Fans of the classic Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star The Pierre hotel will find another New York mainstay onsite starting this month with the opening of Sirio Ristorante. Famed restaurateur Sirio Maccioni and his sons are behind the concept, a sister outpost to the first location at the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star ARIA Resort & Casino Las Vegas. Expect décor reminiscent of mid-century mod Italy from designer Adam D. Tihany, who’s worked with Maccioni on previous dining rooms at Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Le Cirque in New York and Osterio del Circo in Las Vegas. Touches such as earthy limestone, wooden archways, and black and white photos of Italian streetscapes will set the tone of the dining room. Seasonal Italian dishes from executive chef Filippo Gozzoli will include spaghetti carbonara with seafood; risotto with tomatoes, burrata and Pantelleria capers; and chocolate hazelnut crunch mousse with coconut sorbet and candied lemon. The wine list has been procured mostly of selections from Maccioni’s private wine labels produced in Tuscany.

Read Article at Forbes.com

Regarding the latter, you’ve now got Sirio. It’s a low-slung hall of mod-’60s sexiness and serious Italian fare. It’s taking reservations right now and opening November 1 at the Pierre. And this is how you’ll make it sing…

Dinner for two. Or, if you’re feeling ambitious (and potent), three.
You’ve basically stepped into Mastroianni-era Italy here. Dim lighting, horizontal lines, banquettes with white leather piping, and mushroom risotto and lamb shank with artichokes. We presume that’s what he ate.

The power lunch.
When you walk in, you get that warm feeling that this isn’t a place where the word “no” is uttered a whole lot. Maybe it’s that low-ceilinged intimacy. Maybe it’s the fact that they’ve got a dessert made out of ravioli.

Become the bar.
Put on a suit. Take a seat. By yourself. Just do it. Bask in the glory. Polished wood and chrome. Domed reading lamps. Your martini looks irresistible in that light. Anyway—have some crudo. Maybe some oysters. At some point—maybe 10 minutes in, maybe an hour—a dangerous-looking individual in a dangerous-looking outfit with dangerous eyes is going to catwalk through that door and meet your gaze.

This is why you’re sitting at the bar.

Read more at UrbanDaddy.com

Here’s a great photo of our fabulous culinary team at Meatball Madness event last night which featured Chef Gozzoli’s Milanese Fried Meatballs.

From left to right: Executive Sous Chef Matteo Calciati, Executive Chef Filippo Gozzoli and Executive Sous Chef Mark Schmitt.

Celebrated Restaurateur Sirio Maccioni Returns to Landmark Hotel

New York, NY (October 24, 2012) – On October 25, 2012, The Maccioni Group and The Pierre, A Taj Hotel, New York will open Sirio Ristorante New York. The restaurant, named after legendary restaurateur Sirio Maccioni and designed by Adam D. Tihany, will be the sister restaurant to Sirio Ristorante at the Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, and part of the Maccioni Group of restaurants that includes Le Cirque and Circo. Sirio is no stranger to The Pierre, A Taj Hotel, as the hotel is where he opened La Forêt lounge, restaurant and nightclub in 1972 and directed their operations for two years, just prior to opening Le Cirque in 1974.

One of Manhattan’s most beloved restaurateurs, Sirio Maccioni has been an integral figure in New York hospitality for nearly half a century. Along the way, he has helped launch the careers of many illustrious chefs including Daniel Boulud and Jacques Torres.  Sirio’s boundless passion and energy for life has been the driving force behind the success of Le Cirque and his family’s ever-expanding global restaurant group.

“Sirio Ristorante is my chance to offer diners an opportunity to experience the cuisine that my family and I enjoy while dining out throughout Italy,” said Sirio Maccioni.  “I’m looking forward to returning to The Pierre and sharing this part of my heritage with New Yorkers and visitors alike.”

