2022 Wine & Spirits Dinner Journal

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W I N E & S P I R I T S ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL DINNER EVENT JOURNAL

Host Committee

Jeffrey Banks

Steve Bellini

Linda Bruno

Carmen Dell'Orefice

Vincent Fyfe

Susan & Robert Labriola

Karen & Peter Martino

Cheryl & Ed Micone, Jr.

Emilie Puzio

Tina Radziwill

David Stallar

Sharon Marantz Walsh & Kirke Walsh

Wine & Spirits

Annual International Dinner

Remembering

Tony May in loving memory

Honoring

Tony May & his daughter Marisa May for their legacy of setting the standard for luxury

Italian fine dining in the United States

Presenting

Herman Hochberg with the Lifetime Service & Achievement Award

About Us

The end of the Second World War in Italy left hundreds of thousands of orphans and vulnerable children on the streets. In 1945, our founder, Monsignor John Patrick Carroll-Abbing, had the visionary idea to create youth-centered, self-governed communities in Rome and Civitavecchia for these young people – Boys’ and Girls’ Towns of Italy – to provide “a chance in life” to them. He believed that if young people were supported to take responsibility for their lives and their communities, they would grow into caring, self-sufficient adults. Self-government has been the central focus of our programs.

Over time, we realized that we could serve even greater numbers of vulnerable children by exporting our model of programming, creating safe havens around the world. In 2015, we opened our first program outside of Italy, in Ethiopia, and rebranded our organization as A Chance In Life to reflect our multinational approach. Since then, our organization has established villages of children around the world who learn invaluable life skills and develop a sense of responsibility for themselves and their peers with the support of adult educators, health professionals, psychologists and mentors. In Italy, Ethiopia, India, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Guatemala, Mexico, Uganda, Palestine, and the United States, we have changed the lives of more than 40,000 children and their communities.

Through each of our programs, A Chance In Life is addressing complex global challenges outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goalsissues like educational access, clean water and sanitation, good health and well-being, gender equality, economic opportunity, and quality nutrition. Through our work with children, families and communities around the world, we are are honored to advance the legacy of our founder while advancing these global goals.

Message from the President

Dear Friends,

Buona sera and benvenuti! As always, it is a pleasure to have the opportunity to welcome our friends and supporters to our Wine & Spirits Annual International Dinner.

Tonight's event is a particularly special occasion, as we honor and remember important champions of our organization. Indeed, the Wine & Spirits International Dinner would not exist were it not for our honoree Herman Hochberg, who took it upon himself more than forty years ago to organize his colleagues to raise funds for our founder, Monsignor John Patrick Carroll-Abbing. Herman has selflessly continued to spearhead the effort, year after year, and we are proud to recognize him tonight with the much-deserved Lifetime Service and Achievement Award for his decades of contributions to A Chance In Life.

We are also touched to be able to remember the legacy of Tony May, a longtime supporter of A Chance In Life and champion for Italian culture and heritage. Tony May's love of and pride for Italy was evident not just in how his food tasted, but in how it was presented, and indeed, he came to be known for bringing luxury Italian dining to the United States. Any Italian fine dining chef today owes his or her success to Tony May, who paved the way for generations. Indeed, Italian Americans as a whole owe much to Tony May for his cultural contributions and we are so proud to recognize him tonight.

Tony May would also say one of his greatest contributions is his daughter, Marisa May, and I know we would all agree. Marisa began her involvement with our organization early in her career, and we are so excited to have the opportunity to reunite with her and recognize her for contributions to the culinary and philanthropic worlds. A restaurant legend in her own right, Marisa had dedicated her career to the twin causes of maintaining the May family legacy through a variety of restaurant and catering endeavors, and to education to advance understanding of Italian culture and cuisine. In light of our work to provide Italian culinary skills training to our students at La Repubblica, Marisa is a perfect match.

In the years since we began serving young people at La Repubblica, and since Tony and Marisa first became involved, and since Herman first established this event, A Chance In Life has evolved and expanded to reach increasing numbers of marginalized young people around the world, and this international expansion is reflected in our name. What has not changed is our core mission of providing education and empowerment through “self-government”, nor our commitment to the Monsignor’s vision to improve the lives of children who have otherwise been left behind and forgotten – children for whom there would be no other chance. We are so proud to welcome tonight so many friends who have supported us since the Monsignor's time - I know he would be proud of all we have been able to accomplish together.

Grazie mille, Gabriele Delmonaco

Tony May

As one of the nation’s most respected restaurateurs, Tony May worked diligently for five decades to elevate the image of Italian cuisine in America. Arriving in America from Naples, Italy, in 1963, he found a cuisine he did not recognize and sometimes a language he did not understand. The Italian cuisine was still known as “Eyetalian” – and was considered the ultimate comfort food “Good, Plentiful and cheap…”

For years, first as General Manager and then Owner / Operator, Tony May operated New York’s Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center (1968-1987)… This was the era of Music, Dancing, Premier Parties (Funny Girl, Fiddler on the Roof, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor & Richard Burton, Luciano Pavarotti, just to name a few) …the Rainbow Room was THE focal point of the New York social scene.

