The pandemic was difficult for the nation's restaurant industry. And one of New York City's famous Delmonico's is ready to look past that and toward the future when it reopens on Friday. Max Tucci, Delmonico's global brand officer, and Dennis Turcnovic, owner of Delmonico's, both joined Cheddar News to discuss the history of the restaurant, how it always bounces back and what delicious offerings the menu has.

<div class="block">The pandemic was difficult for the nation&#39;s restaurant industry. And one of New York City&#39;s famous Delmonico&#39;s is ready to look past that and toward the future when it reopens on Friday. Max Tucci, Delmonico&#39;s global brand officer, and Dennis Turcnovic, owner of Delmonico&#39;s, both joined Cheddar News to discuss the history of the restaurant, how it always bounces back and what delicious offerings the menu has.</div>

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Inside the Legendary Delmonico's Restaurant and How It's Bounced Back

The pandemic was incredibly hard on the restaurant industry, not only here in New York City, but really across the country, but one of New York City's oldest establishments is finally back in action and we were able to get an inside look into the re imagined Monaco ahead of its official reopening tomorrow. This restaurant is so legendary that it's hosted the likes of Abraham Lincoln and Marilyn Monroe. Take a look, what a treat. I'm here in Lower Manhattan, the financial district with Max Tucci, a third generation partner at the famed Delmonico's. The reopen is under way. Max such a pleasure. What makes this building such a landmark? Well, first and foremost, thank you for coming to Delmonico's. Welcome back is what I like to say. What makes Delmonico such a landmark? America's first fine dining restaurant. This building has been here since the 18 hundreds and it is a landmark. It absolutely is working on Wall Street for 12 years. Everyone knows Del Monica's even around the world. And I know some very famous people in fact, have walked through these very doors right through these doors. Marilyn Monroe Lana Turner, Elizabeth Taylor Rock Hudson, Cary grant. And that's just from the fifties we can go back to. Even before that, I have Lincoln, Nikola Tesla. The list is huge, Mark Twain. And even in today, we had Cameron Hall and Cindy Adams. It's nonstop. So it's really the joy of the Monaco. But other than that, my grandfather always said all are welcomed at my table. Right. So the celebrities are great, but it's the everyday people that make de Moos a buzz. And I'm told there's a good luck term when you walk inside before that nice dinner. Can you tell me what that is? The good luck tradition is that we rub the Pompeian columns before we walk in like these columns. And it's been a tradition that's kind of been lost. So me, I want to bring that back and let everyone know rub the columns for good luck and enjoy dinner at Delmonico. So here we are welcome. So this first was really not this the floor plan of this building. The bar was here. So imagine walking in in the 19 fifties to the bar and we did 1000 lunches a day and the bustling and there were tables all lined up and cocktail shakers. Everyone knows the tourists. Everyone on Wall Street. And the fun fact about Wall Street is demonic was the first restaurant to have a ticker tape. What else is this restaurant known for? So, Eggs Benedict, Lobster Newberg, baked Alaska demonic steak. The wedge salad, the food, right? But also the ambience and the really the, the essence of New York. Right. And we have the beautiful setting of Old New York. I like to say, moving forward, looking back and that's what we're doing at Delmonico's fabulous chief brand officer now. So I'm sure that the brand and the message around this restaurant really matters. What's the message that you want to send ancestors, right? Remembering our family, remembering our ancestors that did all of this work so that today we can open up and be a restaurant that is still has the motto. All are welcome to the Table and with the brand, we have a race car driver living in the building. So now we have the demonic Motorsport team. So there's a lot going on besides just the brand and really thinking globally, how can Delmonico's because it's in so many films and so many people know it be a name that now we can extend globally so that it becomes like in hello Dolly, we're gonna dime at Delmonico's. I like that. Max has been so fascinating. Learning about your history over the decades with Delmonico's. What else can we experience here? Well, the best person to talk about the new experience of Del Monaco's is Dennis, the owner now. So he's here. I'm gonna introduce you to him. I'm gonna leave you in great hands with him and then I'm gonna get back to work. So Dennis come in Meet Kristen. Pleasure to meet you. All right. Well, we're here in the famous restaurant and of course, the pandemic has been challenging for many different businesses out there. How did it impact Del Monaco's? We're in the financial district in New York City here. And this restaurant is always known for a comeback after every hurricane, after every stock market when it crashed, many downtimes in history and we just keep coming back. So pandemic was hard. Three years later we reopened. It looks beautiful. I must say what were some of the changes that were made in the reopen? We did whole new lighting, paint paintings, carpet, new furniture. Pretty much have renovated the place for more of a timeless look. Has it been challenging to bring it back now? In 2023 it has been challenging with inflation and the workforce, but we make it happen. I'd love to try some of the menu, please. Let's have some food. We've got some amazing items here. Should I start with the soul? Yeah, absolutely. That is our dover sole with brown butter croutons, capers. Here we have our hash brown uh huh which is done with some onion jam. Delicious. Thank you so much. Here we have our signature rib eye, 24 ounce Dakota Ranch bone and rib eye. Finally, here we have our crab cake which is wrapped in potatoes served with a Tarragon dill. I think I'm gonna get bone appetite. I'm gonna go for the Dover sole first. Hm Can you hear me? Very good. Thank you. Thank you for joining us today. Thank you so much.