Neighborhood Eats: Hell's Kitchen restaurants paying it forward to Broadway community
HELL'S KITCHEN, Manhattan (WABC) -- Two restaurants in Hell's Kitchen are trying to pay it forward to their out of work Broadway neighbors.
"We have deep roots in this neighborhood we opened in 2001 with Marseille two months after 9/11, Nizza was October 2007," said Robert Guarino, General Manager of Marseille. "We've really been part of the rebirth of Hell's Kitchen."
Guarino wants to ensure that this neighborhood survives the pandemic.
It's a neighborhood that has close ties to the Broadway community with theaters just blocks away.
"So often we were the appetizer for the main course of the evening which was the performance," Guarino said.
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But those performances are now on hold through May. That's why the two restaurants are offering a unique program to Equity actors.
"Seven nights a week, 9 o'clock until we close, any actor can come open a house account with us and pay when they can, we're even saying if they can," Guarino said.
It's an invitation to eat pasta or pizza at Nizza, or classic French fares like bone marrow or salad nicoise at Marseille.
Knowing that eating at restaurants paying it forward also feels good.
"It's very important to us that Broadway comes back and all the talented actors stay here and we're ready when it returns and we'll all be here together," a patron said.
Nizza and Marseille are both open from Noon-10 p.m. every day.
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