[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5885]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING THE LIFE OF MR. CHARLIE VERGOS

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                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 20, 2010

  Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of 
Mr. Charlie Vergos, founder of the world-famous Rendezvous restaurant 
in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. He was known by Memphians as the dean 
of Memphis barbecuers. The son of Greek immigrants, Charlie Vergos was 
a World War II Army veteran who fought in the European theater. He was 
later transferred to the Philippines in preparation for the planned 
invasion of Japan when the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 
ended the war.
  Charlie Vergos was the definition of an entrepreneur. After returning 
from war, Mr. Vergos married Tasia and opened a tavern and sandwich 
shop in a downtown alley of Memphis in 1948. Mr. Vergos started out by 
selling ham and cheese sandwiches and beer until he discovered a coal 
chute in the basement of his diner. The chute gave him a vent for 
grilling which allowed him to expand from ham and cheese sandwiches to 
ribs. He specialized in dry rubbed ribs, a unique blend of seasonings 
and an acidic base that dries in the cooking process leaving the ribs 
impregnated with seasoning. Charlie Vergos built his business from 
selling about a box of ribs a week to what the Rendezvous cooks now--
about a ton of ribs every day.
  Since Charlie Vergos founded Rendezvous in 1948, the barbecue 
restaurant has served guests such as former Presidents Bill Clinton and 
George W. Bush and former Vice President Al Gore, along with 
entertainers such as Bill Cosby, Justin Timberlake, Kirk Catron, Eric 
Brown, Luke Laird, Travis Morris, Trevor McFarlin and Mick Jagger.
  The Rendezvous was recently designated one of 50 All American Icons 
by Nation's Restaurant News magazine for its entrepreneurial spirit, 
its concept and its impact on the Memphis community. Rendezvous has 
catered events at the American Embassy in Ottawa Canada, meals on Air 
Force One and Air Force Two, President Bill Clinton's inaugural gala in 
1992 and a Fourth of July celebration at the U.S. Embassy in Canberra, 
Australia.
  Charleie Vergos loved Memphis and was a major force in the resurgence 
of downtown Memphis in the decades following the 1968 assassination of 
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He not only refused to relocate to the 
suburbs, but was active in the community through donations and 
sponsorships that increased the beauty and viability of Memphis, TN. 
His son, once my classmate and still my close friend, John Vergos, gave 
up his law practice and political career to join the family business. 
John explained that his father was always grateful to the citizens of 
Memphis who supported the business. The feeling is mutual and, around 
the world, Rendezvous Ribs are inextricably linked to the city of 
Memphis.
  Charlie Vergos passed away on Saturday morning, March 27, 2010, at 
the age of 84. Charlie Vergos' legacy lives on through his wife, two 
sons and their wives, John and Ellen Vergos and Nick and Jenny Vergos, 
his daughter Tina Jennings--co-owners of Rendezvous--his brothers Pete, 
George and Nick Vergos, and eight grandchildren. We are truly honored 
for his dedication to Memphis, Tennessee and his contributions to 
Memphis barbecue.

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