Executive Chef Filippo Gozzoli, formerly of the five-star luxury hotel Park Hyatt Milan and two-starred Michelin restaurant Arquade at Hotel Villa del Quar in Verona, Italy, will oversee the kitchen at Sirio Ristorante New York. Italian-born Gozzoli has over 20 years of experience working in some of the world’s top kitchens in London, Rome, Florence, and Milan. In 2007, he received the “Best Emerging Young Chef” award from Italy’s premier business newspaper, “Il Sole 24 Ore.” Chef Gozzoli’s menu will feature contemporary and seasonal Italian cuisine. Signature dishes will include Spaghetto Grezzo con Gamberi e Bottarga (spaghetti with shrimp and mullet roe), Le Nostre Papardelle Al Ragu (homemade pappardelle pasta, three meat ragu (beef, veal, pork), micro basil), Riso Mantecato alla Zucca, Madorle, Amaretto, e Gorgonzola (vialone nano pumpkin risotto, pignoli nuts, amaretto cookie crumbs, gorgonzola), Guancette di Vitello Brasate (Braised Veal Cheeks with Parmigiano Reggiano, White Polenta, Veal Jus and Cocoa) and Trancio di Spigola, Crema di Ceci, Lardo di Colonnata (roasted line-caught striped bass, tomato confit, chickpea cream, lardo bacon). An array of signature Italian desserts including Semifreddo al Caffe (coffee semifreddo, guanaja fudge, marscapone sorbet), Trio di Tiramisu (strawberry balsamic, limoncello white chocolate, classic coffee) and Pera Affogata al Cardamomo (poached pear, almond cake, cardamom gelato, zabaglione) will offer the perfect finish to any meal at Sirio Ristorante New York.

“We are looking forward to welcoming Sirio Maccioni back to The Pierre with the opening of Sirio Ristorante New York,” said General Manager Heiko Kuenstle of The Pierre, A Taj Hotel. “It is an honor to be able to partner with Sirio Maccioni and his family on this project.  Sirio Ristorante is the perfect addition to this legendary hotel and the neighborhood.”

The restaurant, created by leading hospitality designer Adam D. Tihany, is his eighth collaboration with Sirio Maccioni.  Inspired by the high style aesthetic of 1960’s Italy, the restaurant recalls the classic Italian ristorante and casual elegance of Federico Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita.” While Sirio at The Aria in Las Vegas borrows from modern and old world traditions on a grand scale, Sirio at The Pierre, A Taj Hotel was designed as a more intimate space, befitting its sophisticated urban setting.

Inside the restaurant, the light aesthetic serves to open up the space and refined, wood furnishings provide a polished yet inviting upscale setting.  The streamlined wall design evokes limestone facades characteristic of Italian interiors and an archway of wood frames enhances the walls while paying tribute to the classical arcades featured in the bespoke black-and-white photos of Italian streetscapes by artist Bram Tihany hanging below. Carpeting inspired by a classic marble floor design also conveys the restaurant’s trademark intimacy. Guests entering the space will encounter an elegant, finely-curated bar at the front, complete with a vibrant seafood display. A photo gallery of the Maccioni family and Sirio amongst the sophisticated and colorful company he has kept throughout his enviable career can be found opposite the bar.

Unique to Sirio Ristorante New York, Sirio Maccioni will offer his own private label wines – Sirio (red) & Sirio (white) both produced exclusively for the restaurant by Rocca di Frassinello, located within the Maremma area of Tuscany.  Sirio (white) is made from 100% Vermentino grapes while Sirio (red) is a blend made from 45% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Sangioveto grapes. The wine list at Sirio Ristorante New York will consist of approximately 250 selections of Italian, American and other worldly wines and Marco Maccioni will oversee their expansive wine program.

The striking 16-seat bar will feature a selection of classic Italian cocktails and Crudo bar. Guests dining at the bar will also be able to order from an exclusive bar menu of Italian specialties.

