What makes a restaurant an institution? Is it something you can manufacture, or even copy? Meet Manhattan restaurateur Charles Devigne, who has made the bold decision to boost his struggling restaurant’s business by putting up the iconic zebra wallpaper made famous by the recently-closed New York dining institution Gino’s. (Film buffs may recognize the wallpaper from Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums!) But his choice sparks controversy when Gino’s previous owners, staff and loyal regulars, still hurting over the eatery’s closing, catch wind of his intentions. Hear directly from restaurateurs, owners and long-time regulars of Gino’s as they describe what made the place an institution-alongside the reasons for its closure and the gap it left behind. Heartfelt and humorous, The Missing Ingredient searches for the indefinable magic that makes a regular restaurant into a New York staple. Is the proof in the paper?
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