Sylvia Woods, Owner of Famed Harlem Restaurant Dies, At 86

Harlem is mourning one of its gastronomic greats, Sylvia Woods, owner of the popular soul-food restaurant, "Sylvia's," passed away at her Westchester County, N.Y. home on Thursday, just mere hours before being recognized for her culinary accomplishments by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

"We lost a legend today," Bloomberg told the Daily News. "Generations of family and friends have come together at what became a New York institution."

Woods' cause of death is not yet known, but the 86-year-old was reported to have suffered from Alzheimer's disease.

Woods opened her namesake restaurant with her husband Herbert Woods, on Aug.1, 1962, with the help of her mother, who mortgaged the family farm.

"I know I had to make it or else my mama was gonna lose her farm. So I gave it all that I had to give," The North Carolina native told Nation's Restaurant News.

But with such delectable down home fare such as fried chicken, candied yams, corn bread, collard greens, and a slew of other coma-inducing dishes, that worry soon dissipated. As Sylvia's reputation soared, so did her list of clientele. Notable diners ranged from Roberta Flack, Quincy Jones, Diana Ross, to Muhammad Ali, Bill Clinton, Robert F. Kennedy.

Woods always strived to make her guests feel at home, her special trademark was dotingly placing napkins in her customers' laps, which is perhaps one of the reasons she was dubbed "The Queen of Soul Food."

Even in Woods' absence "Sylvia's" will continue to thrive. The culinary maven retired six years ago, but her brood of talented cooks has been running the business ever since. Woods is survived by four children, 18 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Her husband Herbert died in 2001.