by Joseph H. RADDER
Youve heard the phrase He eats, sleeps and breathes his business.
Well, that description fits Russell Salvatore to a T. He lives the business of
Salvatores Italian Gardens and Garden Place Hotel from the time he opens his eyes
early in the morning until he closes them late at night. Indeed, he lives in an apartment
adjacent to his office upstairs in the restaurant building.
Since 1967, when he established Salvatores Italian Gardens in a little yellow brick
building on the site where his huge restaurant now stands, Russ Salvatore has put all of
his energy, all of his talent and all of his dreams into his business. At that time
I had the dream to make it one of the biggest restaurants in Buffalo, now were one
of the biggest in the entire country he says proudly. As a matter of fact,
Salvatores Italian Gardens is now 100 times its original size in terms of square
footage. Weve added to the building over 25 times. Obviously customer
counts and dollar volumes have increased comparably over those years. To what does he
attribute this phenomenal growth? First, Im a perfectionist. And second, I
love the business so much, Ive never gotten tired of it. I think anybody who works
100 hours a week will be rewarded.
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Russ in the Army - 1955. |
He inherited this great energy and talent for the restaurant business from his father and
mother. They had run a popular restaurant on East Delevan Avenue since the 30s.
I worked there as a young child, Russ said, mopping floors and stirring
sauce. As I grew older, I tended bar and waited tables. I did it all.
Russs mother Tina and father Joseph - 1952. |
Russ and his father Joseph - 1952. |
However, the 21st century Salvatores is much different than the original. We
serve the same steak and the same lobster as other fine restaurants in Buffalo. So why do
people come hundreds of miles to dine here? Because ours is something more than just a
restaurant. Its a showplace, where you get good food and good service too.
This is not to say the cuisine at Salvatores is not outstanding. Indeed it is, and
last fall, Russ Salvatore was honored in Seattle with the 2002 Distinguished Restaurants
of North America Award (the DiRONA). This award is presented to restaurants across North
America that exemplify everything involved with fine dining. Critics go on to say that
Salvatores Italian Gardens is one of the finest supper clubs in America.
Salvatores at 1448 Delevan was
started by Russs father Joseph |
We found that to be true once more on a recent dinnertime visit. We had a delightful
experience. The short wait for a table was a pleasure because theres so much to see
in this museum/restaurant. A palm pilot like device buzzed when our table was
ready, so we were able to wander all over the place. Our server, Amy, was prompt,
attentive, courteous and friendly without being obsequious. She even made a special trip
to the bar to get the score of the Bills game for me. The menu offers a wide variety of
delicious appetizers, soups, poultry, pasta, beef, seafood and veal. My guest ordered the
filet mignon, a delicious tender cut of prime beef. I followed my instinct to order
Italian food when in an Italian restaurant. The Osso Bucco, a thick cut veal shank
braised with fresh green and red peppers in a red sauce, was done to perfection, and
served with Salvatores famous spaghetti. But it was the little touches that made
this meal special...the complimentary serving of hot bruschetta as an appetizer, the
marrow fork with the osso bucco and the swirl of delicious chocolate sauce on the spumoni
plate.
Russs brother Tony, sister Mary and Russ. |
Theres a dinner-for-two menu as well, featuring nine different entrees, complete
with salad, potatoes or pasta. vegetable, dessert and coffee, all for one very reasonable
price.
Russ Salvatore received a plaque from the 2002 Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA). Salvatores was cited as one of the most distinguished restaurants in the country. |
Its no wonder Salvatores is so popular for weddings, receptions, banquets and
all kinds of private parties. The Banquet Menu features fifteen different catering
options...cocktail paries with hors doeuvres, luncheons, dinners, buffets and the
wedding of your dreams.
Russs children Rosemarie, Joseph and Tina - 1969. |
The Salvatore family: Tina, Russ, Joseph, Rosemarie and Barbara. |
The private dining rooms are available in a number of different sizes and reflect the
elegance and beauty of the restaurant.
