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Sirio Maccioni, a Tuscan chef who revolutionized the New York City dining scene with his French-inspired food, has been named the James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree for 2014.
Maccioni, owner of the legendary Le Cirque restaurant, has been part of the NYC restaurant scene for 50 years, during which time he helped launch the career of many famous chefs including Daniel Boulud.
The chef will be honored at this year’s James Beard Foundation Awards on May 5th at New York's Lincoln Center. Furthermore, Maccioni will also be lauded at a VIP event following the awards ceremony. Food will be prepared by the chefs who run his three New York City restaurants – Le Cirque, Circo, and Sirio Ristorante at The Pierre, according to a press release.
"The annual honor is bestowed upon a person in the industry whose lifetime body of work has had a positive and long-lasting impact on the way we eat, cook, and think about food in America," the Beard Foundation announced.
Back in 1995, Le Cirque received the James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Restaurant Award. His restaurant clientele has included high-profile celebrities like Sophia Loren (seen pictured above, right, with a younger Maccioni, center).
