I find it mind blowing that they actually acknowledged the privilege they have that us small minority business owners could only dream of. To be able to call Michelin and ask them to hold off on a review until the chef is ready? This exposes why we still don’t see a black chef with a Michelin star in the states and only two black chefs with stars in UK. Biases? Privilege?
1
@Chef Darryl Burnette This is a weird comment. It's not a race issue, it's the fact that it is Jean Georges Vongerichten, a celebrity chef who has run a 3 michelin star restaurant for decades. you think that if Oprah or Barack called in a favor at Michelin to delay a review for a few days they wouldn't listen to them? I'll bet they would, and they're not even chefs!
Surely Vongerichten benefits from white privilege, but the example you put forth was not an example of it. This is an example of earned privilege.
9
Earned privilege is the perfect term.
3
I was a 20 y.o. bag of nothing in 1985 when I landed a job at the newly opened Swissotel in Boston. I distinctly remember when waiting for an order up at the Le Marquis de Lafayette watching JG in his role as Saucier whip up some Bernaise. He noticed me and was kind enough to answer my questions on technique...all I knew was this kid was some wunderkind who had just arrived from Europe and was talked about with hush whispers normally reserved for sports figures or movie stars.
As a waiter normally used to chefs routinely threatening staff with knives, etc. JG was this calm surrounded by a storm...wonderfully personable without any attitude.
Sound like others had the same experience in their encounters with chef.
P.S. - Shout out to Alain Teillet who at the time was pastry chef and was also kind enough to educate me on the world of patisseries!
95
I am in awe of what JG and his team have built, replicated, maintain and grow. If you haven't been there, done that, you have no idea what is involved.
2
Jean-Georges ought to be ashamed of himself. Paris Café is a disgrace, a horrible experience. Much like The TWA Hotel itself. Note to others thinking of booking a table, don't You've been warned. Choose another restaurant to overspend.
2
James Patterson and the National Book Award? Was that meant to be a joke?
2
Where is there information about the man Vongerichten: his upbringing and family life?
3
@Weimaraner , he seems to be a very grim person judging from his pictures in this article. Not very encouraging for someone who claims that he cares for his customers.
1
Maybe he could tell Trump to not tear children away from their parents at the border.
1
Curious as to the average cost to dine at one of the subject’s “high end restaurants”. Although this paper’s restaurant reviews routinely contain this information, why not include such here? Would it induce sticker shock in your readership?
1
@John Grillo, I think it's simply because this article is not a review, it's an article about JGV's empire.
3
Mr. Vongerichten may know how to create dozens of restaurants but having recently dined at his Paris Cafe at the new TWA Hotel at JFK, he needs to come back down to earth with his pricing. His prices were breathtakingly high. $28 for a cheeseburger and fries, and one that isn't even that great to be honest, is outrageous and I do not care if it is in NYC or at an airport or both. It is just theft from your customers and does not leave a good taste in their mouths.
6
@Thomas I really wish this was theft, but profit margins are super thin in restaurants. The same people (not saying you) who complain about restaurant prices in one breath usual complain about tipping and restaurants not paying their employees a fair wage.
There is one more point here, usually the burger is priced so high on a menu to dissuade people from purchasing and sinking check average/sales (it is often the most popular item). Higher priced, low cost items, help your product mix allowing your steak to run at, say, a 50% cost. The same way vodka drinks on a cocktail menu or wine by the glass pay for more expensive pours and bottles.
1
@Thomas All airports charge a mythical airport tax of 50%. And they require that the food not be very good, liquor and beer get a 75% mythical tax.
2
@JL , economy priced restaurants can deliver same quality of food at reasonable prices. I have dined in a diner in Holbrook for the past 30 years. Its business is booming and you can still get a great burger with fries for under $10. They focus on the best food, that gets in a lot of diners, all of whom contribute just a little to profit so that the owners can make some money and stay open. And teh service is always very friendly.
3
Maybe he should work a bit more on his "restaurant" at the TWA Terminal. The food was wretched.
2
My favorite is Perry Street where his son cooks. True neighborhood gem.
1
He may be concerned about JG losing a star, but as long as he keeps on this track he will never get that star back. They can tweak the menu, revamp the decor, change the concept, etc and there will always be something missing... his presence in the kitchen and his undivided attention.
2
wow, if you can't put anchovies on the menu in NYC, where can you?
and they had to debate fluke crudo?
