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History of the Delmonico family
The name Delmonico or Del-Monico is synonymous with good food and wines throughout the world. Where did it all start and where is it now?
Before 1824 Swiiss born Giovanni Del-Monico had been a successful sea captain. The family came from a small village in Switzerland called Mairengo which is located in the canton of Ticino and is south of the area next to Italy. The people from Ticino are Italian speaking.
In 1824 Giovanni retired and opened a wine shop in New York, importing wine and bottling it himself. He called himself John in legal documents and used the French Jean.
2 Years later in 1826 John Del-Monico closed up his shop and went back to Mairengo.
In the meantime, Johns' brother Pietro had opened a candy shop in Berne and was quite successful as a candy and pastry cook. John and Pietro (soon to be called Peter) decided to both go back to New York and open up a new business with their combined savings.
Once in New York, Pietro changed his name to Peter and for legal documents used the French Pierre Antoine Del-Monico.
1 year later in 1827 on December the 13th the two brothers opened a cafe and pastry shop at 23 William Street where they changed their surname to the English version Delmonico.
The cafe was furnished with pine tables, and chairs to match and was stocked with cakes and pastries. The cafe served coffee, chocolate, bonbons & wines.
In 1830 the brothers opened a restaurant next door at 25 William Street.
This restaurant was the first of its kind in America. Before this all eating houses were a sort of 'you get what you're given' eating whatever it was the cook was cooking that day, it was a set meal for a set price.This restaurant was styled on the French Parisian style where the patrons were offered a 'bill of fare' 'a carte', now called a 'menu' simply, different dishes at different prices.
Delmonico's resaturant was open for both lunch and dinner and served up french sauces and new vegetables like aubergines (eggplant) endives and artichokes and so the restaurant grew in both popularity and prosperity.
By 1831 the restaurant needed more help and the third brother Francesco who still lived in Switzerland sent his 19 year old son Lorenzo to work in the family business.
Lorenzo was a natural at the business and spent the next 40 years bringing the prestige and excellence to the forefront of American society. The restaurant excelled in offering the best wines like Chateau Margaux and rare champagne and the food was served on fine china with white tableclothes and napkins.
Over the course of Lorenzos' reign he opened and ran hotels which became well known throughout America and Europe, no expense was spared in furnishing the buildings with the best. Lorenzo ran the hotels with his brothers Siro and Constant. In 1862 he opened a restaurant in East 14th Street the most luxurious that had ever existed in America; he chose his 22 year old nephew Charles Delmonico to run the new establishment.
By 1865 there were four Delmonico's in New York all run by Lorenzo ,and the great chef Charles Ranhofer was working there where many fine recipes were invented such as Delmonico Steak and Lobster a la Newberg
On September 3rd 1881 Lorenzo died at age 68 and Charles took control until his sudden death in 1884
After Charles's untimely death the restaurants major shareholder was his sister Rosa who chose another Charles to manage the restaurants where they continued to prosper and expand.
1901 Young Charles died and Rosa now took on the task of running the restaurants herself; she continued to do this until she died in 1904 age 65.
1914 war broke out in Europe and eating habits were changing and the Delmonico nephews and neices who now owned the business were squabbling, the restaurants were gradually sold off and the last one was sold in 1919 just as prohibition went into effect. No wine cellar, no wine for cooking, and a final dinner at Delmonico's was given on May 21st 1923.
There are many Delmonico restaurants around the world, notably in America, but none of these are connected to the Delmonico family in any way.
Delmonico's of London, a branch of the Delmonico family in New York, opened their wine shop in 1925. It was started by John Delmonico along with the support of his father, Dante, who spoke only Italian. They arrived in London and opened at 64 Old Compton Street, Soho. There they traded in wines imported and sold at a fair price and became a favourite haunt of londoners.
Delmonicos held the crown as the place that held the widest stock of spirits in the UK. In the days when there were lax import laws holidaymakers returning home would find that they had brought too much booze back, it was then confiscated and instead of pouring it all away customs would ring up Delmonico's and allow them to buy the goods for pennies as long as it was collected.
In the 1960's the queues outside Delmonico's would be so long at times, spilling out of the door and into the street that police with loud hailers would be called to keep order. Such was the desire for the rare liqueurs on offer.
John had 3 children, Johnnie (Giovanni Escilo Dante) David and Margaret. David became the bedrock of Delmonico's, joining the business at 14, learning everything from his father and enjoying every minute the shop prospered. Alongside the wine store was a Delmonico's delicatessan was opened which was run by Johns' sistes Anita and Rena.
David spent his whole life in the wine business, family life ran around the shop, stocktaking would involve his two girls Suzanne & Paula ( counting the tonic) until he decided that he had had enough of London. David shut up the shop in Soho and relocated to Cornwall, where he opened Delmonico's Wine Emporium and ran his shop in St Austell for over 30 years.
David died April 29th 2009 and Delmonico's is now being run by his son Jason and daughter Suzanne.
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