While still at the Rainbow Room, in 1979 he founded Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani (GRI) thru the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce, they created a branch for Italian restaurants in the U.S. who were already members of the Chamber. Tony May was always vocal to his colleagues regarding the quality and authenticity of the cuisine in their Italian restaurants. Working with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation GRI established the GRI/Giacomo Bologna Scholarship for U.S. students.

In 1986, Tony May opened his first Italian restaurant, Palio, which attracted critical acclaim throughout the world. Two years later, he opened San Domenico, NY, his flagship restaurant that garnered international praise for 20 years. Through the years, Tony developed his own, very Italian style in the management of restaurants, a style that, since, dozens of colleagues have used as a point of reference.

In 1997 Tony May opened Gemelli in the World Trade Center followed by PastaBreak in 1998. On September 11, 2001, both Gemelli and Pasta Break were destroyed in the attack on the World Trade Center. Tony May and daughter Marisa worked tirelessly to help feed the rescue workers, as well as to help his displaced employees. A new PastaBreak opened a year later in the E-Walk complex in Times Square.

In 2008, San Domenico NY closed on Central Park South and in 2009 Tony May with his daughter Marisa May, opened SD26 Restaurant & Wine Bar, a tri-level restaurant on Madison Square Park North showcasing contemporary Italian cuisine and the next generation in fine dining.

He is also the author of “ITALIAN CUISINE: Basic Cooking Techniques,” a textbook distributed to culinary schools throughout the U.S. and available to the general public.

Marisa May

AbornandraisednativeNewYorker,restaurateurMarisaMay,spenthersummersonthecoastofNaples,Amalfi,theIslandofCapri,and throughoutItaly,learningfirsthandaboutthehospitalityandthecuisineofItaly.Herfather,thevenerableandcelebratedrestaurateurTony May,thenowner/operatorofNewYorkCity’siconicTheRainbowRoom(30RockefellerCenter)sentMarisatoItalyeverysummer,togainvaluable knowledgefromaward-winningrestaurateurs,winemakersandcelebratedchefs,whoexposedMarisatothedynamicauthenticcuisineand professionalservicethroughoutItaly.Asaresult,Marisabroughtherexperiences,uniquededicationtohospitalityandvibrantcharmtoreignitethe NewYorkCityrestaurantsceneandhelpedsetthestandardsforItalianluxurydininginNewYorkCity.

DuringherSacredHeartGreenwichhighschoolyears,Marisatookrestaurantreservationsashersummerjob.UpongraduatingfromNewYork University(NYU),shetookonherfull-timeroleatherfatherTonyMay’sSanDomenicoNYrestaurantat240CentralParkSouth/ColumbusCirclein NewYorkCityfor15years,whereshelearnedrestaurantbusinessfromthegroundup.

Marisa’swarmwelcomingpersonalityandcharmwereknownasthesecretbehindtheserviceandambianceintheSanDomenicoNYdiningroom. Shespenttimeinthekitchenhelpingtomakethebreadandpasta,butloveddirectingthefrontofthehousewhereshefeltshetruly belonged.Marisadirectedastaffof60peopleondailybases.Shewasalsothedirectorofbranding,PRandmarketing.SanDomenicoNYwasthe first-everfinediningItalianrestauranttoreceive3starsfromtheNewYorkTimes.In1996,SanDomenicoNYwasoneofonly24restaurants throughouttheworldtoreceivethefirstInsegnadelRistoranteItalianofromthePresidentoftheRepublicofItaly,anawarddenotingthefinest ItalianrestaurantsoutsideofItaly.

In1997,MarisawasinstrumentalandhelpedherfatherTonyMayopentheirrestaurantGemelliRestaurantintheWorldTradeCenterfollowedby PastaBreakin1998.But,onSeptember11,2001,bothGemelliandPastaBreakweredestroyedintheterroristattacksontheWorldTradeCenter. TonyMayandMarisaworkedtirelesslytohelpfeedtherescueworkers,NYCFireFighters,NYCPoliceOfficers,aswellashelpingtheirdisplaced employees.

InJune2008,SanDomenicoNYcloseditdoorson240CentralParkSouth/ColumbusCircle.TheninSeptember2009Marisa,togetherwithher businesspartnerandfatherTonyMay,openedSD26Restaurant&WineBaronMadisonSquarePark(atEast26thStreet)tousherinthenew generationofItalianfinedininginNewYorkCity.Asco-ownerandoperatorofSD26,Marisadirectedastaffof90employeesonadailybasis.

