MAY 2020 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 55
MAIN DISH
POMODORINO ROSSO COOKING WITH GRACE BY ALAN KRAWITZ
Carol Cesone and Chef Antonio Bove,
co-owners of Italian eateries Pomodorino
Rosso in Valley Stream and
Uva Rossa in Malverne, are doing
more than their share to keep their
tight-knit community going during the
seemingly endless coronavirus crisis.
For starters, Pomodorino Rosso is open
for takeout and delivery, something
that can't be said for many restaurants
across the island. But Cesone says that
even more rewarding is
regularly donating
meals to healthcare
workers
at nearby Long
Island Jewish
Valley Stream.
"We do it just because it's the right
thing to do … we're not looking for a
medal or anything," says Bove, who
started cooking at age 18 with a family
business in Italy. "We also send food
to the police, to churches, and other
members of the community. We're a
very tight-knit community and we're
very fortunate to have successful
businesses and people that have been
very supportive of us as well."
Cesone, who started out as a designer
before partnering with Bove, says that
initially both restaurants were shut
down during the pandemic. But they
decided to open Pomodorino Rosso for
takeout so their staff could at least get
"some source of income."
"Between both restaurants, we had
close to 35, 40 employees in total,"
Cesone says, adding that for a majority
of their employees, this work was
their sole source of income. "We really
are like a family in both restaurants,
between the servers and the cooks."
Cesone says that opening Pomodorino
made more sense than opening Uva
Rossa as they have a large pizza oven
at that location. They boast that it
bakes "some of the best pizza on Long
Island."
Some of the restaurant's specials include
eggplant rolls, grilled brussels
sprouts, rigatoni Napolitano, chicken
Uva Rossa, chicken Margherita,
and various salads such as seafood
and spinach salad.
Both Cesone and Bove report
that so far their
takeout business has been very brisk,
and they praised the Village of Malverne
for supporting them. They do
the same for the community.
"We've donated all year long to many
other local and civic organizations,
such as schools, churches and others,"
Cesone recalls.
"The food is a little something special for the
healthcare workers to look forward to during an
otherwise dismal day," says Carol Cesone.
But now, like many eateries, they’re
stepping up and helping feed healthcare
heroes working overtime on the
front lines of the pandemic.
"We've donated a variety of dishes
from pizza, penne, chicken dishes
and salads to the hospital, enough to
feed about 100 people at a time," she
says, adding that their donations were
aided by the help of the Valley Stream
Chamber of Commerce. The chamber
designed a food donation schedule
called a "meal train," so that other
businesses could regularly donate
food to the hospital and make sure all
the food was distributed to nurses,
doctors, and other workers who were
interested.
Cesone says they've donated to the
hospital at least three times already
by simply loading up their delivery
van and dropping off the food.
"The food is a little something special
for the healthcare workers
to look forward to
during an otherwise dismal day," says
Cesone.
Bove, who came to the U.S. in 1994
from Italy before opening Uva Rossa
in 2013 and Pomodorino Rosso in 2018,
says he's always believed in supporting
people in hard times.
Hospital executives also seemed heartened
by the community efforts.
“The team at LIJ appreciates the
thoughtful food donations for the
caregivers on the frontlines," said LIJ
Medical Center Executive Director
Michael Goldberg. "It’s reassuring to
the team knowing that the community
supports them with quality meals,
which adds an element of regularity
to their day.”
Cesone says that presently, business
overall is good, thanks to a brisk takeout
business.
"Weekends get very busy," she says,
adding that she hears people looking
forward to going out and getting their
food. "It's like a nice diversion."
And, at times, Cesone says that business
has been so good it has "gotten out
of control at times."
However, she adds that the future is
uncertain.
"I'm not sure how we'll be at the
end of this thing, when we can have
people back in the restaurant," she
says. "This new way of life now seems
normal, because we've been doing it
for a few months already."
Pomodorino Rosso is located at 47
Franklin Ave. in Valley Stream. It
can be reached at 516-812-6171 or
Pomodorino Rosso co-owner Chef Antonio pomodorinorosso.com
Bove uses only the freshest ingredients.
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