italy and grew through London, Thailand, and beyond. Today, it continues in his work, his clients, and the legacy of touch he has built in Central London and Islington.
Final thoughts
In a fast-changing industry, Ben Pianese’s story stands out. It is a long, personal and practical journey through touch, recovery, discipline and awareness.
His work has been shaped by physical trades, personal injury, Thai massage, Central London treatment rooms, energy work, travel, digital innovation and decades of hands-on experience.
For Asiatic, Ben’s story is important because it forms part of the brand’s modern identity. It reflects the belief that massage should be skilled, present, thoughtful and tailored to each person.
His legacy is not only about how many years he has worked. It is about the ongoing care, trust and body awareness he has offered to clients across London.
For guests considering regular bodywork, our guide to massage frequency explains how often you may wish to book Thai massage, deep tissue massage or sports massage, depending on your lifestyle.
You may also find our editorial guide to the best deep tissue massage in London useful if you are comparing spa, clinic and massage boutique options.
You may also find our editorial guide to the best deep tissue massage in London useful if you are comparing spa, clinic, and massage boutique options.
What clients say
“Ben’s touch is unlike anything I have experienced in 15 years of receiving massage. After one session, my shoulder tension felt noticeably lighter. He is the only therapist I trust with my body.”
— Sarah T., Marylebone client since 2012
“Working with Ben is a masterclass in presence. His combination of deep tissue and Thai massage helped me feel more open, balanced and calm after years of desk work.”
— James R., Covent Garden client since 2009
“From the first session, I felt completely safe and cared for. Ben’s intuitive approach and living awareness make his treatments feel deeply considered. I have referred my family to him.”
— Elena M., Angel Islington client since 2008
“Ben Pianese has been part of the London wellness community since 2001. His career is defined by a rare synthesis of bioenergetic practice, traditional Thai massage and long-term bodywork experience.”
© 2026 Asiatic. All rights reserved. Original editorial concepts, proprietary terminology, structural layouts, and creative content within this article are subject to ongoing digital monitoring and content protection systems.
