Immigrant son, Arena, gets Tenement Museum honor.

The Lower East Side Tenement Museum's 19th anniversary Gala celebrated immigrant influences on American cuisine--where salsa has replaced ketchup as the number one condiment.

The Tenement honored restaurateur, Phil Suarez, and consultant, Clark Wolf, who have helped shape the culinary landscape of America, and real estate pioneer, David Arena, who has helped shape the physical landscape of metropolitan New York. Ruth Reichl, editor-in-chief of Gourmet Magazine and award-winning writer, was the keynote speaker.

Arena, president of Grubb & Ellis New York, Inc., brings an international business perspective to the real estate industry as investor, corporate real estate professional, and advisor.

Arena accepted the award with great honor, and stated that it had special meaning to him as the child of Italian immigrants. To them, and the millions of people who came to this country over the last two centuries, the Lower East Side Tenement Museum is a symbol of the struggles and triumphs of their time in America.

Phil Suarez, CEO, Suarez Restaurant Group has created numerous acclaimed restaurants, including New York's renowned Spice Market, Jean Georges, Vong, and JoJo.

Clark Wolf, founder and president of Clark Wolf Company, a New York based food and restaurant consulting firm, is founding chair of the Advisory Committee at New York University's Department of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health

Ruth Reichl, editor-in-chief, of Gourmet Magazine, has been honored with four James Beard Awards and numerous awards from the Association of American Food Journalists.

The Lower East Side Tenement Museum's 19th Anniversary Gala Dinner featured a silent auction of food- related items, and raised funds to support The Tenement's programs and services for its 125,000 annual visitors, including 30,000 students.

Located on Manhattan's Lower East Side, an immigrant portal for more than two centuries, The Lower East Side Tenement Museum's historic building at 97 Orchard Street was home to an estimated 7,000 people from more than 20 nations between 1863 and 1935. To date, The Tenement has restored five apartments and interpreted the lives of many of the families who owned, lived and/or kept shop in 97 Orchard Street

The Tenement is currently researching and developing a sixth apartment, scheduled to open in October, 2007, interpreting the lives of a family of Irish immigrants who lived there in the 1860's.

Accredited by the American Association of Museums, The Tenement is a designated historic site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, an affiliated area of the National Park Service and a member of the National Parks of New York Harbor.