Sirio Ristorante New York at The Pierre, A Taj Hotel, New York is located at 795 Fifth Avenue at 61st Street. The restaurant hours are as follows: Monday – Saturday: Breakfast 7:00am to 10:30am, lunch 12:00pm to 3:00pm, dinner 5:30pm to 11:30pm; Monday – Sunday: The bar will be open from 12:00pm to 12:00am with a bar menu coming soon and available 3:00pm to 11:30pm; Sunday: Breakfast 7:00am to 10:30am, Sunday brunch 11:30am to 4:00pm, dinner 5:30pm to 11:30pm; Crudo bar hours will be available soon.

For reservations and/or more information, please call 212.940.8195 or click here.

Born in the Tuscan town of Montecatini Terme, Maccioni attended high school there before moving on to restaurant and hotel training programs in Paris and Hamburg. After a series of apprenticeships in Montecatini and Paris, he held a variety of positions at hotels and restaurants in Italy, France, and Germany, including the Grand Hotel & La Pace in Montecatini, the Plaza Athenee in Paris, and the Hotel Atlantic in Hamburg.

Eventually, Maccioni took his skills to sea with Home Lines before moving to the United States to continue his career. He quickly settled in and developed a loyal following at the Wall Street eatery Delmonico’s. From there he made his way to the renowned Colony restaurant, where, as maitre d’, he became an institution among the movers and shakers of New York.

After thirteen years, Maccioni had the experience and contacts he needed to launch his own restaurant. In March of 1974, Maccioni opened Le Cirque in the Mayfair hotel. Le Cirque was the first privately owned hotel restaurant in the city and quickly became the hub of café society in New York.

In 1997, the restaurant moved from the Mayfair to the voluptuous surroundings of the New York Palace Hotel and the landmark Villard Houses, under the name of Le Cirque 2000, where it remained until 2004. In May 2006, Maccioni re-opened Le Cirque in its current home at One Beacon Court

A love for the restaurant world runs in the Maccioni family. As Maccioni’s three sons have grown older, they have followed their father into the restaurant business. In 1996, the family opened a casual version of Le Cirque called Circo in New York City. This was soon followed by the 1998 opening of Circo and Le Cirque in Las Vegas’ Bellagio Hotel. In 2009, Maccioni along with his sons opened their third Las Vegas restaurant, Sirio Ristorante at the Aria Resort and Casino Las Vegas. In addition to three Las Vegas restaurants, the Maccioni family has expanded globally, opening restaurants in the Dominican Republic (Le Cana Restaurant & Lounge by Il Circo and Beach Club by Le Cirque both at the exclusive Casa de Campo Resort) and in New Delhi, India (Le Cirque at The Leela Palace Kempinski). The Maccioni family has also partnered with Holland American cruises to offer “An Evening at Le Cirque” in the Pinnacle Grill aboard its fleet of 15 world class ships.

In fall 2012, Maccioni will open Sirio Ristorante New York at The Pierre, A Taj Hotel. This will mark Maccioni’s return to the iconic hotel, where in the 1970s he opened and oversaw La Foret lounge, restaurant and nightclub.

Maccioni has shared the culinary career of his family in his 2004 autobiography, “SIRIO: The Story of My Life and Le Cirque” co-written by Peter Elliot. The book chronicles the ringmaster’s journey from Tuscany to New York and honors those that helped him along the way to becoming the owner of one of the world’s most celebrated restaurants. In 2006, HBO released “Le Cirque: A Table in Heaven”, a documentary chronicling Maccioni and his three sons closing Le Cirque 2000 through the restaurant’s re-opening in 2006 in its current location. In October 2012, Rizzoli will release “A Table at Le Cirque” by Sirio Maccioni and Pamela Fiori. It will be the first book to chronicle the fascinating stories, fabled history, the glitz and glamour, and the iconic recipes from the restaurant that is synonymous with luxury. The first half of the book recounts Maccioni’s journey from Montecatini to Manhattan and Le Cirque’s rise to glory while the second part of the book shares the recipes that have kept everyone coming back.

Throughout the years, Maccioni has received numerous honors and accolades including the coveted James Beard “Restaurant of the Year” award, the Impresario dell’ Anno (Entrepreneur of the Year) award at Affreschi Toscani, a festival in Tuscany and being selected Father of the Year in 2002 by the National Father’s Day Committee.

