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PAGE C-lSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1990Kathy Lilje, editorWmPatrick Williams of Brady Electric climbs high into the tower to install a light fixture that will shine over a fountain.ear the roar of the crowds at the bocci ball court? Maybe not. It’s still a little early. But they’re coming.In the meantime, the new dining facilities at the Italian American Beneficial Club, are completed and open for business. The kitchens are humming. The staff and service personnel are generating their own electricity as they pass through the lounge on their way to the bar, the kitchen and the dining room. The place is enormous but everybody seems to know where they’re going.Cindy Sidoti, assistant manager of the new IAB Club, is busy, but smiling. She hardly has a minute to spare, but the kinetic energy level is joyfully infectious.It looks like moving day. Having outgrown the old club at 1504 Milan Road, everybody is excited about relocating to the new premises across the street. Construction is still under way in the banquet hall, but you can’t help admiring the lovely details of workmanship and design already in place.“We’re fortunate to have a beautiful club to come to,” said Sidoti, splitting her time between being interviewed and interviewing a job applicant herself. “ It’s very important to those who grew up with Italian families. This is Little Italy... all the Italians lived here.Clubiupdates Italian tieStory by KATHLEEN CANALOS, Staff Writer Photos by ERIC KAISER, Staff PhotographerWe’re happy to keep the club here in Sandusky, and proud to see it stayed in the old neighborhood.”“ We simply outgrew the other facility,” said Mike Kevesdy, former news director for the club. “Our membership had almost doubled, and our activities and community involvement were growing as well.”Tony Guerra, IAB Club president, explained the old situation. “We tried to cook in a little kitchen and serve the membership, but we had to turn people away. There was also a need for banquet facilities,” said Guerra. After fifteen years of talking, active pursuit of a new club building began just three years ago. The end result is a $3 million building that exudes progress and pride.“We ran a small, private club and now we run a large, private club.We’re big business now,” said Guerra.The membership of the club totals nearly 3000. Of those, 800 are Italian-American members and are allowed to vote. The rest are social and auxiliary members. Retaining the flavor of Ital-ian-American culture and sharing that heritage is a big part of the club’s business.“We hope to start men and women’s couples leagues for bocci tournaments, something our social members like to join in, too,” said Kevesdy. The new bocci courts are sheltered and structurally attached to the building, a feature that now permits the serving of food and beverages. Plans are also in the works to build spectator stands.“ In a year or two we hope to have state-wide bocci tournaments,” Kevesdy added, terming the tournaments “huge economic and cultural events.”Another feature of Italian culture that is highlighted at the new IAB Club is the cuisine, with general manager,Ed Esposito, taking most of the responsibilty and credit for that.“The general manager has a lot of new ideas we haven’t seen before as far as quality of food,” said Guerra.“Ed is highly-skilled and qualified and he has brought in equally skilled people,” said Kevesdy. Head cook Christian Slavin, who was recently mentioned in “Club Living” magazine, will prepare sumptuous desserts like ricotta cheese cake and chocolate sam-bucca.The man behind the tasteful and elegant decor of the club is local interior designer Leroy Silvani, who tried to define his approach in terms of a theme.“It’s not the old Italian look. It’s contemporary,” said Silvani. “We wanted to keep it light and airy. No darkened barrooms, no heavy draperies; alllight woods.”Silvani worked with a palette of cool colors — teal green, rose, peach, cream and beige — in his selection of fabrics, fixtures and wallpapers. Oak• See IAB, C-2.Ed EspositoNew managerpromisesspecialtiesEd Esposito has the deep-set eyes and the round face of a barn owl, and the same discerning look.As head man of the new $3 million dollar Italian American Beneficial Club, he has 45,000 square feet of ‘barnyard’ to keep his eyes trained on. Field mice don’t seem to be a problem here (too much granite and plush carpeting), but whatever does happen to skitter into sight as an obstacle surely won’t escape his sharp gaze.Six months ago Esposito was hired general manager of the IAB Club, located at1617 Milan Road, Sandusky. Lured from Garden City,Long Island where he had been executive chef and assistant manager of the Cherry Valley Country Club, Esposito, 56, came to Sandusky to join what he describes as “ the finest facility in the state.”“ I took a pay cut to come here,” said the burly Esposito, but he figures it was worth it to get closer to his Italian heritage. “ I always worked in Jewish and Anglo clubs, 12 to 14 hours a day, but I wanted to socialize. My wife and I enjoy the camaraderie this club has to offer.”Although the real appreciation for food came early on at his Italian grandfather’s table,Esposito got his feet wet as a cook while serving with the U.S. Marines. In 1955, he started college on the G.I. bill and came out with an associate’s degree in food technology. He soon had his own business where he acquired plenty of hands-on experience. Later, he went to work as executive chef at various country clubs in New York and Connecticut,achieving award-winningstatus with his culinary masterpieces.Part of the chef’s resume includes an entry into the Guiness Book of World Records for creating the world’s biggest omelet out of 10,470 eggs. The fundraiser earned $35,000 for a New York children’s hospital.Esposito has developed an Italian cuisine menu at theISee NEW, C-2.
Newspaper Details
Sandusky Sunday Register
Sandusky, Ohio, US
Sun, Sep 30, 1990
Page 21
Full Page
Clipped by
Sandusky P.
OH, USA 19 Jul 2022
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