1
Since Mr. Vongerichten and team are planning "major changes" at their flagship restaurant, I suggest that they move it out of Trump International Tower to any other location on Central Park West, South, North, or Fifth Ave.
I would consider going back to Mr. Vongerichten's restaurant, but I lose my appetite whenever I remember babies being separated from their mothers, White supremacist violence, attacks against the free press, refusal to condemn the NRA and do something about assault weapons, and the rank corruption and nepotism of the Trump regime.
13
Of all the things in the world I really don't care about, celebrity chefs and their restaurants would be right up there with the Kardashians and taxi drivers' political analysis.
5
SIMPLY amazing !...Jean-Georges himself, each of his restaurants, the article, the photos...all mouth watering head filling and hearts sensing. .....God's love and art in it all as long as the poor will also be considered and worked with.....Thank-you. With this kind of passion then the environmental concerns will also be front and center.
Junk food. Very expensive junk food, but still junk food.
1
Surprised to read that. In what way do you consider his food junk food?
1
He knows from eating Junk Food.
JG is a great chef but he would have 32 fewer restaurants without Phil Suarez who was not even mentioned.
2
Nice puff piece on how the 1% are spending their tax cuts.
No matter how many Michelin starts, no matter how exquisite the food and atmosphere may be, the ethical stench of a flagship in a Trump hotel makes me prefer a bagel in Central Park.
12
@ Dario Rosenzvit Argentina
I never bring my own wine to a restaurant, not knowing ahead of time how their food will be. Apart from that, why let them penalize the guest $60 for preferring his own wine to theirs? By not ordering any wine, one with be $60 ahead.
1
Mr. Vongrichten, please consider the following brilliant idea:
Create an annual "dining pass" for JG restaurants (good for a prix fixe menu at each of your restaurants - for a total of 52 visits, or staggered amounts).
In return for this brilliant contribution, I merely ask that you provide me with a lifetime supply of such annual passes.
Amazing food. The more restaurants the better.
We went to the Fulton shortly after it opened. The food was pretty good. The service was as amateurish as a high school production of Hamlet.
With 105 meals per day and $25 million in annual gross revenue, that works out to around $650 per meal....which is insane, considering the quality of food you can eat in Singapore for one hundredth the price.
2
Great article on how the other half lives, thank you.
I'm a poor boy from west Baltimore who's happy with a Baltimore crabcake and ice cold beer.
2
Maybe Chef should try to do something completely different and open a restaurant that has zero impact on the environment… now that would be a feather in his cap!
1
I've had some wonderful meals at a number of Jean Georges's restaurants. Spice Market, Vong, Perry St and his once great signature restaurant Jean-Georges. Personally I will never step foot into Jean-George again because of it's location at Trump Tower.
8
@Scott Kurant I loved, and miss, Vong. I went to JG in the Trump Tower about 10 years ago, took my parents on their first trip to New York. It was an experience we will always remember (and it cost $800 for the three of us, and we don't drink!). Worth every penny. I haven't been to a Vongerichten empire restaurant for a while, last one was spice market which i enjoyed but wasn't sure it was worth the price to go back.
Phenomenal effort yields phenomenal results.
1
I have cooked profusely from one of his cookbooks and was excited to drop by Jean Georges in the Trump Hotel in NYC while on a business trip. I knew they’d be booked solid that night, but hostess refused to let me sit at bar for dinner (a lot of well-suited men were, though), and they shuffled me off to the dead patio and a resentful waiter, who only had me to wait on there. He warmed up but I didn’t; the initially exciting spring pea soup soon revealed itself as way over-salted. Paid for my soup, glass of wine, and left. Always a bummer when reality doesn’t live up to the dream.
5
It would be interesting to know more about Jean-George, the person -- does he have a life outside his empire, or is his life, almost by definition, his work?
1
This is his life how can you have a life outside of your life? He lives who he is.
1
Just did The Fulton. This is not a “chain” and not expensive by NYC standards, although you can pay a fortune for certain dishes. Looking out over the East River at the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan and Williamsburg beyond, all in lights, and watching catamaran ferries ply the water is just a lovely experience, equaled only by the food. I had the calamari salad to start, and it was beyond tasty. Then I had the hake, in a bowl sitting on top of baby bok Choi, with an elegant light sauce, which was outise my seafood experience. My companion had the “Fish and Crisps” which was cod en croute and she said scrumptious. Use Resy a few days in advance to get in - it is worth it. If you are close, like we are, the walk to the Seaport across City Hall Park is icing on the cake.
