President Biden and the First Lady's visit to New York's Sistina restaurant required meticulous organization and the utmost attention from the Secret Service. Chronicle the entire evening, from chef Giuseppe Bruno's dishes to “Operation Security.”
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After his speech at the United Nations General Assembly, U.S. President Joe Biden, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, chose to spend a relaxing evening at one of New York 's most iconic restaurants, Sistina, located in the heart of the Upper East Side. Chef and owner, Giuseppe Bruno, enthusiastically welcomed his distinguished guests, who had the opportunity to taste authentic Italian cuisine, a benchmark for gastronomy in the Big Apple for over 40 years.
For President Biden it was the first visit to the restaurant, while the First Lady had already dined at Sistina last May, being particularly impressed by the spaghetti with tomato sauce prepared by Bruno (called the best in New York by the great chef Danier Humm, as we told you here). It was at Jill's suggestion that the President decided to taste this iconic dish, known for its simplicity and high quality ingredients. Bruno selects a unique combination of five varieties of tomatoes from the Vesuvian area, creating a thick and fragrant sauce that, together with Gragnano pasta and top-quality extra virgin olive oil, offers an authentic gastronomic experience.
The dinner was not only a moment of high gastronomy, but also a significant security and prestige event for the restaurant. The visit of President Biden and the First Lady required meticulous organization and the utmost attention from the Secret Service. Prior to the arrival of the presidential family, the restaurant and the surrounding area underwent a thorough inspection by cordoning off all spaces around the building, with the use of bomb-sniffing dogs and drones. The current context, characterized by a tense historical-political period and the ongoing United Nations General Assembly, further elevated vigilance levels. Despite the fact that the security level was extremely high, the Secret Service decided not to close the entire restaurant, thus allowing regular customers to continue to enjoy the dishes at Sistina, which has always been a destination for guests of global significance.
When the President and the First Lady entered, they did so through a secondary access, complying with security procedures. Once seated at the reserved table, the focus shifted to the Sistine kitchen, where Chef Giuseppe Bruno and his brigade were already hard at work preparing a dinner specially designed for the 46th president of the United States. Throughout the entire experience, two members of the Secret Service were present in the kitchen to ensure the safety of the dishes before they were served. The dinner featured a relaxed atmosphere with simple, wholesome dishes. At the conclusion of the evening, President Biden chose to enjoy one of the world's most beloved desserts, ice cream, opting for a classic combination of chocolate and vanilla, which he particularly enjoyed.
Chef Giuseppe Bruno said that having the opportunity to host the President of the United States was a great honor, adding to the long list of prominent personalities who have crossed the threshold of his restaurant. Among them, former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama are also regular customers: Clinton particularly appreciates the seasonal risottos, while Obama never passes up Chef Bruno's lasagna.
After about three hours, during which they were able to savor not only authentic Italian cuisine, but also to share convivial and light-hearted moments in an always hectic life, the President said goodbye to Chef Bruno and all his staff. Upon departure, the First Lady approached the chef, confirming that she had kept her promise made last May to bring her husband to taste the restaurant's dishes. In a gesture of friendliness, the President also promised to return to Sistina soon during her future trips to New York City, leaving an echo of enthusiasm and gratitude among the staff and diners in attendance.
