Le Virtù is dedicated to the people of Abruzzo and to the diaspora from the region and the rest of southern Italy that settled our South Philadelphia neighborhood. And its existence and operation are owed to immigrants, and not just those from Italia.

Alfonso Cretarola holding Francis Cratil Cretarola

There were three boys from the town of Castiglione Messer Raimondo, Abruzzo on the S.S. Cretic when it reached shore. They shared $17 between them, according to the ship records. In Boston, they went their separate ways. Alfonso moved to Pennsylvania's anthracite coal country, mined for a short time (he didn't like it), and then found day work doing physical labor. Attitudes about Italians at the time barred many possibilities for him. So, he changed his name to Francis Cratil. I'm named after him. Eventually he settled in the Italian quarter of Reading, PA and went to work for Firestone.

The Immigration Restriction Act of 1921 severely limited the number of southern and eastern Europeans who would be admitted to the U.S. The 1924 act doubled down on this (and outright banned the immigration of most Arabs and Asians). Italians were seen as un-American in their religious traditions, and believed by some to have a tendency toward criminality and connections to anarchist terrorism. Italian immigration fell from an average of 200,000 per year to a maximum of 3,845. By contrast, the quota for Germans was 57,000.

May Chen, Cathy's mother

May had been sent to the U.S. after Mao toppled Chiang-Kai Shek's government. The family had been forced to relocate to Taiwan. Members of her family had played a role in the war against Japan, working with General "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell, and Claire Chennault, the leader of the Flying Tigers. May was a quick study and worked her way up in stock trading in New York City. She and Cathy would live in Queens before relocating to New Jersey.

Le Virtù was inspired by Alfonso, who lived in my home when I was a child. May was our only other investor, and we owe her Le Virtù's existence and survival, particularly through the rough times of the 2008 economic crash. When we are down, she picks us back up. So, our restaurant was inspired by one immigrant and made possible by another.

Chef Cicala with kitchen and front-of-house staff from Puebla, Mexico

Like many US restaurants, Le Virtù operates on a daily basis thanks to the dedication and hard work of immigrants. Most of these are from Puebla, Mexico. Chef Cicala's entire kitchen staff is comprised of amazing cooks from Puebla, which has a tradition for producing them. When Joe is not in the kitchen, Poli Sanchez, who arrived in the US in his teens, helms the staff and seamlessly creates the specialties of my grandfather's region. Poli has been with us since 2010. We played a small role in helping him earn his green card. Our front- and back-of-house crew has included immigrants from Mexico, Nicaragua, Canada, and Italy. Many have been with us for the better part of a decade. They have treated Le Virtù with care and love, and have become family.

If Alfonso was to arrive in the US today, he would be denied entry. Period. This is true for the overwhelming majority of Italian-Americans who came during the period of mass immigration. When we talk of their and other nationalities' "legal" immigration, we are talking about a period before stringent restrictions existed, before 1924. If they wanted to get here today, they'd have to come illegally. And, facing the same deprivation and lack of opportunity, we all know they would.

And in fact, many did, finding their way in from Cuba, Canada, and Mexico. European undocumented immigrants benefited from amnesties. The Registry Act allowed 200,000 of them to legalize their status between 1925-1965.

Let's talk about the elephants in the kitchen and dining room. Over 20% of cooks working in the US are undocumented immigrants. A large portion of front-of-house staffs are in the same situation (overall, they comprise about 10% all restaurant employees). Many of them have been working and living in the US, raising children born here, and have no way forward to become legal. They pay taxes, often work several jobs, and do everything asked of them. This industry (and several others) wouldn't survive without them. But we're not supposed to talk about it.

Cristina Martinez and Ben Miller, the owners and operators of the acclaimed South Philly Barbacoa (#6 on Bon Appetit's " America's Best New Restaurants 2016"), do talk about it, and we believe courageously. Cristina is, herself, an undocumented immigrant. In 2009, she made the harrowing journey from Mexico across the desert to the US. She crossed over to provide for her family, especially her daughter who is attending nursing school in Mexico. Since her arrival, she has never stopped working. She and Ben met while working in the kitchen of a prominent Philadelphia restaurateur. They married shortly after. They began their enterprise, making the delicious street food of Cristina's home, in their apartment. That progressed to a food cart, located near their S. 8th Street home, and then to their current S. 11th Street bricks-and-mortar location. Because Cristina was caught trying to cross in 2006, she is ineligible for a green card despite her marriage to Miller, who is originally from Easton, PA. To qualify for a green card, she'd have to return to Mexico and wait ten years. Many like her are in similar situations, contributing to our economy, not only working and starting businesses, but also trapped in a limbo.

Cristina and Ben started the drumbeat to create a path forward for immigrants in this situation. They have helped create PAUWR (Popular Alliance for Undocumented Workers' Rights). The organization advocates for legislation to establish legal status for these workers and attempts to educate the public about the unsustainability of the current situation. We've been asked to help them raise funds for a national push for this change. Reform of this type is supported by organizations as diverse as Sanctuary Restaurants, of which we are members, and the National Restaurant Association. If you've dined out in almost any American city or town, there's a very good chance that, somewhere along the line, an undocumented immigrant played a role in your meal. It's time we talk about that.

On Wednesday, March 15th, we are holding a fundraiser called  "Sanctuary Supper," in support of PAUWR, which will highlight the diversity of our own kitchen. Chef Joe Cicala and Sous Chef Poli Sanchez will create a menu of Southern Italian and Mexican specialties. Each of the four courses will include an Italian and an Mexican component, one by Joe and one by Poli. The menu of four courses with wine pairings will cost $120 per person (excluding taxes and gratuity), with all profits going to PAUWR. Information about PAUWR will be made available, and hopefully a constructive conversation can begin.

Time: 6:30 pm

$120/person (excluding tax and gratuity) 

Please call 215.271.5626 for reservations.

Le Virtu

1927 E. Passyunk Ave.

Philadelphia, PA 19148

www.levirtu.com