Normally we wait until a person dies to write their eulogy. I am going to write one for Gino while he is still walking around, as far as I know.

I worked for Gino at the ages of 20 and 21. He was unschooled but he knew how to run an Italian restaurant. Any fool could make a pizza. which I did and which any child could do. (His children did; I can still picture his son Joey up on a stool making pizzas which were served to unwitting customers). The recipes for lasagna and pizza sauce were his own alone, hidden even from his wife. It took a much sharper mind to run a place and make it a success. Gino's was a local institution for 50 years until he decided I'm closing down, I can't do this every day. He was there to prepare for opening at 5 a.m. for literally decades.

On Sundays I was there to do the prep work at 9 a.m. It wasn't always an easy task after Saturday night in Mad Town. I took my lesson from Gino: you do your work.

Although I have worked for many good companies Gino was the best boss I have ever had. He treated all of us with respect. He gave us general direction and training in what he wanted done and then he got out of the way. I can't even begin to describe how perfect he was to work for.