MarisaalsocreatedSanDomenicoEvents/SD26Events,whichcateredanarrayofeventsfrom10personsto1000persons,on-premiseandoff premise,inthemostexclusivevenuesinNewYorkandbeyond,organizingprivateparties,presslaunches,moviepremiers,SNLpartiesand largeeventsforcelebrities,rockstars,moviestars,fashionicons,writers,sportsstars,internationalheads,PresidentsandHeadsofStates.Her creative,attentivesharpeyefordetailsearnedherincredibleloyaltyfromhereliteclientele.Duringher6yearsasco-owner/operatorofSD26, MarisawasnamedESQUIREMAGAZINE's"RESTAURATEURWELOVE”intheir“WOMENWELOVE”ISSUE.Shewasawarded“NYITGoldCoastClassic ProfessionExcellenceAward”inNYC.Marisawashonoredonthefrontcoverasthe“COVERGIRL”ontheprestigiousnational“Restaurant Hospitality”Magazineinthe“COOLFACTOR”issuewithMarisabeingnamed“thecoolrestaurantchickthathasitall”intheUSAin2014/2015. MarisawashonoredbytheNationalOrganizationofItalianAmericanWomen(NOIAW)forherexemplaryworkasarestaurateur,citingheras“an outstandingrolemodelforyoungwomen”.Sincetheopening,SD26wasnamedoneofEsquireMagazine’s“BestNewRestaurants,”receivingfour starsonForbes’asthebest“AllStarEateries”intheUSA(2010through2016).SD26wasnamedoneoftheZagat‘sGuide“Top50Restaurants.”

MarisaMayhasmadeherimportantmarkwithintherestaurant-hospitalityindustry,havingmadenumerousappearancesonnationaltelevision networksshowsincluding:TheFoodNetwork’sBeatBobbyFlay,RoccoDiSpirito’sRestaurantDivided,RestaurantRedemptionandasaregularguest cookingliveonNBC’sTodayShow.Inaddition,MarisahasappearedinlocalappearancesonNBC’sNewYorkLive,FOXBusinessNews,GoodDay NewYorkonFOX,PIX11,ABC,CBS,i-Italy,RAIItalianTelevisionandmore.MarisahasalsobeenfeaturedinmanyexclusivearticlesinFood&Wine Magazine,TheNewYorkTimes,PAGESIX,TheNewYorkPost,TheDailyBeast,DailyNews,Travel&Leisure,Town&Country,Esquire,GQ, DeparturesMagazine,CondeNastTraveler,RestaurantHospitality,Nation’sRestaurantNews,Saveur,NewYorkMagazine,TimeOutNYMagazine, WineSpectatorMagazine,FoodArts,ManhattanMagazine,GothamMagazine,SeventeenMagazine,HauteLivingMagazine,DowntownMagazine, WorthMagazine,LaMadiaTravelFoodMagazine,CorrieredellaSera,TheItalianTribune,i-ItalyMagazine,EATER,bothinprintarticlesandonline articles.Marisawasfeaturedindocumentaryfilmasan“ItalianFoodExpert”inthe“L’EleganzaDelCibo(TalesAboutFood&Fashion”exhibition sponsoredbytheItalianTradeCommissioninbothinNewYork(ChelseaMarket)&Rome,Italy(MercatidiTraiano–MuseodeiForiImperiali).

In2017,MarisajoinedherfatherTonyMayinhiscrusadetopromoteabetterunderstandingofItaliancuisineandItalianproductsthroughItalian culinaryeducationforthenextgenerationofcookingprofessionals,bybeingavitalpartoftheItalianCulinaryFoundation(ICF) www.italianculinaryfoundation.com.MarisaandherfatherTonyMayalsorunandhostfoodfocusedcookingprograms/tripsforamateur cooks/foodenthusiasts:www.italylikeneverbefore.comandalsoprofessionalcookingprograms/toursforprofessionalchefs:www.cook-like-anitalian.comMarisa&herfather’sICFprogramsalsogiftscholarshipstoyoungculinarystudentswhoarefutureyoungaspiringchefs/restaurateurs, astheirgivingbackprogram.

Marisaalsocontinueshigh-endcateringasSanDomenicoNYEventsforherVIPclients,asanexclusiveboutiquecateringcompanyinNewYorkCity. MarisahasremainedactivewithintheNewYorkCityandrestaurantcommunities,servingoncommitteesandasamember,andstayingactivein organizationsandcharitycausesincludingtheprestigiousLesDamesD'Escoffier,Women’sChefs&Restaurateurs,C-CAP(CareersThroughCulinary ArtsProgram),FoodBankforNewYorkCity,Citymeals-on-Wheels,TheMadisonSquareParkConservancyandTheCentralParkConservancy.

