- Title: USA: LAST DAY OF BUSINESS FOR HISTORIC RUSSIAN TEA ROOM
- Date: 29th July 2002
- Summary: (U7) NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JULY 28, 2002) (REUTERS) 1. LAS MANHATTAN SKYLINE TILT DOWN STREET SCENE 0.09 2. SLV RUSSIAN TEA ROOM; "RUSSIAN TEA ROOM" SIGN IN FRONT OF BUILDING; SLV PEOPLE SITTING AT BAR; SLV PEOPLE SITTING IN DINING ROOM (5 SHOTS) 0.39 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MICHAEL DESIDERIO, GENERAL MANAGER, SAYING "Friday night when the announcement was made we had one hundred and fifty reservations. Once the announcement was made it went to five hundred last night for dinner. We are pretty much the same tonight. It is fantastic. Everyone is coming by to say there good-byes." 0.55 4. SLV DINING ROOM (2 SHOTS) 1.01 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BOB STACK, WAITER, SAYING "Every night almost there was somebody on their knees proposing to their girlfriend to marry them of course with the banquets facilities upstairs they could get married here. So it makes me very sad." 1.16 6. SLV KITCHEN; SLV CHEFS PREPARING FOOD; SCU CHEF PUTTING RUSSIAN CAVIAR ON FOOD (4 SHOTS) 1.49 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) RENAUD LERASLE, EXECUTIVE CHEF, SAYING "Today is very sad day today. I have been here for almost two years and a lot of work and everything failed. Hopefully, it will come back soon. 2.03 8. SCU FOOD; SLV BANQUET ROOM; SCU CRYSTAL BEAR WITH GOLD FISH INSIDE (3 SHOTS) 2.24 9. MV AMERICAN COUPLE WITH ADOPTED A RUSSIAN GIRL EATING AT TABLE 2.27 10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) KIM WHEPLER SAYING "We wanted to come here every year to celebrate her adoption day , but sadly enough we won't be able to do that. But we feel lucky we were able to do that on their last day. It was pure coincidence. We absolutely love Russia now so we are hoping to incorporate it, the culture, in her life, the language and all. This was a good start to come here. 2.47 11. SCU CHILD WAVING; SCU MOTHER TOASTING FAMILY (2 SHOTS) 2.58 12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) NANCY SMITH SAYING "It is a sad day,. I know that. I would love to take them all under my wing and help them. This looks like a Christmas all wrapped up. This is beautiful. I don't know why it is closing." 3.16 13. SLV INTERIOR TEA ROOM EMPTY FADE OUT 3.22 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 13th August 2002 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- City:
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVA7D4X5B99I4P65ZAJ2EZJTREMR
- Story Text: The 75 year old Russian Tea Room, the Faberge egg of a
restaurant in New York City, too lush to survive these leans
times, was packed with hundreds of people on their last day of
business. The historic restaurant announced its closing.
People lined the bar waiting for a table to just to get
a taste of Champagne and caviar served by Cossack suited
waiters. Most had to settle for a last look at the decadent
forest green and gold leaf interior.
"Friday night when the announcement was made we had 150
reservations. Once the announcement was made it went to 500
last night for dinner. We are pretty much the same tonight. It
is fantastic. Everyone is coming by to say there good-byes,"
said Michael Desiderio, the general manager of the restaurant.
Michael Stack, who has been a waiter here for the last
two, years was sad about the restaurant closing because it was
a piece of New York.
"Every night almost there was somebody on their knees
proposing to their girlfriend to marry them of course with the
banquets facilities upstairs they could get married here. So
it makes me very sad," he said.
Inside the kitchen, the staff was working at a feverish
pace to serve the overbooked crowd. Executive Chef Renaud
Lerasle still hopes the restaurant has a chance of coming
back. "Today is very sad day today. I have been here for
almost two years and a lot of work and everything failed.
Hopefully, it will come back."
Kim Whepler from Cleveland brought her adopted Russian
daughter here to get a taste of the Russian culture. "We
wanted to come here every year to celebrate her adoption day ,
but sadly enough we won't be able to do that. But we feel
lucky we were able to do that on their last day. It was pure
coincidence. We absolutely love Russia now so we are hoping to
incorporate it, the culture, in her life, the language and
all. This was a good start to come here."
Nancy Smith from Newport Beach, California wished she
could do anything to help. "It is a sad day,. I know that. I
would love to take them all under my wing and help them. This
looks like a Christmas all wrapped up. This is beautiful. I
don't know why it is closing."
Desiderio said it had not been decided what to do with the
contents of the restaurant, which include Chagall and
Kandinsky paintings.
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