No one could put it on better than Prager

Whether it was a power lunch or an intimate dinner date, dining at

Hans Prager’s Ritz was always a memorable and enjoyable occasion.

Not only was the meal superb, but also the ambience and atmosphere

spoke of the elegance and excellence befitting Prager and the

customers he so proudly served.

The proof is evident to anyone who tried getting a table at one of

his restaurants without advanced reservations.

The loss of Hans Prager late last week at the age of 74 is a

difficult blow to Newport-Mesa. The restaurateur, who had a

sometimes-prickly persona, yet was deeply loyal to his friends, made

an indelible mark on the local culinary scene.

A survivor of Nazi Germany, Prager’s dining experience included

stints at the Waldorf Astoria in New York and as manager of the Five

Crowns in Corona del Mar and 21 Oceanfront on the peninsula. His

colleagues in the dining industry marveled at his success, came to

admire his vast culinary talent and study at his side.

“People say, ‘Oh, my son went to Yale,’ and I say, ‘I’ve got you

beat. My sons worked for Hans Prager,’” Ron Salisbury, himself a

well-established restaurateur and longtime friend of the Ritz owner,

told a Daily Pilot reporter.

Besides his fine-dining feats, Prager was known for his

philanthropy. He created the Ritz Brothers Organization, which

friends say helped him pump about $130,000 a year into local

charities.

Prager’s passing is truly the end of an era in Newport Beach

dining. His attention to detail and passion for his work is hard to

replace. Many local restaurateurs continue traditions passed on by

Prager, but the man who put on the Ritz was truly one of a kind.