Hero of the Day: Manhattan Restaurateur Feeds Hospital Workers for Free

By Jennifer Gould Keil and Gabrielle Fonrouge

This Manhattan restaurant is helping fight the coronavirus with crispy beef and fried rice.

Brooklyn Chop House is fueling hospital workers on the frontlines of the battle by serving free meals every night to staff at New York Presbyterian’s Lower Manhattan hospital.

“It’s hard for all of us to keep the lights on but while we are still here, and we have our chefs in the kitchen, let’s make the best of it. Let’s do something for the people who are keeping us alive,” said Stratis Morfogen, who runs the Financial District steak and Chinese food eatery alongside co-owners Robert Cummins and David Thomas.

Since last Friday, Morfogen and his team have been bringing 40 dinners to the hospital at 6:30 p.m daily — serving up Beijing chicken, crispy beef, chicken satay, vegetables, beef and broccoli and fried rice.

“I personally walked into the emergency room, it is crazy how tirelessly they are working… nurses are standing up with their eyes closed, resting on a counter for a minute… they are the true heroes,” he said.

And everyone from doctors to janitors gets a plate.

“They are just as important. We can’t forget about them. The people cleaning up after us and cleaning the beds,” Morfogen said.

Head chef Skinny Mei,(left), and Jeffrey Mohamed

Restaurants across the city are enduring unprecedented layoffs and closures as the coronavirus continues its deadly march across the five boroughs, bringing the city that never sleeps to a standstill.

Morfogen said doing the good deed has given his staff a purpose during such a challenging time.

“Everyone down the line, everyone just feels better. It feels great to help and to see that the staff is invigorated, everyone feels better, with smiles on their faces for doing more than just take out and delivery,” Morfogen said.

“Ever since we started with the hospitals you can see a different energy with the staff.” 

Word of the restaurant’s hospital deliveries has been spreading on social media — leading at least 35 other hospitals to reach out to Morfogen for help.

He’s now promised meals to Lenox Hill Hospital, Elmhurst Hospital and the Weill Cornell Medical Center — but is calling on his fellow restaurateurs to jump in and join the effort. 

“From Danny Meyer to the bodega on the corner, everyone should do their share. It’s not just the big guys. It should be the guy who owns a 50 seat cafe, as long as you are open doing take out and delivery. If everyone sent one or two packages a week, it would go a long way,” Morfogen said.

“Let’s feed the emergency medical staff and keep them strong. That’s what hospitality is. It’s no coincidence that hospitality and hospital share the same root.”

Article/Source: https://nypost.com/2020/03/26/hero-of-the-day-manhattan-restaurateur-feeds-hospital-workers-for-free/