Senate Resolution No. 672 BY: Senator MARTINS COMMENDING Rob Cervoni upon the occasion of winning an episode of the Food Network's "Chopped" television cooking competition series WHEREAS, Culinary competition enhances the moral and creative development of the people of this State, instilling in them the value of teamwork, imparting a desire for success, and developing a sense of artistic and creative expression; and WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize the dedication and commitment of those individuals who distinguish themselves through excellence in culinary competition; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend Rob Cervoni upon the occasion of winning an episode of the Food Network's "Chopped" television cooking competition series, which aired Tuesday, March 28, 2023; and WHEREAS, Born in Lake Success and raised in Great Neck, Rob Cervoni, a young businessman at heart, opened, with the help of family financing, a 16 Handles frozen-yogurt franchise in the latter village; he operated it for eight years before leaving to try a new endeavor; and WHEREAS, With experience and love for making pizza at home, Rob Cervoni decided to pursue it professionally; he wanted to stand out from other pizza restaurants, leading him to offer something artisanal; and WHEREAS, Having eaten Roman-style pizza during summers in the second-generation Italian's ancestral town, Boville Ernica, Rob Cervoni was only later inspired to learn to make the Roman-style pizza after seeing it at an expo in 2016; the style has only begun growing in popularity in the United States in recent years; and WHEREAS, Opening his restaurant, Taglio, in 2018, Rob Cervoni and business partner, Domenico "Mimmo" Tolomeo, began to shift from being a regular slice shop that also sold artisanal pizza, to focusing on the successes of only selling artisanal pizza in 2021; their actions are helping to popularize the relatively rare Roman-style, which resembles flatbread but is thicker yet simultaneously airier due to its highly hydrated dough that is given a long rise of up to 96 hours; and WHEREAS, Quickly following this change, Rob Cervoni quickly became one of Pizza Today magazine's seven "Rising Stars of the Pizzeria Industry" in 2022; and WHEREAS, Following his astounding growth and successes, Rob Cervoni was recruited by the show, "Chopped" which airs on the Food Network; after a series of online interviews, the pizza chef was invited to participate on the show, filming his episode in Manhattan in October of 2022; and WHEREAS, The episode aired on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, coincidentally the same date as the first night of the 39th Annual International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, where Rob Cervoni would be showcasing his renowned culinary talents; with his strongest support system joining him, he watched the episode with his loving wife, Samantha, and their beloved two-year-old son together; and WHEREAS, Rob Cervoni, representing his home of Long Island, in a high-stakes battle against other renowned pizza chefs, a fast-ticking clock, and the pressure of a massive television audience, arose victorious in defeating his opponents in the fight to claim the title of Chopped Champion, rightly earning the illustrious $10,000 prize; and WHEREAS, It is with great pleasure that this Legislative Body acknowledges the magnificent talent and representation of excellence within New York State that is Rob Cervoni, fully confident that he will continue to enjoy the sparkling successes he has experienced thus far; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commend Rob Cervoni upon the occasion of winning an episode of the Food Network's "Chopped" television cooking competition series; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Rob Cervoni.