"Desino twins accomplish dream, open restaurant"
by Stan Press
Associate Staff Writer
Chris and Rob Desino are 27-year-old twins who had a dream to start a restaurant. In September of 1999 that dream came true when they opened Rocky Mountain Pizza Kitchen.
The Desinos were born and raised in Rochester where they attended Council Rock Primary School and French Road Elementary School.
They then transferred to McQuaid Jesuit High School and graduated in 1990.
After high school, Chris and Rob both majored in economics at Hobart University, where they discovered their passion for rowing.
Chris said, “Crew has become part of [me]. It’s in [my] blood, and I just love it. Every time I pass over a canal or a river on a bridge, I am drawn back to it.”
After graduating in 1994 and moving to Philadelphia, Chris and Rob began training for the US National Rowing Team, which brought them to many international regattas.
Meanwhile, they both worked at different restaurants. During this period, the Desinos conceived of the idea of a pizza kitchen.
Rob explained, “We had friends who started their own restaurant. We used to visit them when we were training, and I always liked the concept."
The Desinos wanted to open their restaurant in Colorado, but their plans changed after returning home to Rochester.
Chris said, “We decided we ought to stay because we have a lot of family here. We rediscovered the city.”
The Desinos took their knowledge of restaurant management and put it to use by preparing the groundwork for their own pizza place.
After obtaining the necessary financial assistance, they picked Rocky Mountain as the name and Twelve Corners as the location for the restaurant. Due to a shortage of labor, the restaurant was not an immediate success. At times, Chris and Rob slept at the restaurant because their enormous workloads forced them to stay into the night.
Rob said, “We had no choice; we had to do it.”
To attract more business, their restaurant needed to stand out. They accomplished this with a menu featuring unconventional pizza toppings, first-rate salads, and excellent soups.
photo by Rebecca Saltzman