1
Thank you the fine article, which clarifies to me why I will never eat at one of JG's restaurants.
4
Chef Jean-Georges in my opinion has a fascinating palate, notably for simple flavors. Home cooks can learn from his cookbooks. Jean-Georges’ ginger fried rice is a recipe I often rely on for a quick meal when there is leftover rice in the fridge. His recipe is the the New York Times:
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013014-ginger-fried-rice
My friends who have worked at his restaurants all speak highly of him and his team.
5
I like very much his food and I am a regular to JOJO ABC and also visited his restaurant at the Bellagio. I visited Fulton and took my own wine after calling to find out the price for it. They informed 45 dollars and upon arrival told it was 60 after the hostess who took the call had a discussion with other manager. They obviously charged my the 60 dollars without even apologizing for their mistake. Not to impressed about the 6 additional grams of olive oil. This mishaps for someone running a hospitality empire this large are unacceptable.
@Dario Rosenzvit question. If you had been told in advance that it was $60 would you have opted to forego the dining experience?
In other words, what was your economic threshold for this service fee? $45 or something more?
I make my own wine (vintner) and can care less about the service fee since I was sharing a new vintage with my daughter who lives in NYC. Most probably after having my wine I would have order another bottle from the menu which I didn’t. It is irrelevant the price of the service fee but more of a service concept, I payed 400 dollars for the dinner and I was happy with the meal yet very upset for the complete lack of manners
1
@Flyingoffthehandle my guess (just a guess) is that they didn't OWN their mistake. As a customer service business, the smart thing would have been to credit his account as a courtesy. Public Relations goes a long way!
2
Keep up the good work JG and team! Always a great meal at all the restaurants. Had an amazing sunset dinner at the Fulton last month. Thanks!
1
Lois hired me as a hostess at Perry St when I first turned up in NY at 19. Everyone was terrified of her. There was a shortage of standard-issue black Calvin Klein dresses but she let me wear my own after thorough appraisal, and I was forever in awe. The GM chastised me for reading for my Columbia classes while waiting for the last guests to leave at the end of the night, but Lois intervened to allow it as long as I remained standing at the podium and politely wished the diners a good evening. This was in the early days of trip advisor, and one reviewer had commented on the “friendly blond hostess,” which won me silent praise. The servers never ceased to amaze me at family dinner with their ability to memorize and sell the litany of specials. (Of course they were actors, but it took me weeks to realize.) One of my primary responsibilities was taking cocktail orders for waiting guests and moving those cocktails to tables once the guests were seated. I was terrible at both - I once told a lunch patron I would “see if the bartender could make” the San Pellegrino she ordered, and once spilled an entire tray of drinks when I tried to pull out a corner table one-handed. I was never yelled at, but understood that standards were high and utmost service and politeness were expected of everyone. It was a crash course for life in NY and probably the best thing I could have thrown myself into on arrival. JG and the entire team were class all the way, and I’m thrilled for their success.
16
@KA Great story. But if your crash course for life in NY included "utmost service and politeness," and never getting yelled at, you and I lived in different neighborhoods.
2
@KA thanks for sharing. sounds like great memories were made
2
After innumerable trips to Japan, experiencing dining quality in small restaurants shows that American chefs have a long way to go. Perhaps its the quality of workers that staff the restaurants.
Too much hit or miss, regardless of chef. Not so in Japan.
2
My husband and I were lucky enough to dine at Market in Vancouver BC a few years ago. An amazing experience, I will always remember how wonderful the staff was and the perfection of the food. Also memorable, Vongerichten's generosity with his recipes - we put together a dinner party and attempted his recipes on our own with some friends. A great time celebrating a huge talent.
2
An industrial restaurant is limited to industrial ingredients, and to a formula. A great restaurant must use the best ingredients in the market that day, and use them in a creative way. This need not be more expensive, but it requires the chef to be in the kitchen. People who love great food should give their custom to artisans, not to businessmen.
3
@Joe Steinberger We enjoy JG restaurants outside of NYC because they are consistent. I agree though that JG uses many unsustainable/eco friendly ingredients like farmed salmon, beef and lamb. We try to eat elsewhere when home in NYC because of this.
Years ago, I stopped by Vong for lunch inbetween several business meetings. Frankly, the service was horrendous. I had the server snatching and throwing plates at me, and telling someone who was looking at the floor layout for a reservation that they couldn't book a corner banquette "because what if Madonna were to come in?"
