The challenges of the pandemic are not terrible for Italian and Lithuanian love: in the middle of quarantine, he opened a restaurant in Rietavas

An island of world culture has opened in Rietavas, a great opportunity to taste the delicacies of Italian cuisine. Of course, not everything went according to plan, it is not possible to have food in the guest room, but the take away was really a success. The pair barely manage to turn an endless chain of work.

Did’nt dared

It is difficult for locals to find work in a small regional town, Rietavas, not to mention foreigners. Many Rietaviškis go to work in larger cities: Plungė, Telšiai, Klaipėda. Existing local employers, if they are looking for employees, cannot pay more than minimum wage per person, so the situation is really complicated.

Virginia is Samogitian, she is familiar with our harsh climate and culture, but she has seen a lot of the world. During his studies, he traveled, studied and gained experience in many European cities. In five languages: German, Italian, English, Russian, Lithuanian (and Samogitian), who spoke Rietaviškės, he met his life partner in Italy.

In 2009, at the beginning of their friendship, on the beautiful Mediterranean island of Sicily, he often dreamed that it would be nice to have his own cafe, but he did not dare to take concrete steps and start a business. Now the couple has stayed in Rietavas, where they are raising three children: Kaspar, Bernard and Lucia-Teresa.

There is definitely no lack of activities, ideas and an endless curiosity to try everything in this life, the mother of three Virginia and the Italian Fabio, who loved Rietavas.

We met young people, we didn’t think much

“At that time I was studying in Germany, but I was also interested in Italian. To deepen my knowledge, I went to work in Sicily during my summer holidays. After all, there is no better way to deepen language skills than to be in that environment. , to communicate live. At that time, I still did not know that an island whose inhabitants speak Sicilian was not the most appropriate place to learn Italian. There I met Fabio. We had a good time, we had a lot of communication. We have lived in different countries, our Roads have been meeting and parting again, but the friendship has lasted until now. Fabio worked in restaurants in resorts in different European countries (Austria, Switzerland, Italy) and I liked to travel, so we met in different European cities. love continued in the distance. We got married in 2013. In the city of Trapani. The distance and the temporary separations did not extinguish the feelings “, said Virginia about the beginning of friendship.

Sicily, smaller in size than Lithuania, but so rich in nature, architectural and culinary heritage, that it is probably not enough to see, taste and experience everything for life. The young people were fascinated by the warmth, the wonderful scenery.

The city of Trapani became Virginia’s second home. However, after a honeymoon in Catalonia, they both returned to Lithuania. At the time, Virginia worked at the Rietavas Open Youth Center and taught in a gym.

The talented philologist was allowed to experiment, find herself, try to create businesses, and they provide some security: if they fail, they will be able to return to their previous jobs. So now, while she is still on maternity leave, she has founded a language school in Rietavas – “Nest of languages ​​and cultures”. She did the same with her children, her friends started asking for lessons and then other families raising children also noticed the language school.

Fabio – in the summer he worked in high-end restaurants in Italy or in another country, and at the end of the season – he returned to Lithuania and dedicated himself to his family and children. Unfortunately, the quarantine arrived, it became difficult to go somewhere to work and the situation closed the Italian in Lithuania. This was the first impulse to start activities here, in a small Lithuanian town: Rietavas.

i’m not scared

Virginia works on one side of the rented building, teaching foreign language lessons to children (previously live, now remotely), and Fabio reigns on the other. Tour in the kitchen.

“We are working during the first month: it is difficult to predict how we will achieve it.” Sure, there are all kinds of fears, but we take risks. We are not the people who sit with folded hands and wait for the bliss of heaven. We open in 2020. at the end. It took us a long time, we tried to apply for the support funds, but we failed. If it weren’t for attempts to obtain financing, we would have started the business even earlier. We create everything on our own, ”Virginia opened.

The children of the family are also true citizens of the world. They speak three languages: Lithuanian and Italian are their mother tongues and they study English at a school founded by Virginia. Lithuania likes Fabio, he also got used to his wife’s hometown – Rietavas. It was difficult just with the works. After trying to work at an Italian food pizzeria in Klaipeda, Fabio quit his job three days later. He couldn’t cook like cooking in that kitchen because his understanding of culinary culture was so different.

“It just came to our knowledge then. I stayed home with the children and he went to work where there was a full one. For a long time we have been looking for a country where it is better for our family. We got very distracted. We had raised our wings towards Austria, but three months later we put things together and returned to Lithuania. I really like Italy, but my husband is attracted to Lithuania. The search for our place in the sun was stopped by a pandemic. It became too difficult to live between the two countries ”Virginia told her husband while baking pizza about her husband’s job search, travel, and the best European city options for her family to live in.

Sicilian dishes

The family discovered that Ballaro produced Sicilian dishes. Not all Italians know the specific recipes of this region. Of course, Sicily, like all of Italy, is famous for its pizzas, which company founders are advised to taste without sauce, mayonnaise or tomato sauce. Their coffee is, but according to Virginia, for the first time, it is recommended to taste Fabio baked pizza without unnecessary additives that overshadow the true taste of pizza. Rietaviškis already liked a special tiramisu cake, lasagna. One of the richest ingredients is vegetarian pizza, which is rich in cheese and vegetables, but Virginia herself loves pizza with anchovies, but the choice of food depends a lot on the mood.

Although the kitchen is Fabian’s element, Virginia must serve customers, collect money, work at the cash register. “I am helping my husband until now, but I am not going to stay here long, I have a language school and other activities,” says the interlocutor.

We asked what was the most difficult part of setting up a business in Rietavas. Virginia simply smiles, “So far we have not had great difficulties, just the beginning. I believe that in Rietavas, as in any part of the world, or in any business, if you work, try, love your work, you will definitely discover your clients. We rent a good place for activity, in the central Rietavas street, near the shopping center. Although there was not a great selection here. There are enough restaurants in the city, but we do not consider them our competitors. Our dishes are of a completely different nature, simply creating an alternative to traditional Lithuanian cuisine. Some people like Lithuanian dishes and we share Italian flavors. After all, everyone needs diversity, people need to be able to choose. We offer good and proven food in European resort restaurants, which It is high quality and fresh, and most importantly, made with great enthusiasm, ”Virginia said of the business.

And as she said goodbye, she wanted us to unleash the creativity within her. “I believe that everyone is a creator, but not everyone dares to pursue their dreams. So let’s talk less, believe more, make our dreams come true, ”emphasized Virginia Canino.