Theo Schoenegger is a talented, Michelin-rated chef, but here’s the ultimate reason he's the perfect person to oversee the kitchen at Sinatra: He cooked for Ol' Blue Eyes himself.

While serving as executive chef of San Domenico, an Italian restaurant on New York’s Central Park South, Schoenegger regularly cooked for Luciano Pavarotti, who resided in the adjacent building. "His guests were always interesting, and among them one night was Sinatra," recalls the chef, who soon found himself preparing Frank's favorites at the legendary singer's own dinner parties.

Fast-forward three decades, and many of those same dishes are incredibly popular at Encore’s Sinatra. "Frank loved the classics of good Italian food — he preferred a good veal Milanese with a little salad on the side, while veal parmigiana and spaghetti with clams were also his go-to dishes," Schoenegger notes. "We prepare them exactly as he liked and balance that with a selection of seasonal Italian cuisine, including fresh pastas and fish."

Finally, don't forget dessert: The Cappello, a dark-chocolate mousse with Jack Daniel's-laced panna cotta, is shaped like Sinatra's famed fedora. "It's a genuine tribute to Frank," Schoenegger adds.