Another Salvatore venture, The Garden Place Hotel, is relatively new. It has grown from 40
rooms to 170 rooms since it opened in 1994. It, too, features the elegant ambience that
results from the Salvatore touch. And there are unique features like the outside elevator
that transports mannequins of famous people like Bill and Hillary Clinton. People
come down from Canada by the hundreds to stay at our hotel, Russ beams. Dinner and
room packages combine the experience of the hotel and the restaurant.
Chauffer-driven vehicles take guests from one venue to the other (less than a mile apart).
People love this, he says, This way they dont have to drink and
drive.
We asked how his fabulous collection of artifacts got started. I happened to be in
Florida, and I went to a couple of auctions. And before I knew it, I bought a Remington
(bronze statue), then another, then another. That started him going to different
auctions all over the country, where he acquired the hundreds of elegant collectibles now
seen at the restaurant and hotel. Salvatore became a collector of antique cars
tooand now he has fifteen antique cars on display in glass garages all around the
perimeter of the restaurant. We love to overdo it, he smiles, and
weve always had that reputation. Obviously, Salvatores is a conversation
piece. Locals bring out-of-town guests to see it, even though they may only dine there
themselves on special occasions.
Tina, Joseph and Rosemarie - New Years 2003. |
Rosemarie (center) and her sons Robert and Justin. |
Russell, Paula, Joseph, Josette and Nicholas. |
Its clear that Russell Salvatore continues to be involved personally, in both the
restaurant and hotel. Im more involved now than I ever was, he says.
I have no intentions of ever quitting. Theyll have to mop me off the
floor.
The owners of Salvatores - Russ and Joseph Salvatore. |
Going back to his childhood, Russ remembered his days at School 82 and Kensington High
School. I couldnt play much sports, he said, because my father,
being as strict as he was, had us working in the restaurant almost every minute we
werent in school. Russ served in the Army in the fifties, and then spent
seventeen years in business with his brother, Tony, at the Delevan Avenue restaurant.
But when my father died, I wanted my own place. I had to sell my house to get the
money to buy the little place on Transit Road,
In spite of his joke about being mopped off the floor. Russell tells us that his son,
Joseph, is his right arm and will eventually take over the business. He is
proud to say It will always be Salvatores because hes young and he has
three kids from ages 14 to 20 and they are already getting involved in the business.
Joseph was born in 1958 and went to St. Lawrence School near the original family homestead
and restaurant on East Delevan Avenue. After moving to Transit road, Joe went to Lancaster
schools, always working in the restaurant in his free time.
In 1980, Joseph married Paula Schoenle. She is a florist by trade and has an aptitude for
making things beautiful. She was a natural to take over the restaurant décor when that
job became available and to get very much involved in making the hotel a comparable place
of beauty.
Paula is totally responsible for all the magnificent Christmas decorations each year.
Joseph and Paula have three children, Josette is 20 and is a student at UB. Russell is 18
and studying the restaurant and hotel business at Erie Community College. Nicholas is 14
and attends Williamsville East High School.
Russs oldest daughter Rosemarie graduated from Lancaster High School in 1973. She
has also shared restaurant responsibilities over the yearsand is now in charge of
all bookkeeping operations. Her oldest son Robert, 22, has well prepared for the
hospitality industry,studying in Switzerland and majoring in Hotel & Restaurant
Management at Canisius College, where he graduated in May 2002. He is now Assistant
Banquet Manager at Salvatores and works in several other areas of operation.
Rosemaries youngest son Justin, 19, is now working in California modeling.
Russs younger daughter Tina graduated from Lancaster High School in 1987 and has
worked banquets at Salvatores and the front desk at the Garden Place Hotel. Tina is
now an esthetician at Capellos.
The Salvatores love doing things for charity, Their support of Roswell Park, Cystic
Fibrosis Foundation, the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Childrens Hospital and other
causes is well-known.
Yes. theres a lot more to the Salvatore family than just their businesses. One
wonders where they find the energy to do it all.
The Garden Place Hotel, the tradition continues since 1994. |
Salvatores Italian Gardens, elegance since 1967. |
The courtyard at the Garden Place Hotel. |
One of Salvatores three banquet rooms. |
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The Garden Place Hotel Deluxe Honeymoon Suite. |
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The Roman Terrace Room is one of the spectacular dining rooms at Salvatores. |
Joseph Radder is a freelance writer.