Frenchy's restaurateur catered to stars
Ermond "Mondi" Mazzoleni, who ran the kitchen and later the dining room at the legendary Frenchy's restaurant in the shadow of Heinz Hall, seemed destined for a life of food.
His mother, Amata, staved off her labor pains until she had served lunch to 80 patrons and "he was literally born in the kitchen," said his brother John Mazzoleni, 59, of McCandless.
Ermond "Mondi" Mazzoleni, of Mt. Lebanon, died Saturday, Aug. 12, 2006. He was 73.
Frenchy's, which closed three years ago, was home to generations of Pittsburgh retailers and politicians, world-renowned entertainers and stars in the making. It was the passion of the Mazzoleni family, and Ermond Mazzoleni in particular.
Roy Mazzoleni, 45, of Ross, said his uncle was at the restaurant in the 100 block of Sixth Street "every day and every night." He ran the kitchen with Swiss watch precision and later oversaw the dining room, making everyone feel like family.
Ermond Mazzoleni was born in 1933 in Perpignon, France, to Italian parents. The Mazzolenis sailed to the United States aboard the Queen Mary after World War II. Ermond and brother Remo, or Raymond, came in 1949 with their father, Pasquale; Amata and John came the next year.
The family settled in Pittsburgh, and Ermond, Raymond and Amata wasted little time getting into the restaurant business. Ermond cooked at Naples and Sorrentos restaurants Downtown. He later worked at Hotel Pierre in New York City while serving stateside in the Army's 101st Airborne Division during the Korean War.
When he returned to Pittsburgh, Mr. Mazzoleni became a sous chef at the Duquesne Club under Abel Bomberault and later was named executive chef at the Pittsburgh Playhouse in Oakland.
In 1958, the Mazzolenis bought Frenchy's -- an East Liberty restaurant that, despite its name, served Italian food. Neither changed under the new ownership.
A neighborhood redevelopment project claimed the original Penn Avenue location, and a fire closed the second. In 1964, Frenchy's moved the restaurant to Sixth Street, a half block from the Penn Theater, which later was renovated and expanded to become Heinz Hall.
The Frenchy's menu included lobster and Italian classics, as well as offerings on the unusual side: kangaroo soup and broiled whale steaks.
Frenchy's legend quickly grew, as much by its location as reputation, John Mazzoleni said.
"I don't think there was an opera star who came into the city who didn't eat at Frenchy's at least twice," he said.
Luciano Pavarotti was there in his early days. So were Roberta Peters and Anna Moffo.
There was jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald and stage actress Pearl Bailey, as well as professional wrestlers George "The Animal" Steele and "Captain" Lou Albano.
And Mr. Mazzoleni served them all, even catering for Leonard Nimoy of "Star Trek" fame and hard rocker Alice Cooper.
"Everybody knew him in the city," said Roy Mazzoleni, who worked in the family restaurant before opening Remo's Catering with his brother Roland. "And any entertainer who came to Pittsburgh went to Frenchy's."
Mr. Mazzoleni is survived by his wife, Ida Summaria Mazzoleni; three daughters, Rose Lepore, Michele Trant and Sherry Despres; a brother, John Mazzoleni; and seven grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a brother, Raymond Mazzoleni.
The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today and Tuesday at 2828 Washington Road, McMurray. Funeral Mass will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Bernard Church, Mt. Lebanon. Beinhauers is in charge of funeral arrangements.
The family asks that memorials be in the form of contributions to the American Diabetes Association, Pittsburgh office, 300 Penn Center Blvd., Suite 602, Pittsburgh, PA 15235 or the American Heart Association, 777 Penn Center Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15235.
