M'tucci's Patriarch: Jeff Spiegel
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Jeff Spiegel
Long-time community member and M’tucci’s Founder Jeff Spiegel passed away February 20th, surrounded by his family, after a six-year battle with leukemia. At the time of his diagnosis, he was told he had six months. He loved red chile, and swore it helped keep him alive. His fighting spirit that kept him alive six more years is the same spirit he brought to every venture. He brought that passion to everything he did, from raising a family to founding M’tucci’s Restaurants, to building sustainable homes with his son-in-law, to donating to the causes he cared about. Jeff’s joie de vie was contagious. He put people first. He really cared, invested in and celebrated the people he cared about. He did not care about your status, but your character. He was known for easily crying with joy, pride and gratitude.
Jeff was a visionary who loved to formulate ideas and bring them to fruition. Nothing made him happier than helping people cultivate their strengths and step into their potential. It’s what he did over and over with M’tucci’s Restaurants and every venture he touched. His restaurants are a reflection of his care and character. M’tucci’s creates lots of space for growth and upward mobility, provides healthcare, has a four-day work week and an educational program for employees’ children. He wanted people to feel like they were coming home when they came to the restaurants. He deeply valued creating spaces where people could connect. He believed that we could set our differences aside and find common ground over good food and a warm environment. He created this in his home as well.
In total, Jeff owned and operated 16 restaurants in New York and New Mexico during his 42-year career. Prior to the restaurant industry, he was a Peace Corps volunteer and lived deep in the jungles of Peru. He loved New Mexico where he was born and raised, and returned after 30 years in New York to live the last 16 years of his life.
In the six years of successfully fighting leukemia, he traveled the world with his wife Katie, made new friends, opened two restaurants and a speakeasy, co-founded Spiegel Kinsley Construction, went to two of his kids’ weddings, met his granddaughter, and saw his other child get engaged.
Jeff is survived by his wife Katie Gardner, children Ben Spiegel, Jesse Spiegel and Suzanne Spiegel, son-in-law Evan Kinsley and daughter-in-laws Megan Powell and Laurie Bludman, his brother Arthur Spiegel, as well as countless friends.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the M’tutoring program, his final visionary project to offer tutoring to any of the children of our 350 employees, who need extra help to succeed in school, via the APS Foundation by clicking on the button:
Or make out a check to the APS Education Foundation and specify it is for the M’tutoring Program.
- by Joanie Griffen, Sunny 505
"Jeff was the greatest business partner, mentor, leader, and close friend you’d ever want. You could live a whole life and not meet another person who believed in people more than Jeff did. The lessons and values he passed on have forever changed who I am. He truly made a lifelong impact on so many around him. The gratitude I have for what we created and the family that has resulted from it can never really be put into words. Love You El Jefe!” - Company President John Haas
“The thing about Jeff is that everyone knew he was the hardest-working, most committed person on the planet. For me the thing that stood out most when I first met him, is the person that everyone saw in public, was the same person behind closed doors in a business meeting. I've met plenty of people that can put on a face for the public and then as soon as it's down to business they change. Jeff was always Jeff, we could be talking about opening a restaurant, about closing them down due to a pandemic, or seeing him at his daughters wedding. He was always the same person that loved life, menudo, people and helping people become the best version of themselves. I will forever be indebted for the lessons he taught.” - Company Chef Shawn Cronin
“People never forgot Jeff, and it wasn’t because he was some nice guy who came up to their table. He told me on numerous occasions that in the end, we weren’t doing this to ingratiate ourselves, we weren’t here to become friends. We were doing this restaurant thing because restaurants were the last bastion of hope for humanity; communal gathering spaces where people came to connect, bond, and get their faces out of their phones.”
