Mario Moretti: “Innovation and Training for the Future of Pizza”
Technological innovation, baking quality and training are the cornerstones of Moretti Forni’s vision. The company is a leading reference point for professionals in the pizza and bakery sectors. On the occasion of the Italian Cuisine Festival in Switzerland, Mario Moretti, CEO of Moretti Forni, discusses emerging market needs, the role of technology in business growth and the importance of passing on the value of Italian gastronomic culture to younger generations.
What does taking part in the Italian Cuisine Festival in Switzerland mean to Moretti Forni?
«The Festival represents an important opportunity for us to promote and showcase Italian gastronomic culture, bringing together producers, professionals and enthusiasts who share the same commitment to quality and excellence. These values guide our daily work, and this initiative provides an ideal setting in which to express them, encouraging the exchange of experiences and the dissemination of the expertise that makes Italian cuisine recognised around the world».
The world of pizza is constantly evolving. What are the main demands of today’s market, and how can technological innovation help professionals meet new challenges?
«Today, the market demands consistent quality, simpler and more efficient processes, and the ability to respond to increasingly diverse business models. Entrepreneurs face tangible challenges, from difficulties in recruiting skilled staff to the need to optimise resources and energy consumption, while maintaining high standards even during peak service times. In this context, technological innovation must go beyond improving equipment performance: it must simplify everyday work and create new opportunities for businesses. This is the direction Moretti Forni is pursuing. One example is Refining®, a technology that separates the production phase from the service phase, allowing the final cooking stage to be completed at the right moment and enabling businesses to manage peak demand more efficiently. The goal is to serve a product quickly while preserving its quality, texture and crispness, with characteristics comparable to those of a freshly baked pizza».
Which tools and initiatives do you consider essential to safeguarding the value of Italian cuisine and passing its expertise on to younger generations?
«The recognition of Italian cuisine as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2025 reaffirmed the value of a heritage encompassing traditions, knowledge, raw ingredients and professional skills. Preserving it means passing it on to younger generations, while also creating the conditions for it to continue evolving. Events such as this Festival are essential because they foster interaction among professionals, encourage the sharing of experiences and highlight the diversity of gastronomic identities. This commitment must be supported by tangible investment in training, helping young people discover the restaurant industry, develop specialist skills and see the sector as an attractive career path. Strengthening dialogue between schools, businesses and professionals is equally important, ensuring that training meets the market’s actual needs. Safeguarding Italian cuisine depends on our ability to pass on its wealth of knowledge while, at the same time, supporting innovation and progress».
MorettiLAB is a centre dedicated to research, experimentation and training in cooking technology. What is its mission, and how does it contribute in practical terms to the professional development of people working in the sector?
«MorettiLAB is the world’s first academy entirely dedicated to cooking technology: a space where research, technology and professional expertise come together to develop practical solutions for the industry. We work closely with professionals in pizzerias, bakeries and pastry shops to understand their needs and translate them into innovations that bring tangible benefits to their daily work. In collaboration with our Research & Development department, made up of specialised engineers, we turn operators’ requirements into increasingly high-performance, intuitive and sustainable cooking technologies. MorettiLAB is also a training, experimentation and knowledge-sharing centre where professionals can deepen their understanding of cooking techniques, optimise processes and test new applications. It is a place where technical expertise meets hands-on experience, helping professionals develop their skills and driving the sector’s ongoing evolution».
