TAMPA — Hard Rock officials announced June 24 that chef Matthew Zappoli has been named creative culinary director of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa.

The New Jersey native now oversees all the Hard Rock Tampa restaurants. He was previously chef de cuisine at Cipresso. Zappoli previously served as executive chef at NYY Steak located at the Seminole Casino Coconut Creek. In 2010, he was crowned champion on an episode of the Food Network’s “Chopped” TV series.

Zappoli is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.