How founder Antonio Crisci saved Toto Pizza, now poised for its relaunch

Antonio Crisci's Toto Pizza is known for selling pizzas by the metre. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Toto's original owner, Antonio Crisci, has saved the popular pizza restaurant from liquidation and will today relaunch it with a brand new menu.

The brand, started by Crisci in 1993, sells pizza by the metre and was put into liquidation last July by its shareholders after owing Inland Revenue and other creditors more than $1.3 million dollars.

The restaurateur, who described Toto as being "in his blood", said he couldn't bring himself to see Toto die and did everything he could to save the business, which he had sold to nephew Sergio Maglione in 2006.

"I can say I wasn't very happy and that it pains me to see Toto on the brink of disappearing," Crisci said.

"Toto has been good to me, it's in my blood and part of me, I think also part of New Zealand. I had to do what I can to save it."

Crisci would not say how much he paid the liquidators, but now he and Maglione are both directors of the new Toto Pizza on Hardinge St.

Selected guests, in groups of 40, are being invited from today to sample its new Italian Neopolitan-inspired menu offerings, which now includes a range of entrees, salads, sides and pasta.

Crisci came to NZ in 1991 and two years later opened old-school Italian restaurant Toto on Nelson St, which became famous for traditional southern Italian fare and live opera.

He is also behind Parnell's Non Solo Pizza, Bar Vino, Ponsonby's II Forno bakery and Waiheke's Poderi Crisci vineyard and restaurant.

Nephew Sergio Maglione and Uncle Antonio Crisci of Toto Pizza say things will be even better this second time around. Photo / Brett Phibbs

"I am pleased to be working with Sergio again because we share the same vision, and in many ways complement each other," Crisci added.

Maglione first moved to New Zealand 23 years ago to gain experience as a chef under his uncle - and later took over Toto.

"Antonio and I have similar taste and similar way of cooking because we are from the same family," he said.

"However, Toto at that time was very much just Antonio-influenced but I wanted do cooking my own style."

Maglione was largely responsible for turning Toto the Italian restaurant into Toto the pizza restaurant.

Antonio Crisci first started Toto in 1993, but later sold the business to his nephew Sergio Maglione. Photo / Brett Phibbs

In 2014, he started Farina in Ponsonby, cooking Italian street food, pasta and Napolitano wood-fired pizza his way.

Shortly after that, he decided to hand over Toto to a business partner - whom he did not want to name - and that was when things turned into custard.

"Let's just say everything that can go wrong, did go wrong," Maglione said.

He was shocked, he claimed, when he found out the business owed Inland Revenue and other creditors $1.37 million at the time.

The business, which also positioned itself as a catering company, was put into liquidation but was allowed to trade while a buyer was sought.

"I approached my uncle to ask if he still wanted to keep Toto alive, and I was so happy when he said yes," Maglione said.

"Now we have gone full circle and we are back in Toto together. I just know it will be even better this second time around."