|
WIN AN EVENING AT THE
LEGENDARY ITALIAN RESTAURANT RAO'S
Owners Conduct Cookbook Signing at Stew Leonard's Plus Drawing for Dinner for Two |
 NORWALK,
Conn., October 1, 2002 - Cousins Frank Pellegrino and Ron Straci, current
owners of Rao's, one of the most sought-after restaurants in all of Manhattan,
are paying a special visit to Stew Leonard's Norwalk store on Saturday,
October 12 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to autograph copies of their
best-selling cookbook, sample their specialty collection of gourmet sauces
and pastas, and offer a chance to win a coveted "Evening at Rao's"
- a dinner for two at their 106-year-old restaurant located in what
was once a legendary New York Italian neighborhood in East Harlem. |
| Rao's has a mere 10 tables, and they are
eternally booked months in advance by regulars and celebrity clientele who
go to enjoy what The New York Times calls its "exquisitely simple Italian
cooking" from traditional recipes, many as old as Rao's itself. |
 "I
earned the nickname 'Frankie No' because I had to constantly turn people
away who wanted to eat at Rao's. This isn't my nature, so I had an idea
to bring Rao's homemade southern Italian cooking to the people," said
Frank Pellegrino, founder and CEO of Rao's Specialty Foods, Inc. and also
currently playing a role on HBO's popular series, the Soprano's, as an FBI
agent. "You still may not be able to get a table at Rao's, but now
with our cookbook and line of Rao's Specialty Foods sauces, pastas, dressings
and marinades, you can prepare the best Italian home-style food in the world
in your own kitchen." |
| Florence Fabricant of the New York Times
called the Rao's Cookbook (Random House, Inc., 1998) a "bible of Italian
restaurant classics." The cookbook brings the rich history of this
family-owned restaurant alive on the pages, featuring a collection of Rao's
fabulous classic Neapolitan dishes, combined with photographs that recreate
Rao's magic and testimonials from its legion of loyal fans, including Woody
Allen and Beverly Sills. |
| As a special offer to Stew Leonard's
customers, Rao's Cookbook will be on sale for $29.99 (estimated retail value,
$40.00.) From 11:00 A.M. until 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, October 12, Frank
Pellegrino and Ron Straci will be at Stew Leonard's Norwalk store to personally
autograph their cookbook, offer tips for quick and simple recipes customers
can make at home, and to sample their pasta and sauces, also on sale at
Stew's for a special price. In addition, Stew Leonard's will conduct a drawing
for a coveted "Evening At Rao's" for two, open to all customers
who enter during their promotional appearance. The contest for the dinner
for two at Rao's is open to all customers who visit the Norwalk store on
Saturday, October 12 to fill out an entry form. No purchase is necessary.
The winner will be chosen by a random drawing to be held on October 12
at 2:00 P.M immediately following the book signing. |
| "Rao's and Stew Leonard's are very
similar in that we share the same philosophy. As family owned and operated
businesses, the quality of time you spend at our restaurant or their store,
is as important as the quality of our food," said Frank Pellegrino.
"We care about our customers, and they understand that the second they
walk through our doors." |
| Rao's Homemade Pastas, Sauces and other
products are available at supermarkets, specialty food stores, leading retailers
nationwide, and on-line at www.raos.com. The site also offers suggested
recipes and uses. Distinctly Rao's…Bringing the Extraordinary Home™*. |
| Stew Leonard's was dubbed the "Disneyland
of Dairy Stores" by the New York Times, because of its own milk processing
plant, costumed characters, scheduled entertainment, petting zoo and animatronics
throughout the stores. The company has received worldwide acclaim for excellence
in customer service and quality and is featured in two of management expert
Tom Peter's books: A Passion for Excellence and Thriving on Chaos. In 1992,
Stew Leonard's earned an entry into The Guinness Book of World Records for
having "the greatest sales per unit area of any single food store in
the United States." Unlike traditional grocery stores that sell an
average 30,000 items, each Stew Leonard's store carries only 2,000 items,
chosen specifically for their freshness, quality and value. |
| *Rao's, Rao's Homemade, and Bringing the
Extraordinary Home are registered trademarks of Rao's Specialty Foods, Inc. |