Furthermore, in a tribute to the contributions Maccioni has made to New York City, the New York Landmarks Conservancy designated the distinguished Maccioni as one of its living landmark. The award put him in the grand company of other living landmarks such playwright John Guare, producer George C. Wolfe, and former governor Hugh Carey.

Maccioni and his family reside in New York City and also maintain a home in Montecatini, Italy, Maccioni’s birthplace.

Although he was born into one of the country’s most illustrious restaurant families, Mario Maccioni’s original career choice was quite different: he graduated from New York University with a degree in political science and dreamed of going into politics or international affairs. But along the way, he realized that the restaurant industry was his professional passion. “Throughout high school and college, I worked with my dad in the restaurant to earn spending money,” he recalls. “After college, I started working at Le Cirque full time and decided to follow in my father’s footsteps.”

To gain industry experience, he landed a job opening the food and beverage program at New York’s Rihga Royal Hotel (now the London NYC) and headed to Europe to immerse himself in the workings of the front of the house for some of the top chefs in France, including Roger Vergé and Paul Bocuse. After two years, he decided to seriously commit himself to the family business and enrolled in the prestigious Hotel and Hospitality Management program at Cornell University. Upon his return to New York City, Maccioni and his two younger brothers, Marco and Mauro, decided to open Circo, a casual complement to the celebrated Le Cirque that opened to critical acclaim.

In 1997, developer Steve Wynn approached the Maccioni family about opening outposts of their restaurants at Bellagio. Excited by the prospect of getting to create and run two new restaurants in America’s dining frontier, Maccioni convinced his family they should jump at the chance and he headed west to open Le Cirque and Circo in Las Vegas. Both were instant successes, and in 1999, the Maccioni brothers were named one of “The New Tastemakers” in Nation’s Restaurant News’ annual ranking. In 2009, the Maccioni family opened their third Las Vegas restaurant, Sirio Ristorante at the Aria Resort and Casino Las Vegas. In addition, to three Las Vegas restaurants, Mario is involved in all of the Maccioni properties including Le Cirque and Circo in New York City as well as restaurants in the Dominican Republic (Le Cana Restaurant & Lounge by Il Circo and Beach Club by Le Cirque both at the exclusive Casa de Campo Resort) and in New Delhi, India (Le Cirque at The Leela Palace Kempinski). In addition, the family has partnered with Holland American cruises to offer “An Evening at Le Cirque” in the Pinnacle Grill aboard its fleet of 15 world class ships.

This fall, Mauro along with his family will open Sirio Ristorante New York at The Pierre, a Taj Hotel.

For Mario Maccioni, carrying on the family tradition of exceptional service is paramount. “My day-to-day job is to act as a figurehead for our Las Vegas restaurants,” he says. “I lead by example, greeting guests on the floor at every meal and making sure that the service and food are excellent. It’s something I take very seriously: you can’t run this business from afar.”

Maccioni lives in Las Vegas with his three children and wife, Maria. In his spare time, he likes to ski and read about politics.

Upon graduating New York University with a B.A. in Fine Arts and minor in Foreign Literature and Anthropology, Marco returned to Europe to further his culinary education.  During his time oversees, Marco worked at Chateau Beychevelle in Bordeaux and served as an apprentice at both the famed Hotel de Paris Monte Carlo and at the three-star Moulin de Mougins under Chef Roger Vergé. Marco also attended Cornell University’s extension program in Paris where he received a Masters in Professional Studies.

Upon moving back to New York, Marco returned to Le Cirque where he worked with his father and brother’s Mario and Mauro.  In 1996, the Maccioni brothers, combining their individual skill sets and with their father’s approval, opened Circo in New York City.

