"Zio Rigo" brings Italian pizza to Lithuania with the S series oven
n the capital, Vilnius, Daniele Rigoni tells us the story of his restaurant Some people leave for a summer and stay for a lifetime. Daniele Rigoni, from Biella in Piedmont, came to Lithuania for love. Ten years ago. Today he lives in Vilnius, speaks Lithuanian, and is a husband and father. Above all, he is the heart and soul of Zio Rigo, a pizzeria that opened in May 2024 in the Šnipiškės district of the Lithuanian capital. Not in the most touristy area. Not in the old town. But in the neighbourhood where he chose to put down roots. From Project Manager to Pizza Chef and Entrepreneur Daniele did not start out in the world of dough. He worked in hospitality, then as a project manager at an international company. But something was missing. The turning point came in 2020. In his Šnipiškės flat, he began studying dough. He tried, failed, and tried again. Self-taught at first, he then returned to Biella to refine his technique with professionals he admired, gaining further experience in a food truck. His passion grew alongside the realisation that Vilnius was missing something different. "I could see that pizza here was completely lacking the quality I was looking for." Not pizza overloaded with random toppings, but contemporary pizza built on balance. A considered product. Choosing the oven: consistency and quality control In a project like this, the choice of oven becomes a true statement of intent. At first, Daniele was working with an old oven. "There was no consistency." For a high-hydration contemporary Neapolitan pizza like his, that was a serious limitation. His encounter with Moretti Forni came at a trade expo in the Baltics. It was not an ideological choice, but a technical one. The key concept: thermal stability. Today, the restaurant runs on a S series (steel finishing), with a Fastbake chamber for contemporary pizza and a complementary Multibake for other productions, including toppings. The difference is felt every day, especially during peak hours. At weekends, service is rushing. "Last Saturday I was fully booked from opening until ten, non-stop. Here, people eat pizza at any time of day." At the busiest moments, they reach 300 pizzas, up to 400 including takeaway. In these conditions, consistency is an absolute necessity. Daniele has also worked with a wood-fired oven, and the comparison is striking: "If I compare it in terms of ease of management — S series it's five times easier to maintain baking consistency." This also becomes a tool for business growth. "With this oven, you can teach anyone. No need of rotating the pizza, it bakes perfectly." In a young restaurant, with a team growing alongside the project, the ability to delegate and standardise is essential. Technology does not replace the operator's skill — it supports it. What's more, Daniele shares, the steel finish fits perfectly with the Nordic-industrial design of the space. Clean and essential. Italy in the Baltics, Without Nostalgia The clientele at Zio Rigo is young, curious, and international. Many have travelled to Italy and are looking for the real thing. Others arrive with provocations — like the pineapple debate. Daniele does not flinch. "If an ingredient is considered and makes sense, you can play with anything. We are not stuck in the cooking of ninety years ago." He guides the experience bringing a gastronomic culture that is open to change. Because reimagining pizza does not mean betraying it. It means having the right tools to turn a vision into a new reality.
