Zagat Buzz - New York City Edition - May 2007

Worth the Wait
By Sarah Halberstadt

In honor of National Waiters and Waitresses Day, ZAGAT.com catches up with 21 Club's Eddie Cordero

In honor of that overlooked holiday, we decided to check in with someone who's been working in the profession since Gerald Ford was President, Apple Computer Company had just been formed and the Ramones were releasing their first album. Meet Eddie Cordero, now in his 31st year as a waiter at Manhattan's fabled 21 Club. 

After coming to the U.S. from Chile in 1976, Cordero heard through a friend of an opening for busboys at the former speakeasy, and though he had no prior restaurant experience, he decided to try it out. A natural, he was promoted to waiter his first year, and has since been promoted to captain, the highest rank for a server there. We asked Cordero to tell us about the job, how it's changed and what's kept him going.

ZS: What has kept you at the 21 Club for so long?

EC: One good thing is that the 21 Club has a union. I have been married for 28 years, and it gives you the extra security you need when you have a family. When a restaurant closes, the first people to suffer are the employees, but that won't happen at a place with a union. But that's only part of it. The rest is 21. It's the place itself. It's the people who run it: they're experts and have been around for many years. You can do what you're supposed to do in a professional way, and know that everyone else will too. It's been a good ride.

ZS: What's the best part of the job?

EC: The people and, of course, the money.

ZS: The worst?

EC: The hours. I leave the house at 9:30 or 10 in the morning and I know I won't be back until 12:30 or 1 AM. It's something you get used to. Talking to other waiters, you hear them say that they haven't seen their kids grow up and I agree with them 100 percent. I have two daughters, who are 24 and 16. The older one, she finished high school and college and now she's getting married. In the meantime, I'm saying, "How the hell did it happen so fast?" So that's the bad part of the business, but again, no regrets. I'm not a millionaire but I can support my family. If you ask me if I've ever seen Seinfeld, or any of those shows that are on at 8 o'clock, I've never seen them, but I don't care.

ZS: Do you have any regulars who have been there longer than you?

EC: We have regulars that have been coming for over 40 or 50 years. When a regular dies, their family keeps coming. I remember Donald Trump when he was young coming in with his father, and he's still coming here. Richard Nixon's grandson still sits at the table his grandfather used to sit at. Years ago, you could keep your own wine collection in the private cellar. And he is still drinking from President Nixon's private stock of wine.

ZS: Who is the most memorable celebrity you have served over the years?

EC: I would say King Carlos and Queen Sophia from Spain. More recently Bill Gates. I used to keep a list of names. Liza Minnelli, Julia Roberts, Elton John. I met Paul McCartney when I worked in the main dining room. What I remember is, jeans are not permitted, and Paul came in with jeans and a T-shirt. No tie. But I guess, it's Paul McCartney.

ZS: What is the most outrageous request a customer has ever made of you?

EC: Once years ago, someone asked me for a hot dog and I said, "You gotta be kidding me? Why don't you just go around the corner and get one for a buck?"

ZS: Did you do it?

EC: Yeah, we got him one. I don't know how much he ended up paying for the hot dog we got him, but I'll tell you it wasn't a buck.

ZS: How has the clientele changed? Are people ruder than they used to be?

EC: No, but they are demanding, they expect a lot. They expect more than a lot. They expect the best. They see that George Clooney eats here and they want to be treated like George Clooney. And they should be.

ZS: What about the menu? Have you seen food trends come and go?

EC: Each chef tries out new things. Mike Lomonaco would emphasize the steaks and the chops. Erik Blauberg [introduced] more seafood: fish, crabmeat, lobster. Overall, things are prepared in a more health-conscious way. People are reading labels at home and they want to know what's in their food when they eat out.

ZS: Is there anything that hasn't changed at all?

EC: The atmosphere is always gonna be the same. You're eating in a room that is not luxurious, with toys hanging off the ceiling, and it's loud. But it's always been loud. 21 has been through major renovations over the years, but the barroom hasn't changed and I hope it doesn't.

ZS: Any plans to retire?

EC: A lot of people retire and then keep working at 21 part-time. But my wife is going to say, "That's enough." I'm going to be 52 soon. I've got 13 years to go. 21 Club might be around forever, but I won't be.