With the success of both Le Cirque and Circo, Marco and his brothers began to  expand the family’s restaurant holdings throughout the world with restaurants  in Las Vegas, Nevada (Le Cirque at The Bellagio Las Vegas, Osteria del Circo at The Bellagio Las Vegas,  Sirio Ristorante at the Aria Resort and Casino Las Vegas), the Dominican Republic (Le Cana Restaurant & Lounge by Il Circo and Beach Club by Le Cirque both at the exclusive Casa de Campo Resort) and in New Delhi, India (Le Cirque at The Leela Palace Kempinski). The family has also partnered with Holland American cruises to offer “An Evening at Le Cirque” in the Pinnacle Grill aboard its fleet of 15 world class ships.

This fall, Marco along with his family will open Sirio Ristorante New York at The Pierre, a Taj Hotel.

While Marco spends time at all of his family’s restaurants, he devotes the majority of his time to overseeing the family’s New York restaurants, including the daily operations and wine programs at for both Le Cirque, Circo and the soon to open Sirio Ristorante New York.

Marco lives in New York City with his wife Sabrina and son Massimo. When not at one of his family’s many restaurants around the globe he enjoys skiing, riding his Vespa through the city, spending time in Italy and cooking the classic Tuscan dishes he was raised on.

For Mauro, the journey began after he earned a BA from Columbia University.  In addition to honing his craft during those early days at Le Cirque, he earned his stripes working for four summers for Gerard Boyer’s Michelin three-star Le Crayères in Reims, France.  He also spent a year working at the Michelin-two star restaurant Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence, staged at the Hotel Ritz in Paris and spent a summer under the tutelage of Juan Marie Arzac at his renowned Michelin-three star Arzak in San Sebastian, Spain.

Fast-forward to January 1996 on one of the snowiest evenings in New York City history when that formerly bow-tied Maccioni and his two brothers opened Circo in New York.  The city was socked with a freak snowstorm which dumped close to 30 inches of snow with apparent disregard to the Maccioni brothers’ grand opening plans, but open they did, to a full house and wide acclaim.

Today, in addition to operating Circo and Le Cirque in New York City, Mauro and his brothers operate restaurants in Las Vegas, Nevada (Le Cirque at The Bellagio Las Vegas, Circo at The Bellagio Las Vegas, Sirio Ristorante at the Aria Resort and Casino Las Vegas), the Dominican Republic (Le Cana Restaurant & Lounge by Il Circo and Beach Club by Le Cirque both at the exclusive Casa de Campo Resort) and in New Delhi, India (Le Cirque at The Leela Palace Kempinski). The family has also partnered with Holland American cruises to offer “An Evening at Le Cirque” in the Pinnacle Grill aboard its fleet of 15 world class ships.

This fall, Mauro along with his family will open Sirio Ristorante New York at The Pierre, a Taj Hotel.

While Mauco spends time at all of his family’s restaurants, he devotes the majority of his time to overseeing the family’s New York restaurants, including the daily operations and wine programs at for both Le Cirque, Circo and the soon to open Sirio Ristorante New York.

Mauro lives in New York City and is a devoted father to his daughter, Stella. When not at one of his family’s many restaurants around the globe he enjoys dining out, spending time in Italy and cooking the classic Tuscan dishes he was raised on for his daughter.

“This new Italian restaurant from the Maccioni family, of Le Cirque, replaces Le Caprice in the Pierre hotel, and even without tablecloths promises more elegance than the family’s homestyle Osteria del Circo nearby. At Sirio, named for the Maccioni patriarch, Adam Tihany’s design is in brown tones, with a geometric carpet and black-and-white photos of Italy. The family has brought the chef Filippo Gozzoli from the Park-Hyatt in Milan. While respecting tradition, his Italian menu, which does not reflect a particular region, is inventive, with dishes like a variation on baccala, spaghetti carbonara-style with seafood, and a cacciucco (or Livornese fish stew) served in a jar. “We want to be a neighborhood restaurant,” said Marco Maccioni, one of three brothers. “This is a neighborhood that respects Italian food.” (Early October): The Pierre, 795 Fifth Avenue (61st Street), (212) 940-8195.” by Florence Fabricant.

