Pizza Today - July 2022 - 47

ROB CERVONI (34)
Taglio - Mineola Long
Island, New York
@tagliopizza
What area do you feel like
you currently need to improve
upon to continue taking your
pizza business to the next level?
Nobody is perfect and I
certainly am not perfect. I
strive every day to better my
business and myself. Currently
I am focused on consistency.
Consistency is crucial to running
a food business. The customers
want the same food they know
and love every single visit.
Unfortunately, when dealing with
dough there are so many factors
that can aff ect consistency.
I specialize in Roman-style
pizza, which is notoriously one
of the more diffi cult doughs to
manage due to its high hydration
and long fermentation times
(sometimes over 96 hours). So
I have been laser focused on
getting a consistent product so
I can expand Taglio all over New
York.
What is something you've
learned at Pizza Expo that has
helped guide your business?
The best part about the
Pizza Expo in my experience is
meeting pizza enthusiasts from
all over the world. It truly brings
some of the best pizzaiolos
together in one room. I take full
advantage of these situations
by becoming a sponge and
absorbing all pizza information
possible. Whether you are a
home baker or a multi-unit
operator, Pizza Expo is the best
opportunity to ask questions,
listen and learn. Don't be scared
to ask your fellow pizzaiolo
questions about techniques,
What do you do to motivate
your staff during these
challenging times?
The biggest issue I'm seeing
with most businesses is staffi ng
issues. The shortage of skilled labor
is most defi nitely real! Retaining
existing staff and keeping them
motivated is always a challenge.
The one thing I truly believe and
practice is communication. We
are all human, things come up and
work is work. The pizza industry
isn't diffi cult, but it is a repetitive
grind. It's waking up and doing
the same thing over and over day
in and out. Treat your staff with
respect, treat them as if they are
family. If they need some personal
time let them have it. Always keep
that line of communication open
and hopefully that daily grind won't
feel so bad.
What are you doing in your
pizzeria to combat infl ation and
rising costs?
Prices keep going up, when will
it stop? I don't know! Nobody
does! Unfortunately to combat
infl ation the simple answer is raise
your prices. It is crucial to cost
out every item on your menu and
keep your food cost around 30
percent. Keep an eye on inventory
and keep your distributors honest
and competitive with their prices.
The one thing you don't want to
do is switch to a lower quality, less
expensive ingredient. Ingredients
matter and the average customer
is evolving and getting more and
more educated on the quality of
ingredients used in your pizza.
JULY 2022 / PIZZATODAY.COM / 47
recipes and business practices. I
can't overstate how valuable this
information is and how it will help
your business in the long run.
http://www.PIZZATODAY.COM
Pizza Today - July 2022

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