Cityfile: New York's Most Notable and Influential

Sirio Maccioni
October 01, 2008 at 12:20pm
Sirio Maccioni by William O’Shaughnessy Maestro Sirio Maccioni is one of the most respected individuals in the restaurant profession and hospitality field worldwide. Forget his legendary charm. He’s also one of the brightest. Tip: The mere mention of his name can help you score a reservation (and a prime table) at any restaurant in the world. It also works its magic even at sold out hostelries and resorts! Sirio is a treasure of New York. He and Le Cirque are truly sui generis … unique and able to be defined only in their own terms. Sirio is Le Cirque. At many/most of the other restaurants in this town (even some of the haute ones) you are confronted by a Debby, a Jennifer or a Wendy. At Le Cirque you encounter the great Sirio himself. If he’s not right at the podium, you’ll find him (usually with a good looking dame) at a small table near the coatroom, from which he misses no shapely leg that comes through the front door in a low cut dress. He may, for the moment, be on the phone with Silvio Berlusconi, Cardinal Egan, Mike Bloomberg or Donald Trump. To be sure, there are other dining room dazzlers in this town. Julian Niccolini of the Four Seasons, Bruno Dussin of Circo, Oreste Carnevale of “21,” Gerardo Bruno at San Pietro, Nino Selimaj of Nino’s and courtly Charles Masson of La Grenouille brighten many an evening. But even they admit that Sirio “The Ringmaster” is the greatest. On Sunday nights, however, Maestro Sirio is often at his Osteria del Circo over on 55th Street where he’ll be flirting with his 3-year-old granddaughter Stella Maccioni, the real love of his life. Stella calls him “Nonno.” He calls her “Cimina” (silly girl)! William O’Shaughnessy Chairman, Whitney Media