Read Full Article at The New York Times

Location:  Sirio Ristorante New York

The Pierre, A Taj Hotel, New York

795 Fifth Avenue at 61^st Street

New York, NY 10065

Telephone:                  212.940.8195

Website:                      www.siriony.com

Opening Date:             October 2012

Menu:                          Contemporary Italian cuisine

Executive Chef:          Filippo Gozzoli

General Manager:       Francois Latapie

Designer:                    Adam D. Tihany

Restaurant Design:     A nod to the high style aesthetic of 1960’s Italy, the restaurant designed by Adam D. Tihany, which marks his eighth collaboration with Sirio Macconi, recalls the classic Italian ristorante and casual elegance of Federico Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita.”  While its predecessor in Las Vegas borrows from modern and old world traditions on a grand scale, Sirio Ristorante New York was designed on a more intimate scale befitting its sophisticated urban setting.

Seats:  Dining Room (80) and Bar Seating (16), Outdoor Seating – 2013

Services:  Breakfast, lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch, bar menu, Crudo bar

Hours:  Monday – Saturday: Breakfast 7:00am to 10:30am, lunch 12:00pm to 3:00pm, dinner 5:30pm to 11:30pm

Monday – Sunday: The bar will be open from 12:00pm to 12:00am with a bar menu available 3:00pm to 11:30pm

Sunday: Breakfast 7:00am to 10:30am, Sunday brunch 11:30am to 4:00pm, dinner 5:30pm to 11:30pm

Tuesday – Saturday: Crudo bar will be available from 5:30pm to 12:00am

The Maccioni Group:  The Maccioni Restaurant Group is the true definition of a family-run business. With help from their three sons, Mario, Marco, and Mauro, Sirio and Egidiana Maccioni have capitalized on the success of the original Le Cirque and Circo expanding the family’s restaurant holdings globally.  The Maccioni family has restaurants in Las Vegas, Nevada (Le Cirque at Bellagio Las Vegas, Circo at Bellagio Las Vegas, Sirio Ristorante at the Aria Resort and Casino Las Vegas), the Dominican Republic (Le Cana Restaurant & Lounge by Il Circo and Beach Club by Le Cirque both at the exclusive Casa de Campo Resort) and in New Delhi, India (Le Cirque at The Leela Palace Kempinski). In addition, the family partnered with Holland American cruises to offer “An Evening at Le Cirque” in the Pinnacle Grill aboard its fleet of 15 world class ships.

The Pierre, A Taj Hotel, New York:   After 80 years, The Pierre, A Taj Hotel, New York continues to set the standard for elegance and unrivaled hospitality in New York City. Located on Fifth Avenue overlooking Central Park, The Pierre, A Taj Hotel is an exclusive AAA Five Diamond property and a member of Leading Hotels of the World. Managed by Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, the iconic hotel underwent a $100 million renovation, updating 189 guestrooms, including 38 suites, as well as the hotel’s banquet and social event spaces. The Pierre’s 11 residential-style Grand Suites come with the trappings of a private Taj Royal Attaché trained in the palaces of India to flawlessly fulfill every guest request. Two E Bar/Lounge offers light fare, afternoon tea and a stylish bar featuring a no-cover jazz series every Tuesday evening. This fall, The Pierre, A Taj Hotel welcomes Sirio Ristorante New York, the eponymous restaurant from restaurateur Sirio Maccioni of Le Cirque fame.

Social Media              
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Sirio-Ristorante-New-York
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SirioRistorante / @SirioNY
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/lecirquegroup/sirio-ristorante-ny/

Media Contacts:

Susan Magrino Agency – Telephone: 212.957.3005
John Weiss: John.Weiss@smapr.com
Alexandra Schrecengost: Alexandra.Schrecengost@smapr.com

The Pierre, A Taj Hotel, New York – Telephone: 212.940.8448
Nora Walsh: Nora.Walsh@tajhotels.com

The Maccioni Group – Telephone: 917.940.4247
Jean Lee: Jean@maccionigroup.com