This restaurant is dedicated to the memory of my father, Jack Rosen, who was born in 1914 on New York City's Lower East Side. He was the fifth of five sons born to Celia and Harry Rosen, Russian immigrants who came to the United States seeking a better life for themselves and their family. Soon, they opened a small restaurant on the Lower East side, and Jack worked with his four brothers helping to make the restaurant a success.

Dad pursued an education in art and Safety Engineering and in 1932 landed a job at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel as Safety Engineer. during his 30 years at the Waldorf Astoria, Jack's talent for art, combined with his sense of humor and genuine interest in his fellow man, touched tens of thousands of people.

He often sketched caricatures of the numerous celebrities who frequented the Waldorf, many of whom would sign his work in appreciation of his craft and wit. Collecting these historical "snapshots" became an exciting avocation.
See the list of Caricatures and Autographs ->

It was not only the celebrated who were the focus of Jack's attention. throughout his life he volunteered his time to the "52 Association," a veterans organization whose motto, "The wounded shall never be forgotten," challenged him to visit Veterans hospitals throughout the Nation to cheer thousands of wounded veterans with his humorous caricatures. As a result of his work, he was invited to Vietnam during the war where he spent several months doing caricatures of wounded military personnel. Upon his return, he received the Medal of Commendation from President Lyndon Johnson in appreciation for his work there.

Overall, Jack is credited with doing more than 100,000 caricatures, including his signed collection, believed to be the largest in the world. A small fraction of his work has been selected for display in our restaurant to represent both his work and his legacy. We hope that you will recognize in them the extraordinary vitality and the wonderful sense of humor that dominated his life.

- Harris Rosen, President, Rosen Hotels & Resorts