“Jeff was an incredible man and mentor. He changed my life when he hired me to work for his company. I was just out of school and I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do in life. I finally decided I would move to Florida and join a graduate program there for hospitality. When Jeff found out he marched up to me, looked me in the eyes and said/shouted "You're not going to graduate school, I can teach you everything you need to know if you just work for me!" After that I was hooked and have learned probably 100 more things than I could have even dreamed of in Florida. His kindness and compassion is something that can never be duplicated, but I think of it everyday. Even now that he has passed, he still motivates me to be a better person and business owner and I will never forget him or the many lessons he taught me. I love you Jeff!!” - Amanda Cronin, Partner/GM M’tucci’s Bar Roma
“Moreover, we were providing jobs, real jobs, real income, for real New Mexicans with real dependents and rent payments and grocery bills and kids that needed to do well enough in school to find their own way into the world, and M’tucci’s could help,” Minister of Culture Howie Kaibel
When I started working with M’tucci’s more than five years ago, Jeff told me he wanted to create a weekly newspaper for our guests to read while in the bar or restaurant. I told him that the logistics of that would be very difficult. He persisted and I said, “What about an online newspaper/newsletter?” La Gazzetta is the result of his vision. I’ll miss his emails praising an issue or correcting my typos or grammar. He inspired me, as he did so many others, and I will miss him dearly, especially on Fridays. - La Gazzetta Editor Michael Lewis
We ate, we drank, we laughed and we cried as we remembered Jeff. Sunday, February 25 was proclaimed “Jeff Spiegel Day” by Mayor Tim Keller
Hasta luego, El Jefe! Gracias por todos!
Enjoy this video by Jeff’s close friend, Bob Belinoff.
Pairing Dinner at M’tucci’s Moderno
Weekend Specials
M’tucci’s Italian
Ravioli - Blackberry Shrub & Ricotta Filling - M’tucci’s Bacon, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Artichokes, Caramelized Onions, Pecorino, Parsley, Brown Butter Sage Sauce $25
24 oz. T-bone - Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Grilled Lemon, Balsamic Reduction $42
Pan-Seared Grouper - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Grilled Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $35
New Mexico Red Chile Braised Pork Shoulder - Salt Water Potatoes, Red Onions, Kele, Feta, Parsley $25
Weekend Cocktail
Fuego Rita - Mi Campo Tequila, Fresh Lime Juice, Simple Syrup, Muddled Jalapeño & Cucumber, Tajin Rim
M’tucci’s Moderno
14 oz. Ribeye - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Sautéed Broccolini, Italian Salsa Verde $39
Pan-Seared Artic Char - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Broccolini, Roasted Artichoke, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $29
Frutti di Mare - Baby Scallops, Mussels, Clams, Shrimp, Seafood Marinara, House Made Spaghettini $25
Weekend Cocktail
Bring on Spring - Absolut Vanilla Vodka, Fresh Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Grapefruit Soda
M’tucci’s Twenty-Five
Beemster Green Chile Shrimp Alfredo Tortelloni - Red Argentinian Shrimp, Green Chiles, Marinated Tomatoes, Prosciutto, Thyme, Scallions, Beemster Gouda Hatch Chile Alfredo Sauce $27
Pan-Seared Mexican Fluke - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Braised Greens, Artichoke Hearts, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $34
24 oz. T-Bone - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Charred Broccolini, Creamy Horseradish Remoulade $42
Weekend Cocktail
Nectar Carajillo - Licor 43, Pedro Ximenez Nectar Sherry, Espresso, Cinnamon
M’tucci’s Bar Roma
Giardino Verde - Two Seared Rosemary Polenta Cakes, Fried Eggplant with Burrata, Braised Portobello Mushrooms, Grilled Asparagus, Tomato & Black Truffle Ragù, Garnished with Fresh Basil and Shaved Parmesan $21
Pan-Seared Mahi Mahi - Garlic Whipped Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Roasted Artichokes, Capers, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $31
Weekend Cocktail
Mozart’s 1792 Overture - 1972 Small Batch Bourbon, Mozart Chocolate Cream, Honey Simple Syrup, Espresso, Orange Bitters
Live Music for March
M’tucci’s Bar Roma - 6:30pm Wednesday & Noon Sunday
3/3 Shane Wallin
3/6 Shane Wallin
3/10 Jacob Chavez
3/13 Kirk Matthews
3/17 TBD
3/20 Gilbert Uribe
3/24 TBD
3/27 Lani Nash
M’tucci’s Moderno - 6:30 Thursday & 7:30 Friday
3/1 Lani Nash
3/7 Gilbert Uribe
3/8 RJ Perez
3/14 Kirk Matthews
3/15 Cali Shaw
3/21 Oscar Butler
3/22 Alex Maryol
3/28 Shane Wallin
3/29 Grace Marks
M’tucci’s Twenty-Five - 6:30 Thursday & 7:30 Friday
3/1 Matt Jones
3/7 Johnny Lloyd
3/8 Alex Maryol
3/14 Shane Wallin
3/15 TBA
3/21 RJ Perez
3/22 Javier Ortega
3/28 Eryn Bent
3/29 Gilbert Uribe
Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!
