Sirio Maccioni (5 April 1932 – 20 April 2020) was an Italian restaurateur and author known for opening Le Cirque.!
For more than 40 years, Sirio Maccioni was the shining star of New York’s fine-dining scene.
Sirio Maccioni was an Italian restaurateur and author known for opening Le Cirque.
The ever effusive maître d’, who opened Le Cirque at the Mayfair Hotel in 1974, looked after the city’s most exclusive clientele and was renowned for his convivial nature and unparalleled showmanship. Alas, his bright light has finally tapered out.
On Monday, the Tuscan-born restaurateur died in his hometown of Montecatini in Tuscany, Italy.
His son Mauro Maccioni confirmed the death through a family friend, according to The New York Times. He was 88 years old.
“Le Cirque is strictly New York people,” Maccioni once said. “New York people don’t eat at home; New York people go out.” Indeed, the restaurant opened its doors just as the era of dining out began, and the Italian won diners over with his larger-than-life personality.
Throughout his reign, Maccioni arranged tables for Manhattan’s movers and shakers, as well as A-List reg