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Shelly Fireman was developing restaurant concepts into his 90s. | Photo courtesy of Fiorello Cafe’s Facebook. <\/p>\n
Sheldon (Shelly) Fireman, a prolific New York City restaurateur, sculptor and designer, died Thursday at age 93.<\/p>\n
Through his Fireman Hospitality Group, he operated a number of longstanding restaurants, including well-known dining destinations such as Fiorello Caf\u00e9 (51 years), Trattoria Dell\u2019Arte (37 years), Brooklyn Diner (30 years) and Redeye Grill (29 years)\u2014all currently open. Into his 90s, he was still launching concepts, including Caf\u00e9 Fiorello DC, Paris Bar and Le Jardin. His restaurants were large and widely appealing, located in high-traffic neighborhoods like Lincoln Center, the Broadway Theater District and Carnegie Hall.<\/p>\n
Fireman opened his first restaurant, The Hip Bagel, in 1963 in New York\u2019s Greenwich Village. He went on to design restaurants in collaboration with famous artists including Peter Max, Milton Glaser and Red Grooms. Trattoria Dell\u2019Arte is known as much for Glaser\u2019s giant nose and lips sculptures on the wall as for its antipasto bar, craveable house-made pastas and warm cookies.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of team members are employed annually by the Fireman Hospitality Group and the restaurateur himself is known as a loyal, family-oriented boss. Nearly every GM had been with him for over 20 years. He had also maintained decades-long relationships with local vendors.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Fireman Hospitality Group will carry on the restaurateur\u2019s legacy and continue operating the restaurants. Paris Bar in New York\u2019s Meridian Hotel opened just this year.<\/p>\n
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