He’s raising the age of retirement.
When New York City restaurateur Stratis Morfogen was hiring for his new Gramercy restaurant Diner 24, he didn’t look to hot young pastry chefs with culinary school diplomas.
Instead, he asked friends at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St. Paul in West Hempstead, Long Island, near where he grew up, if any of its older members would want to make some extra dough whipping up traditional baked goods. He drew inspiration from his own mother, who would volunteer every June and July at Greek festivals making pastries.
“I said, ‘lets find those ladies – we call them the church ladies,’” Morfogen told The Post. “They really know how to do the old Greek pastries.”
He quickly found the women he was looking for.
“The interviews were hilarious,” he said. “The youngest one was 79 – I said, ‘That’s what we want!’”
His first hire was Dinah, a 79-year-old Queens grandmother-to-six. She plans to work up to four days a week using her own family recipes.
“I love to cook and help others,” Dinah told The Post as she sprinkled cinnamon across a tray of baklava — the layered dessert made with filo pastry, chopped nuts, and honey — fresh from the oven.
The yia yia – Greek for grandma or granny — declined to give her last name for privacy reasons, but she’s excited to be back on the job.
“I didn’t expect to go back to work after retiring, but I love the passion of what Diner 24 is about – so I said, ‘okay,’” said the veteran baker, who previously worked in Greek restaurants around the city for decades.
Diner 24’s menu features traditional treats beyond baklava. Specialties include galaktoboureko croquettes – crispy filo dough with honey, milk cream and syrup — and diples — thin sheets of dough folded, fried and drizzled with honey, cinnamon and ground walnuts.
Anna, an 86-year-old Queens woman who was also hired by Morfogen, is thrilled to be a part of it all.
“Having this opportunity to continue to do what I love at my age is very special,” said Anna, who also declined to give her last name.
Diner 24 took over the Lyric Diner space on Third Avenue and East 22nd Street. That beloved spot closed after 31 years in 2016 when owner George Kalogerakos decided to retire.
Locals are happy to have a greasy spoon back in the neighborhood.
“[It’s] an absolute gem to me and my family,” Ronnie Schultz, a 68-year-old retired web developer who lives in Gramercy, told The Post. “I personally love the baklava and galaktoboureko — five stars. So delicious.”
Morfogen, a native New Yorker and author who also manages Brooklyn Chophouse, grew up running diners, including Gotham City Diner and Hilltop Diner, with his father.
He’s excited that his new spot is open around the clock.
“After so many 24-hour diners closed during COVID, we are bringing back a New York City institution,” he said proudly.
But the sweetest part is serving the community and seniors.
“We’re giving them a paid job and they feel great going into work,” Morfogen said.
