Many people first discovered Panificio San Giuseppe after its victory on the Italian TV programme Il Forno delle Meraviglie in 2025. But the story behind this award-winning bakery began much earlier, in 1986, in the Nesima Superiore district of Catania, Sicily.

"My parents opened the bakery in 1986. I've been working here since I was a child, I started kneading dough when I was five or six years old. I literally grew up inside this bakery," says Sebastiano Scuderi.

Today, Sebastiano runs the family business alongside his wife, carrying forward a legacy built over nearly four decades.

"The bakery has been passed down by my parents to me."

That continuity is reflected in the values that still define the laboratory today.

"Tradition, with our family's historic recipes, is at the heart of everything we do. I've introduced innovation, but without losing sight of our roots. We're a neighbourhood bakery, and while we continue to innovate, we remain faithful to the history and identity of our products."

Sicilian grains, stone-milled flours for an all-day bakery

The connection with the local area begins with the ingredients.

"We've focused both on our Sicilian grains and on rediscovering traditional stone-milled flours."

Production runs throughout the day and covers a wide range of baked goods.

"We produce bread, traditional baked pastries, and several styles of pizza, from Roman-style to our own Sicilian pizza."

Why Panificio San Giuseppe chose the Neapolis pizza oven

In 2019, the bakery decided to expand its offering by introducing contemporary Neapolitan pizza.

To support this new direction, Sebastiano chose the Neapolis professional pizza oven.

He first discovered it during a professional course organised by a Moretti Forni dealer.

"That's where I first saw it, and I knew it was the right choice."

His decision was driven by first-hand experience.

"I'd already worked with Moretti Forni's serieS oven and had been impressed. When I saw Neapolis, I tried it... and then I bought it."

Today, Neapolis is used primarily for the afternoon and evening pizza service.

"We serve contemporary Neapolitan pizza from 4 pm until 10 pm."

For Sebastiano, the oven's greatest strength is its baking performance.

"I've worked with many electric ovens, but Neapolis is the one that most faithfully recreates the baking of a traditional wood-fired oven."

It's an opinion built on years of professional experience.

"I've worked in different kitchens and used many other ovens. There's simply no comparison."

According to Sebastiano, it's the oven's construction that makes the difference.

"Neapolis is made of refractory stone, which delivers incredibly precise baking. It's also built with the perfect chamber height. It's the ideal oven for contemporary pizza."

Consistent baking performance, even during peak service

Weekends are particularly demanding for a business focused mainly on takeaway.

"In just two and a half hours, we bake around 150 pizzas."

Even during the busiest shifts, the oven keeps stable temperatures and consistent baking.

More than a pizza oven

Although Neapolis was chosen for contemporary Neapolitan pizza, it is used throughout the bakery.

"I've baked naturally leavened bread in it, as well as traditional Catania bread rolls, ‘panuzzi’."

Over time, it has also been used for other preparations.

"I even roast aubergines and other vegetables directly on the deck."

Versatility is one of the features Sebastiano values most.

"Absolutely, it's an incredibly versatile oven."

Easy to use and energy efficient

One of the biggest advantages has been its simplicity.

"If I had to rate it, I'd give it top marks. Compared with a wood-fired oven, there's simply no comparison."

Energy consumption has also exceeded expectations.

"To be honest, I haven't noticed any increase in our electricity bills. That's one of the first questions people ask me, but I genuinely haven't seen any difference."

According to Sebastiano, one of the reasons is how quickly the oven reaches operating temperature.

"In about an hour, an hour and twenty minutes at most, it reaches temperature and then maintains it effortlessly. Thanks to the thick stone lining, it retains heat exceptionally well."

Growing recognition while staying true to its roots

Winning Il Forno delle Meraviglie brought significant visibility, introducing Panificio San Giuseppe to an audience far beyond its local neighbourhood.

Yet despite the recognition, the bakery has remained true to its identity: a family-run business founded in 1986, deeply connected to its community and guided by the same philosophy ever since.

Innovate, experiment and looking into the future without losing touch with their roots.

In Senigallia, the rhythm of hospitality changes with the seasons. During the summer months, customer flows increase, service hours extend and maintaining consistency becomes an essential part.

Located on the seafront of this vibrant town in the Marche region, Scalo Zero was created around this very challenge: an all-day restaurant operating from breakfast through to after-dinner service, designed to deliver a seamless experience.

The project was launched in 2022.
"Scalo Zero started as a challenge," explains Simone Pongetti, the venue manager. 
"We already owned two restaurants in Senigallia and asked ourselves: why not open a third one and make it a pizzeria? 
It was something we had never done before."

During summer season, service intensifies significantly. On peak Saturdays, the restaurant handles substantial volumes for many consecutive hours.

"On a busy summer Saturday evening, we can produce around 400 pizzas," he says. "The restaurant may stop briefly and then immediately restart."

In such a demanding environment, high-performance baking technology becomes essential to ensure service continuity, smooth management of peak shifts and consistent product quality throughout the day.

To support this complex production model, Scalo Zero chose the S series oven.
The decision initially came from recommendations within the local foodservice professional community.

"I'd heard very positive feedback from other restaurateurs," says Pongetti. "When we visited Moretti Forni and tested the oven ourselves, we immediately realised it was on a completely different level compared to the oven we had previously used."

The restaurant customised the oven with two Fastbake and one Multibake deck.
This setup allows different products to be baked simultaneously while maintaining precision and consistency.

The two Fastbake chambers are dedicated to high-hydration contemporary pizza, while the Multibake is used for the Refining® process of pan pizzas and stretched pizza styles.

"We prepare them in our production lab," explains pizza chef Nunzio Moio, "and then complete the baking process here just before service."

One of the aspects that stands out most in Nunzio's experience and Neapolitan pizza background is the simplicity of managing the oven during service.

"I trained on wood-fired ovens," he explains, "which are demanding and require a great deal of time and attention. With S series, everything becomes much easier."

Consistent baking performance becomes especially important during periods of maximum workload.

"Once the pizza is inside, you may rotate it once if you want. Otherwise, you simply close the oven, and the baking remains even and uniform."

During peak hours, the Power-Booster function helps the oven maintain stable performance even under pressure.
Alongside this, the Eco-Standby function reduces energy consumption during quieter moments while keeping the oven ready for immediate restart.

"The Booster is fundamental," says Moio. "During the busiest shifts it increases deck heat and keeps everything running smoothly. The standby function is equally valuable during slower times because it preserves heat inside the oven."

Nunzio also highlights another key challenge for modern pizzerias: staff turnover.
"Training a new team member on this oven is very simple because it's intuitive and delivers consistent baking results."

Scalo Zero's menu is built around multiple pizza styles.
Alongside contemporary pizza, guests can enjoy ‘stirata’ – similar to pizza in pala - and pan pizzas, with offerings that evolve according to seasonality and customers.

"We use local ingredients, including the flours for our doughs," explains Pongetti, "but as a chef I enjoy exploring recipes from all over Italy, bringing flavours from Palermo, Veneto or Rome onto a pizza."

Nunzio confirms that customer preferences are also evolving.

"Our ‘stirata’ is the signature pizza," he says. "However, pan pizza is growing rapidly and customers are showing enormous appreciation for it."

Several signature pizzas remain central to the menu, including the Diavola Calabra, topped with 'nduja, stracciatella and olives, and the Tajamare, featuring seafood on a tomato base.
"Another best seller is the Scarpetta, with slow-cooked tomato, cream and 120-month-aged Grana cheese shavings."

On the Senigallia waterfront, Scalo Zero has developed a fresh and forward-looking approach to hospitality, combining vision, technology and quality.