For this chef, return to the old sod is Yonkersâ€™ gain

CÃ©ad mÃle fÃ¡ilte, for those who aren”™t familiar with the Irish greeting, means “a hundred thousand welcomes.”

And that”™s just what Peter X. Kelly is getting from the city of Yonkers.

The noted restaurateur and chef was greeted with smiles and handshakes all around on a recent Friday night, as hundreds of business people, politicians, friends, family, media types and a certain witty actor/comedian turned out to congratulate the Yonkers native on his newest creation ”“ X2O Xaviars on the Hudson, situated on the city”™s pier.

Of course, the chance to sample some of Kelly”™s famous fare ”“ he is the newly crowned “Iron Chef,” after all ”“ certainly added to the allure. In fact, guests at the invitation-only event were so eager for a taste that despite the dozens of trays circulating the three rooms this editor didn”™t even get a nibble. No worries, between chats with the mayor, some former colleagues from another newspaper, the man himself and Bill Murray ”“ yes, that Bill Murray, check out Fly, page 59 ”“ there was little time for such indulgences. Besides, Christopher, my guest, kept the chardonnay flowing.

The evening was part of a two-night event to herald the arrival the 13,000-square-foot X20 restaurant, which is scheduled to open officially June 12. Guests were asked to make a donation to either The Saunders School Culinary Arts Program or to Saint Joseph”™s Medical Center in Yonkers toward a pediatric unit.

In a telephone interview last week, Kelly, who was born in Yonkers and lived here until he was 6, waxed thankful toward his hometown: “It transcends Xaviars. It transcends Peter Kelly. It was about Yonkers. The support from the community at large is just overwhelming.”

Kelly figured some 400 people attended the event and double that amount arrived the following day. A “considerable amount of money” was raised for both organizations, he said.

Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone and U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey attended to congratulate Kelly.

A raspy rendition of “Hello Dolly” praised Kelly: “You”™re looking swell, Peter ”¦ It”™s so nice to have you back where you belong.”

The crowd agreed, judging by the applause that erupted.

Earlier in the evening, I spoke with the mayor about the city”™s resurgence. The opening of X2O comes as a number of developments are planned or under way here, including the $3 billion project by Struever Fidelco Cappelli L.L.C. to transform the downtown, a recently reopened Yonkers Raceway with video-gaming machines and the $105 million renovation of Cross County Shopping Center. Amicone said he was thrilled with all the activity. I also asked if he”™d chatted with Bill Murray, whom I spied near the large windows that overlook the Hudson. He did, and suggested I go over and say hello.

“The Westchester County Business Journal?” Murray said as I introduced myself. “Well ”¦ now that sounds legitimate.”

It turns out Murray, who was the evening”™s honorary host, is a longtime friend of Kelly”™s and patron of his other restaurants in Rockland County, where the actor lives.

We also chatted with a Yonkers police officer, who told us he used to hang out on the pier as a kid. Comments were passed about large rats that once roamed the formerly dilapidated area.

We all agreed the transformation is astounding; I, too, grew up in Yonkers.

I joked that we were considering taking the new ferry down to Manhattan that night and then grabbing the train back, figuring it would be faster than waiting for the valet, considering the number of guests.

“Now that”™s a good line for an opening,” Murray replied. (Full disclosure: The valet brought out our car in five minutes.)

Back to Yonkers. Kelly was born here, near Palisades Avenue. His family moved in 1965, when he was 6. So, as he points out, he has been working to bring X2O to this city longer than he actually lived here. He credits a long list of supporters.

“When I started this project my hope was, could this restaurant help impact the community? And I think these two events show that,” he said last week. “People want to support it. The city has turned the corner. There”™s vibrancy down here.

“This was once an area dominated by factories and mills ”¦ obscured, there was no waterfront. That”™s all changing.”

Indeed.

“My hope was to create a landmark restaurant and I think we will achieve that. It”™s going to take time, but that”™s my goal. I look at this (city) as the gateway to the Hudson Valley. This is where the Hudson Valley starts. My reputation was built in the Hudson Valley. This is a piece I”™ve waited for, for a long time.”

And, it seems, so have the people.

“I don”™t think anyone could ask for a better homecoming. I have never experienced anything as dramatic. People from Yonkers ”¦ are saying they”™ve been waiting for this for years.”

Kelly lives in Rockland with his wife, Rica, and their son, Dylan, 10. He traces his family”™s roots to Blackrock, County Cork. A long way from Yonkers, where we hope the wind is always at his back.

Welcome home, Mr. Kelly.