Cook Wins N.Y. Lottery’s Record $100 Million

Short-order cook Johnnie Ely came to work at 4 a.m. just as he always did, but this time it wasn’t to make omelets. It was to tell his boss that he had just hit a $100-million lottery jackpot.

The 66-year-old man from the South Bronx won the New Year’s Eve Millennium Millions, the biggest jackpot in New York history.

“I told him, ‘What are you doing here? Go home,’ ” said Winston Willer, manager of The Java Shop in Manhattan.

Ely opted for a lump-sum payment of $44 million. After taxes, he will get about $27 million.

“It’s cool, real cool to be able to do all the things you’ve always dreamed about doing,” said Ely, who was introduced as the winner Friday. “But it’s the kind of thing that now that you’ve got it, you freeze.”

He said he planned to take care of his extended family, including helping several nieces and nephews through college, but beyond quitting his job, he had no plans.