It was the middle of August, 1996, and I had finished my military service in the navy about a year ago. I was working at Air France cargo in JFK international Airport working 80 hour weeks making minimum wage. My father, Nicolo Lercara, saw an opportunity at the Plaza Hotel Oak Room and Bar for me to start a job making a better living - benefits, pension and wages. He told me about the job that was opening up and to go over and check it out. I was excited because all my life my dad worked at the famous Plaza Hotel. Not to mention both my grandfathers and two uncles. Both uncles were waiters (Salvatore Norrito worked with my dad in the Palm Court and Luigi Norrito worked in the Oyster Bar).
My dad's dad worked as a baker and my mom's dad worked in stewarding department. Only 1 uncle remains - Luigi (my father has retired and my grandfathers have past on). I remember very clearly when we would go to family functions and my parents would talk to people they just met for the first time. When they asked my dad what he did, he would say very proudly that he was a waiter at the famed Palm Court. Almost instantly, every person he would talk to would say exactly the same thing: "Wow it's so beautiful there. Do you see famous people? Do you see Eloise? You're so lucky."
I got the job as a busboy in the famous Oak Bar and Oak Room and started working 2 weeks later, September 2, 1996. I worked myself up to part time waiter, up until may 2002 . in 2002, I applied for banquet server and moved up, and in 2005, the Plaza closed for an historic restoration. Six weeks after the closing, a manager at the Plaza who had hired me back in 1996 - his name is James "Max" Corish - was taking over operations at the Famous Rainbow Room. I told him i was out of work and that i had a new wife and daughter and had just bought a house. Max tried me out and gave me a job as an Assistant Manager to the Director of Restaurants. Within six months i had moved up to manager of the Grill, and then soon after the Director of Restaurants. I ran all of the ala carte in the Rainbow Room. In early 2009, the Plaza opened again and we were called back home. I'm still at the Plaza and love it...what it used to be and what it can be!