Massimo Pasqual - Il Rito, new experiences of taste

Can products or services that are already well established be reinvented, with changes big enough to recreate the whole sensory experience from scratch?

The answer is yes.

The Italian restaurant sector never stops surprising us with its ability to adapt, change its forms and philosophies, and build innovation into the way it works.

Il Rito, a restaurant in Brianza that sets out to overturn the conventions of dining through sharing, new challenges and unconventional pairings, is tangible proof of it.

Between innovative combinations and a renewed focus on the highest possible quality, the idea of experience is the new must that will get a sector moving again that is vital to the whole Italian economy and among the most envied in the world.

To understand how this business venture came about, following the success of the Mystic Burger chain, Luxury interviewed its founder Massimo Pasqual, who told us his story, his vision of the restaurant world and of the future of a sector of enormous value.

Can products or services that are already well established be reinvented, with changes big enough to recreate the whole sensory experience from scratch?

Massimo Pasqual, how did your story as an entrepreneur begin?

“My story as an entrepreneur began in 1997, when at just 20 I decided to start my

first business.

Specifically, it was a pizzeria with a delicatessen and rotisserie.

Other venues followed, including the Mystic Burger chain, which currently has 3 restaurants between Carate Brianza and Como, and a bar entirely devoted to the aperitivo, which at the time was a long way from the popularity it enjoys today.

In every project I have run, in fact, I have always tried to find innovative ideas that were missing in the area where we operate.

Over the years I realised that, to carry on my career as an entrepreneur in the best possible way, I would need to find a product that was no longer tied to me personally, one able to generate interest regardless of whether I was physically present in the venues.

So I started working with burgers, and on that success the Mystic Burger project was born, where we created a brand based exclusively on top-quality artisan products, drinks and niche products.”

When did you first get into the restaurant world?

“I have had a passion for the restaurant world since I was a child. Coming from a hospitality school background, opening a place that was at once a takeaway pizzeria, a rotisserie and a delicatessen was a completely natural choice for me.

It was also the realisation of a philosophy that still defines me today: a different kind of cooking, able to reinvent itself and, why not, to be ahead of its time, always keeping a close eye on new trends and customers' tastes.”

How did the restaurant “Il Rito” come about? And with what philosophy?

“Over the years, after founding the Mystic Burger chain, I realised how important it is to diversify the product.

Il Rito was born precisely from the wish to diversify away from the burger with a new project and a new brand, putting quality and an innovative experience at the centre.

We wanted to pair the food with excellent wines, offering customers a substantial cellar, but also champagnes in harmony with our pizzas and local craft beers.

After 25 years, with Il Rito we wanted to go back to a product we had already worked with: pizza.

A lot has changed, starting with the ingredients and raw materials and, not least, my own knowledge.

It was a way of putting myself back on the line and reinventing pizza differently, so that it was cooked just right, made with top-quality ingredients and different from all the others.

We also place great importance on sharing, which is why we encourage diners to share dishes, so they can have the widest possible tasting experience.

This creates a much more pleasant and convivial atmosphere, which is one of the keys to running a good restaurant today.”

How do you see the restaurant business of tomorrow?

“The restaurant business of tomorrow will be increasingly centred on delivery, because that is where the pandemic and the frantic pace of modern life are taking us.

On top of that, staying at home and ordering takeaway food is without doubt one of the most popular activities in this sector at the moment, because people discovered its advantages during lockdown and this choice, which was once forced on them, is likely to become a habit.

Another area where there is still a lot of work to do is quality: my experience shows that you always have to aim higher, towards excellence, because eating out is no longer enough of an experience for many people.

What they ask for is a level of culinary quality far higher than in the past, and that too is a very important indicator for anyone preparing to face the challenges of the restaurant business of tomorrow.”

What are your plans for the future?

“My plans for the future are innovative, ever-changing formats that we are trying to develop despite the uncertainty of the moment, which has made our sector one of the hardest hit of all, but also the one with the most room for meaningful innovation.

Another goal is to expand Il Rito's presence to other cities, exporting a way of running restaurants that combines, at the highest level, excellent food with the all-round experience people expect today when they walk through the door of a restaurant.”

For information and bookings visit the website:

www.il-rito.com