MarisalivesanddivideshertimebetweenherhometownNewYorkCityandinRome,Italy.

Herman Hochberg

Herman was born in Brooklyn and attended City College School of Engineering. For many decades, Herman was owner and operating of Queens Wines and Liquors in Ridgewood, Queens. Herman served as a member of the Ridgewood Community Planning Board no. 5 for twenty years. As Founding President of the Ridgewood Development Corporation and the Ridgewood Business Improvement District Herman is responsible for a federal grant which resulted in the revitalization of the Ridgewood business district for which Herman was honored by the Ridgewood YMCA. For eight years Herman was on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the Community National Bank and Trust Company of New York. Herman has served as a Director of Mount Carmel Cemetery in Queens County. Herman is a member of the Board of Trustees of Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn. He also serves on the hospital´s Executive Committee. In 2006 Herman received the Distinguished Trustee Award of the United Hospital Fund at a luncheon in the Waldorf Astoria. With his late with Polly, he has also been recognized with the Community Service Award for his involvement with the Park East Synagogue.

Herman is active in many charitable liquor industry endeavors including the UJA New York Wine and Spirit Division and Founder of the A Chance In Life Wine & Spirits Annual International Dinner. In 1986 he was honored by the Boy´s Town of Italy with their Humanitarian Award and in 2009 he was elected to the National Board of the Boys Town. He continues to serve on the national Board of Director of A Chance In Life. In 2009 Herman was the honoree at the AHRC (Association for the Help of Retarded Children) Long Island Salesman Wines and Spirits Dinner and Golf Outing. In 2006 He was honored as The Business Person of the Year at the Ridgewood Democratic Club Annual Dinner. Herman is a loving father to his daughter, Marisa.

Program

Welcome Remarks

Gabriele Delmonaco, President & Chief Executive

Claire Gallagher, Vice President, Development & Communications Call to Action

Claire Gallagher, Vice President, Development & Communications

Student speaker Daysha Freeman Dinner

Presentation of Awards

Tony and Marisa May

presented by Robert Labriola

Herman Hochberg

presented by Steve Bellini and Vinny Fyfe

Closing Remarks

Gabriele Delmonaco, President & Chief Executive

Special thanks to Broken Shed Vodka, Steve Bellini, BouveryCV, Marcelo Calabrese, Cipriani, Donna D'Urso, Vinny Fyfe, Herman Hochberg, the Amy Kennedy family, Peter Martino, Emilie Puzio, Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, Sharon Marantz Walsh and all of tonight's volunteers

Thank you Tony for your many contributions to our Italian culinary experiences. You are a treasure and will be sorely missed.

With love and affection from the Labriola Family

Herman Hochberg

-Mauro Romita

Congratulations to our dear Marisa May and our dear Tony May!

Thank you for your many decades of friendship, delicious meals and for setting the standards for luxury Italian fine dining in America.

We miss you very much, Tony! Your memory lives on in our hearts.

We Love You Both Very Much, The Porzio Family

Ellen & John

David, Johnny & Elizabeth

Founder Monsignor John Patrick CarrollAbbing:

Tonight, A Chance In Life continues your Vision and Mission

Emilie Puzio, Board Member

Amy Margherita Puzio Education Fund La Repubblica, Roma

Our Team

Board of Directors

Robert Iommazzo

Chairman

Managing Partner, SEBA International

Mauro C. Romita

Vice Chair

Stephen Bellini

Treasurer

President, Broken Shed Vodka, LLC

Jeanine T. Margiano Secretary

Partner, Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf, LLP

Gabriele Delmonaco

President & Chief Executive, A Chance In Life

Kate Bullis

Managing Partner, SEBA International

Eugene B. Ceccotti

President and CEO, Shamrock Materials

Guy Chiarello

Chief Operating Officer, Fiserv, Inc.

Phil Guarnieri

Chief Executive Officer, Empire State Bank

Herman Hochberg

Lawrence Nibbi

CEO, Nibbi Brothers General Contractors

Srii Srinivasan

Chief Executive, Chargeback Gurus

Tim Tynan

Former CEO, Bank of America Merchant Services

Roy Van Pelt Consultant, Lathrop Construction

H. E. Card. Giuseppe Versaldi Prefect Congr. Catholic Education (Honorary Member)

Staff Gabriele Delmonaco President & Chief Executive

Claire W. Gallagher

Vice President, Development & Communications

Elser Llanos Vice President, Programs

Guadalupe Aguirre

Building Manager, The Village

Jaqueline Arenales

Executive Assistant and Program Coordinator

Clara Chahwan Director of Operations

Loziana Vejuka Office Manager

Gabriele Pera Piscopo

Emilie Puzio

Realtor Associate, D’Amico & McConnell Realtors – Spring Lake, NJ

Claire Walton Communications & Development Manager

Caroline Ziccardi Director, Donor Relations