O TYM ODCINKU
New York lawmakers voted to ban potassium bromate, and Rob Cervoni has thoughts. As the self-described “no bleach, no bromate guy,” Cervoni has spent years encouraging fellow operators make the switch to unbromated flour. Now that it’s the law, he says it’s time to pivot, not panic.
In this podcast episode, Cervoni breaks down what happens to dough when you pull bromate out of the equation, why pre-ferments such as poolish and biga are the secret weapon for anyone short on walk-in cooler space, and how time itself is one ingredient you can’t shortcut. He also digs into why Roman-style pizza struggled to catch on the first time around, what he did differently to make Taglio’s version stick and why he thinks the style is finally having its moment.
Here’s what Cervoni shares on The Hot Slice podcast:
- Potassium bromate speeds up fermentation, but it’s possible to replicate that effect without the chemical.
- How is a poolish different from a biga, and when should you use each one to master your pizza style?
- Cervoni blends four flours for his New York-style dough. What does each add, and what is the benefit of malted dextrose?
- The first wave of Roman-style pizzerias failed in the U.S. because they sold pizza like they do in Europe. Find out how Cervoni adapted the practice for a New York crowd.
- Growing up in a pizzeria from age 15 shaped the way Cervoni interviews staff and what he looks for when hiring.
Show Notes:
Taglio Roman Style Pizza: taglioromanpizza.com
Pizza Expo Columbus: pizzaexpocolumbus.pizzatoday.com
Pizzeria Operator Survey: survey.alchemer.com/s3/8906788/Pizza-Today-s-Pizzeria-Operator-Survey-2026
Pizzeria Industry Excellence (PIE) Awards: pizzatoday.com/pie-awards
