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Rocco DiSpirito: Be Warned by Me!
By JULIETTE ROSSANT Stunning news in today's New York Times follows last week's announcement that Rocco's on 22nd Street was closing: Florence Fabricant and Marian Burros joined forces to report that Rocco DiSpirito's other restaurant, Union Pacific is shuttering, too. As of next week, Rocco will be replaced by Laurent Tourondel, chef at BLT Steak, who will act as a consultant until the restaurant closes on Christmas Eve.I have written quite a bit about Rocco (see "Rocco: Trapped in Reality TV's Twilight Zone?," "Rocco Barred from Reality TV Restaurant," and the most recently "Claude Troisgros: Riding de Rocco DiSpirito Star"), ever since he and I crossed paths last Spring at the Los Angeles Times bookfest. He was very upset that Marian Burros had taken back one of three stars from The New York Times for Union Pacific: he went even so far as to challenge moderator and Los Angeles Times food editor Leslie Brenner to justify the power of restaurant critics.  This Media track by which Rocco has tried to circumvent the more tried, truer, and sounder mode of empire-building -- namely, basing expansion on restaurants -- at this point makes Rocco's story resemble a morality play, or something out of Hillaire Belloc's Cautionary Tales for Children (1918) -- how about these lines, from "Henry King"?: Oh my Friends, be warned by me,So what is Rocco going to do with his time? He recently emailed me (and no doubt thousands of others) about QVC: From: Rocco DiSpirito (rds@roccodispirito.com)Will Rocco be sated as a stay-at-home chef? At least he can further test his cookware......... |
posted by Juliette Rossant at 9/29/2004 03:34:00 PM
10 Comments:
I could have told you what a sleazebag Rocco was. I am a real estate broker who introduced him to his current apartment on 37th Streetand negotiated it for him. However, only one problem. He then rented the apartment directly from the Landlord and refused to pay our rental commission. I guess what comes around goes around. My how the mighty have fallen. He used his henchmen to circumvent us by calling the landlord and cutting us out. Just another example of what kind of character he is
Thank you for your sharing your experience and insight.
What was your take on NBC's The Restaurant? And what about Jeffrey Chodorow?
It is very simple Rocco ia a piece of dreck with a gigantic underearned ego. Watch the show while the restaurant collapses he is visiting the chef school, running around and doing everything but fixing the restaurant. The definition of a schmuck. And that obnoxious french manager.
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I think, just from watching "The Restaurant", that Rocco didn't handle things too well with running his restaurant. In hind-sight I'm sure that Rocco would go back and do things differently as well. It takes a lot to make any partnership a success. He had no real prior experience before. Most importantly -- The name on the door was "Rocco's". He had a vision of what he wanted. Perhaps he didn't go about it the best way, but no one is perfect. I don't think it's fair to criticize Rocco's personality unless you are well acquainted with him. As for how he went about getting his apartment, you should be ashamed of yourself publicizing his (partial) address and I'd try and save myself some bucks, too. All you "brokers" are overpaid anyway.
What's a "rental commission"? Just let the guy pay his rent and be happy. BTW -- You don't REALLY know someone unless you have the opportunity to sit down and talk to them. I think that just like the rest of us, Rocco is still trying to find his way.
Dear Anonymous of 6:39 p.m.,
To whom are your comments addressed?
I agree w/639pm. Brokers are equivalent to ticket scalpers. I would, and have, done the same thing. (Juliette, we are both referring to the first post, "650pm")
I thoroughly enjoyed The Restaurant and watch Rocco whenever he's on the CBS morning show. I think he's entertaining and no more ego-inflated than any other celebrity.
i you think realtors are bogus and not needed then don't use there services. But to use them then go around them is as devlish as commending that sort of behavior. You sound like a bunch of honorless pigs.
i loved watching Rocco DiSpirito
in "The Restaurant"...he's handsome...has a great personality...he's trained in his profession...and his show was entertaing...i wish he had a show on TV now...i think he's fascinating/entertaining/handsome/talented/gifted and a pleasure to watch/look at/see:) don't be a jealous hater.
Dear Anonymous commenter of September 11, 2007,
Regarding The Restaurant, apparently you were in the minority in loving the show, because NBC canceled it... Clearly, you think Rocco is handsome and entertaining -- but does his media efforts help or hurt the culinary profession -- or himself? Super Chef has traced Rocco's self-destructive efforts at selling cars, branding booze, crashing kids' television, making musicals, even saving seals. For all your cooing, would you buy a car from Rocco?...
Super Chef has also chided other chefs for over-stepping and ridiculing him.
Jealous? Decidedly not: just disappointed, because he is an intelligent, talented chef...
He is still fairly young, however, and Super Chef always welcomes a comeback.
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