Marisa, daughter of Tony May, famed restaurateur, chef, author, and bon vivant, grew up in a gracious Italian world of abbondanza. Her father and grandmother excelled in the kitchen. She was, she says modestly, “…a good copy cat.” As an only child, Marisa was expected to go into the family business. Still, the final decision was hers.
Born in the city, Marisa was raised in Manhattan and Connecticut, where the May home was a center of hospitality “lots of bedrooms…always cooking…many famous guests—chefs and people like Luciano Pavarotti.” She started working at her father’s restaurants when she was fourteen, pitching in wherever help was needed. It seemed natural to her. For three months every summer, she’d stay with his family in Naples where good cooking was endemic.
At eighteen, Marisa lost her mother. The close relationship with her father deepened. They traveled together, doing research, having fun. Later, Marisa would extend her own trips to other parts of Italy, earning this by preceding it with a month’s full time work. She’d play during the day (it was her vacation,) or go see a vineyard (work and pleasure), visiting the best restaurants in the country at night. Always welcomed as her renowned father’s daughter, “the princess of Italian food” met top chefs and was escorted through their kitchens.
A second passion, that of musical theater (she acted and sang), lead her to start an application to Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. After taking a preview improv class, however, Marisa applied to The College of Arts and Sciences (minoring in voice). “I remember the teacher saying, “Okay, everyone, pretend you’re a chicken in a coop,” (shades of Chorus Line) and I said, “Oh my God, this is not for me!” Marisa realized she was “supposed to be in the restaurant.” There were electives in subjects like accounting, and some business, but academic education was substantially an experience of knowledge for its own sake. “I learned permits and regulations, but little else that would help me here.”
After graduation, Marisa took her place at the front desk of San Domenico, the iconic Italian restaurant on Central Park South. She became the house personality in addition to, and especially when, her father was not present. Marisa was taught there must be consistency in the quality of the front and back of the house; spent time in the kitchen learning to make pasta and bread, scheduled, and worked with the books. Another extremely important acquired skill was the recognition of guests, “whether they were shoemakers or celebrities.” This was before the advent of the computer software Open Table, where records are now kept. Marisa would make copious notes in the margins of the reservation book—descriptions, preferences, celebratory days. She earned the affectionate nickname Bossina, or little boss, acting as General Manager for eight years until the restaurant closed.
Shortly thereafter, Marisa and her father created San Domenico Events, now SD26 Events, a full service catering company. “We’ll go anywhere if you fly us, creating parties for from eight to two thousand people.” Special flowers, audio, entertainment, lighting, décor—everything can be arranged. Marisa especially enjoys the theatricality of the business whether exemplified by a festive gathering in the Wine Connoisseur’s Cellar or one mile away in a garden. She loves mounting a production, understanding the performance and mise en scene aspects of a successful event as well as she does the sensual and gustatory contributions.
A new kind of restaurant was conceived. The Mays sat side by side making decisions, a (youthful) thirty-eight year old and the (youthful) seventy-two year old—apparently very into technology (see my restaurant review under Dining Around) SD26 was planned, researched, designed, constructed, and realized, opening September 2009. It continues to be fine tuned by two of the best.
“What are your days like?” I asked.
Early morning is Marisa’s woman time for hair or nails. Sundays are ostensibly free…to do laundry and run errands (though things come up). The other six days a week, after “a real breakfast” including coffee with soy milk, she arrives at SD26 between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. and leaves sometime after 1 a.m. The neighborhood is still lively at that hour. “We’re on our feet fifteen hours a day or longer,” Marisa says smiling, “…all the hard work behind what looks like glamour.” She and her father walk the floor every night. They’re approachable. Presence counts. “It’s a very public life.” They both run the restaurant, but when Mr. May goes away, Marisa is in charge.
A petite powerhouse, Marisa May could probably run a small country and still manage to be poised and charming. She seems enormously capable, completely at ease with herself, happy with her life, and excited by the future. While truly to the manor born, this is a woman who earned her position and all the respect it implies. She defines accomplished.
Woman Around Town’s Six Questions
Favorite Places to Eat: Sandro’s on East 81st Street, Salumeria Rossi on the Upper West Side, Bouqueria in Soho, Milos on West 55th Street and Le Cirque on East 58th Street.
Favorite Place to Shop: Oh, Bergdorf’s
Favorite New York Sight: Madison Square Park
Favorite New York Moment: After one of Luciano Pavorotti’s operas, he and Placido Domingo were dining at San Domenico. They both got up and sang together in the main dining room! No one who was there will ever forget that evening.
What You Love About New York: I love the night here. My friends and I work late. We’d get together afterwards to unwind. Children of the night. We were good kids, no drinking, no drugs…we’d go to night clubs or little restaurants. I love the tranquility and the lights.
What You Hate About New York: There’s nothing I really don’t like about New York. I always find some beauty in it and I’m a real New Yorker. Maybe landlords, I don’t like landlords.
For more information about SD26, go to the website, www.SD26ny.com
Photo of Marisa and Tony May, Robert Caplin
