Patsy's has been around for a long time.
It started in 1944. My great grandfather, Pasquale, had worked in a few other restaurants, saving up money and paying close attention to everything that worked, and even closer attention to everything that didn't. When he finally had enough money, he opened up Patsy's with a few simple goals in mind - he wanted to be able to provide for his family, he wanted to be able to share authentic Italian cuisine with Manhattan, and he wanted people to leave the restaurant feeling both satisfied with their meal and happy about their experience.
From 1944 to today, those fundamental goals haven't changed. The experience you get when you come into Patsy's, whether you're a famous celebrity who's visited dozens of times or a curious visitor who's never heard of us before, is the same experience that people have been getting since the restaurant opened its doors. My great grandfather's desire to be friendly and welcoming to people, and his belief that they should all be regarded with the same respect as any member of the family, is what set Patsy's apart from other restaurants in those early days, and what made it a New York City landmark when so many other restaurants couldn't stand the test of time.
However, we haven't kept things exactly the same since 1944. My dad, Frank DiCola, and my uncle (technically a cousin, but I've always called him uncle), Sal Scognamillo, have somehow found time in-between managing the restaurant to push out a line of products, including sauces, pastas, and a cookbook. Beyond just that, there's a new Patsy's we've recently opened in Atlantic City, and more are on the way. So, while the Patsy's experience has remained unchanged, we're constantly trying to offer more to the people who love us, and reach out to the people who might not yet know about us.
That's where I come in. I'm Paul DiCola, and I represent the 4th generation of Patsy's employees stemming from the original Scognamillo family. It was a little intimidating, trying to decide how best I could help out Patsy's. I'm really not great at cooking (seriously, I once burnt stew, which I didn't even know was possible), so I knew I shouldn't offer my hand in the kitchen. I'm also pretty bad at math, so if I tried to man the front desk, I'd be overwhelmed pretty quickly. Seriously, it takes some impressive skills to do that - my dad's got the entire wine list memorized and catalogued in his head. I can't even remember where "Table 11" is!
Moreso than just that, I wanted to do right by the restaurant. I have family members like my Uncle Joe and my Aunt Rose who've been faithfully running Patsy's with the same love and dedication that Patsy himself ran the place with. My grandmother (who I've called 'Meema' since I was a baby) worked in Patsy's from the time she was a young girl through to the last years of her life.
It's not just a restaurant to us - it's a veritable family member. The restaurant's helped support us when times were tough, been a place of comfort and solace when we were down, and it's helped almost everyone in the family grow and mature. (Seriously, working at Patsy's is a rite of passage in our family - after a summer of working in the restaurant business, you can take on any job.... and after three summers? Forget about it!)
So when I thought about what I could do for Patsy's, I looked online. Sure, we had a website up already, but it wasn't infused with the personality or familiarity that the restaurant itself has. Our restaurant's got such a rich, exciting story to tell, and so many people we want to share it with - and the old website just wasn't getting that message across.
I didn't think that was appropriate... not for Patsy's. So, with the support of my family (and a ton of hard work from a guy named Tom!), I overhauled Patsys.com. All the functionality from the first site will be here - you can order our sauces, our pastas, gift certificates, and when I figure out how to upload pdf files, you'll even be able to look at the menu! (You guys will be the first to know when that's up, trust me.)
Beyond just that, though, my goal is to get you all involved in the story, the history, and the life of Patsy's. We'll be uploading recipes and videos constantly, sure, but this isn't just a one-way street: You're a part of this now, too, so head on over to our forums, or talk to us on facebook, twitter, via e-mail, etc, and don't be shy! If you're reading this right now, it means you're also a part of the Patsy's family, so enjoy all the perks that come with that, and make yourself comfortable.
As I said at the beginning of this post, Patsy's has been around for a long time - and this old restaurant has no intention of leaving anytime soon. : )
~Paul DiCola
No comments:
Post a Comment