March 9, 2009 | Short Order

        Why do we love Sirio?  “Because he’s NOT French.”  So began Daniel Boulud’s ten reasons to love his one-time boss Sirio Maccioni at a Sunday Citymeals-on-Wheels benefit at what was once Le Cirque and is now Restaurant Daniel. Then he went on, laughing:

2.   Because he learned the restaurant business from the French.
3.   Because he has John Wayne looks and Marcello Mastroianni style.
4.   Because he’s kissed the hand of every princess on the Upper East Side.
5.   Because he has three incredible sons but still won't give up.
6.   Because he invented Pasta Primavera – the only dish at Le Cirque the chefs were forbidden to touch.
7.   Because he swears at you in Italian and kisses your ass in English.
8.   Because his favorite food is his wife Egi’s gnocchi.
9.   Because he is America’s greatest restaurant business hero.
10. Because without Sirio Maccioni I might have been a short order cook.

         Maccioni was honored at the event, Blue Jeans, Black Truffles, Burgundy & Blues, which raised almost half a million dollars to help Citymeals feed the homebound elderly, an annual effort by Boulud.

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