Hospitality from the A Zen Heart Environment An Interview with Gianfranco Sorrentino and Paula Bolla-Sorrentino, An Interview with Debbie (Despina) Riga, The Leopard at des Artistes Owners, Il Gattopardo, The Leopard at des Artistes, and Mozzarella & Vino Il Gattopardo General Manager, Morgans New York Morgans New York lobby (left); the restaurant and lounge (above) EDITORS’ NOTE Originally from Naples, Italy, We still have a lot of guests who have been EDITORS’ NOTE Debbie Riga It’s critical because we can’t sur- core values. That is what runs like a bloodline Gianfranco Sorrentino carries over 44 years of ex- going to the Café des Artistes for 40 years and has held her current post since vive just on reputation alone. This ho- throughout Morgans Hotel Group. perience in restaurant management at prop- they sit always at the same table, and they have the January 1999. Before this, she was tel was opened in 1984 and it was very Has your role become more about busi- erties including Quisitana Hotel in Capri, same dish. The challenge is to appeal to the new International Sales Director for different from everything else that had ness than hospitality? Dorchester Hotel in London, Four Seasons Hotel generation. Morgans Hotel Group and prior to opened during that time. We often say If we lose the hospitality side, we lose the in Tokyo, Bice Restaurant in New York, Sette MoMA Would you touch on the Mozzarella & that International Sales Manager for it’s New York’s fi rst boutique hotel. business so it’s important for a boutique prop- Restaurant at The Museum of Modern Art of New Vino concept and have you been happy with Hyatt Hotels Corporation and Sales We can’t survive on design and erty to maintain that. It is what guests look for York (1990/2002), Union Bar and Grill in Great how that has grown? Manager for Utell International. our history alone; there is a feel to a in a small property like ours. Barrington, Massachusetts (2001/2006), and The Gianfranco: In a year and a half, we in- property and an essence, and main- Being an hotelier is about people more Leopard at des Artistes (opened 05/02/2011), his res- creased more than 47 percent, which is far above PROPERTY BRIEF From the mo- taining that and being obsessive about than the technology or anything else. The busi- taurant in the New York landmark the Hotel our expectations. ment it opened its doors on Madison it is critical. ness happens when we do the right things – des Artistes. In September 2001, he opened Il The good thing is we share a lot of the Il Avenue in New York City, Morgans This hotel is known to people as otherwise, what is the point? Gattopardo, just across the street from MoMA, along Gianfranco Sorrentino Paula Bolla-Sorrentino Gattopardo customers, when they’re looking for New York (morganshotelgroup.com/ Debbie (Despina) Riga having a Zen environment – calming, Did you know this was where you with his wife Paula Bolla and his talented Executive something a bit more casual. Morgans-NY) startled the world with somewhere to retreat from the mad- wanted to spend your career and what has Chef Vito Gnazzo. How important has the new space for Il This isn’t always an easy business. How a convention-shattering attitude and distinctive ness of the city. This is our DNA. made it so much fun? Prior to assuming her current role, Paula Gattopardo been for your business? do you balance it? design sensibility, concocted by legendary designer What is different now versus years ago is I started early. I had a passion to travel Bolla-Sorrentino was a designer at Pentagram Gianfranco: It’s been even greater than we Paula: Gianfranco is always on the fl oor. He Andree Putman. Again in 2008, Morgans unveiled that people can do enough research to deter- and I got to do that because I worked for Utell Design and handled special events at Sette MoMA. expected. We kept the restaurant with more or less is always onstage, it’s like showbiz. Without the Andree Putman’s powerful reinterpretation of the mine that a hotel is the right one for them. International and then for Hyatt Hotels. The She is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of the same number guests that we could entertain people and our guests, there is no business. We can fi rst “boutique hotel” that propels Morgans’ spirit It is Morgans casual but gracious and au- best education I had was from visiting different Technology with a B.F.A. in graphic design. at the old Il Gattopardo. What we have more of is have the best cuisine and the best ambiance, but forward without changing its unique character. thentic service that makes people want to stay countries and experiencing different cultures. the bar and the catering space, where we serve the without them, there is nothing. Other features include a state-of-the-art fi tness cen- with us. I come from Mediterranean culture where RESTAURANT BRIEFS Il Gattopardo same type of food as we serve in the restaurant. Gianfranco: For us, the most important thing ter. Conveniently located in Midtown Manhattan, How critical is the strong suite offering? hospitality is ingrained. My family didn’t have (ilgattopardonyc.com) serves traditional Since 2014, we have had a very good cater- is hospitality, and that has to come from our hearts Morgans is just steps to Grand Central Station, It’s critical, especially during certain times a lot of money but when guests came, I can- Southern Italian comfort food that has been ing director, who previously worked with Tribeca and not from our brains. If we enjoy making peo- Macy’s Herald Square, and The Morgan Library of year. We have a large suite ratio to our regu- not tell you what my parents wouldn’t do to adapted for the contemporary palate without Grille and Nobu, as well as with Aquavita Group ple happy and we think about their interests, we’re Museum. lar rooms at Morgans. There are times of the make it a special experience for their visitors. compromising the authenticity of the cuisine. so he has a great knowledge of corporate catering. going to succeed. year when people bring their children or a par- What advice do you give young people Il Gattopardo is committed to producing top This year, we focused a lot on catering for We have a staff that we are very happy be- Where do you see the market today and is ent. There are people who like the extra space. about how to build a sustainable career in quality Southern Italian gastronomy, from us- off-premise events for institutions such as the cause they’ve been with us for 22 years. We have there growth within it? We’re fi nding we can make the suites more pal- this fi eld? ing authentic ingredients to keeping the tradi- Italian Consulate, the Italian American Chamber of fathers who used to work with us and now the We forget that these cycles happen. I atable by coming closer to what the Superior I had to take my own time and work on tion of Italian culture and hospitality vibrant Commerce, and the Italian Cultural Institute, and sons work with us, so we have done something worked in New York when the average occu- room rate is, and not making such a huge dif- weekends to learn how different departments and passionate. After 12 years at its original lo- private events for big fi rms such as Blackstone and good not only for our guests but also our staff. pancy was in the 70s, which was normal in the ferentiation in rate makes it more likely that functioned. One has to put in what one is go- cation, the restaurant has a new home at The Blackrock, and in fashion and design for Ferrari, Are you considering taking Il Gattopardo late 1970s for New York. There have been cases someone will buy a suite. ing to get out of it because no one will make Rockefeller Townhouses. Kiton, Cucinelli, and Buccellati. to other cities and, if so, can you maintain the of overbuilding of properties and then a reces- How critical is the investment in train- someone a GM just because they received a The Leopard at des Artistes (theleopardnyc.com) How has the development gone at The same feel? sion comes around causing an overabundance ing your people and the retention? Diploma. School prepares one for the work- is located in one of the most iconic spaces in Leopard? Paula: It’s very diffi cult to extend the same of hotel rooms, and it’s a struggle. It happened We’re not scripted; we let employees ing world but learning through experience is New York City, the Hotel des Artistes. The Gianfranco: Central Park is one of the wealth- spirit the way it is to other markets. in 2008. be who they are, but our Core Values must something else. Leopard finds its roots in the area once iest areas of New York and we understood that Gianfranco: We are not interested because That said, New York has a tendency to come through with each and every interac- As much as I’d like to, I can’t cross-train known as “The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies” the kind of clientele we call guests have particular we can’t replicate something we have to be in 12 grow into itself over the years – I’ve seen that tion.