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Tony Fortuna Owner
 No sooner did Tony Fortuna hit New York, than The New York Times’ restaurant critic dubbed him the town’s best maitre d’ - a title he’s held without contest for 12 years.
Acclaimed for his work at Lafayette, Lespinasse, Mad.61 and the Monkey Bar in New York, and at the Hotel Bel Air in Los Angeles, Fortuna is known for his fierce professionalism and easy-going elegance -- a combination that has given every restaurant he’s ever directed high marks for service and the kind of welcoming atmosphere and friendly buzz that makes first-timers feel like regulars.
Indeed, at Lenox Room, opened in 1995 in partnership with longtime friend Charlie Palmer, chef-owner of New York’s Aureole restaurant, and Eddie Bianchini, owner of Hotel Les Muscadins in Mougins, France, Fortuna brings together impeccable service, superb cuisine, comfort and energy.
Tony Fortuna was born in Italy and grew up in Michigan and France. Raised in a restaurant family, he apprenticed in his uncle’s restaurant outside Paris and went on to manage the restaurant in Marly-le-Roi before returning to the States. Fortuna is best known for opening two 4-star restaurants in New York City - Restaurant Lafayette with chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and Lespinasse at the Hotel St. Regis with chef Gray Kunz - but he has worked in large-scale operations as well, most notably as general manager of New York’s landmark Tavern on the Green, and as director of food and beverage at the world-famous Plaza Hotel and the supremely luxurious Hotel Bel-Air.
Considered a valuable resource and mentor to restaurateurs and service professionals across the city, Fortuna lives just blocks from the Lenox Room.
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Edward Bianchini Co-Owner
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