Frankly, the food could have been fine (though I would have remembered stellar); I haven't got a clue. What I remember is the service.
I started writing a letter, though I never sent it. But I did talk about it at work, and I know Mr. Vongerichten lost at least one other person's business because of that server.
I wish Mr. Vongerichten luck in his future endeavors; after all, I don't want to see the man out of the street (though I would think the probability of that is low). But forgive me if I have absolutely no interest in any of his new ventures.
1
@dg -> I will never understand this attitude. Years ago you made a single visit to one of J-G's restaurants, had a miserable time, so you then write off what is now 36 other establishments on the assumption that your single, random visit defines Jean-Georges completely?
Wow.
There's a reason food critics make multiple trips to a restaurant they intend to review, because unlike a movie, which has been released, is settled and will not change, dining out is subject to 100's of variables that are subject to change not just day to day, but month by month and year after year.
If you've never had a single bad day in your job where you disappointed a customer or prospect, you've had an amazing life.
Congratulations, I think.
10
@dg I don’t quite understand. You had one bad experience with one bad server and that was enough to turn you off all his restaurants for all time?
3
@dg
Just to follow up - it was a little more complicated than "the server was having a bad day" and I understood exactly *why* the server was doing what he were doing (as did my boss) - but I didn't explain that in this post.
And I'm not going to, either.
I grew up in the restaurant business. My Dad had been in it since prohibition. My wife and I love to cook and dine out, sometimes travelling to a city just for the restaurants.
What I marvel at is how many very high-end restaurants get away with bare table tops. They have, somehow, convinced the public that it's o.k. to charge extremely high prices while providing painfully little in the way of comfort or amenities. I expect, at the very least, proper couvert and linen in a place charging luxury prices. They've gotten away with saving themselves the laundry costs.
5
@MacKenzie Allen, I specifically look for restaurants with bare tabletops. Partly because I prefer an unfussy ambience, but mostly because I've seen the bill for restaurant linen service. If you see a white tablecloth, linen service will make up a substantial portion of your bill. Maybe this wasn't the case back in your family's day.
Today, a tablecloth survives just a few round trips to the industrial laundry, so every time you dine you play a big junk of the replacement cost of that linen, plus the cost of laundering, pressing, and delivery.
1
Continuing the J-G story ( ran over the word count above) .Glee and jubilation from the two Frenchmen over the amount and variety of wild greens. From the back of the Jeep J-G pulled out a while tablecloth, a bottle of wine and several cheeses and we picnicked on the ground on those wild greens. Who does that?
I think he is driven by insatiable curiosity along with as he says a desire to feed people and make them happy, perhaps not so incidentally he is a wonderful human being, kind, modest and generous. As for his restaurants: people friendly,they make you happy just being there. And his elegant ,lightness of being food is joyful really, possibly because of his elfin wit worked into all his restaurants. The caviar “egg”, the sorbet in the shape of a slice of watermelon.. and on and on. He is after all from Alsace, home of the Marx Brothers and other people pleasers.
2
This is one of the best food stories I've ever read—and I've read tons of them. It captures the essential Jean-Georges Vongerichten challenge: He is reliant on a formulaic approach to restaurant-building but serious diners never want to feel like part of an assembly line. That's a tough needle to thread and thanks to great access and some smart storytelling this article helped me understand how Vongerichten makes it all work. Well done!
8
I've been to many Jean-George restaurants through the years. Some meals were truly memorable (when JG was in the kitchen) while others were not. All were expensive.
I remember disaster meals at Vong and Spice Market. Hated the dark, cold interior decoration of both. I'm glad a talented chef found a way to embrace his inner businessman. Most artists have no clue how to run a successful business.
That said, visiting a restaurant for dinner that is owned among 14 in Manhattan, 38 worldwide, offers little allure for me. It's not like one can expect Jean-George to be cooking in the kitchen, so whose cooking are we celebrating?
However, I think JG has done a much better job building his brand and sustaining quality than Daniel Boulud has done. Boulud Sud and DBGB Kitchen were disasters for me.
@MistyBreeze So, where do you dine in happiness?
Over the past thirty plus years my wife and have eaten at a number of the JG restaurants including Jojo and the eponymous Jean-Georges. All meals have been excellent and never exhibited a chain like vibe. Keep it going JG.
5
They may be high-end but lack in consistent excellence. The two I have visited were both sub-par. I can’t remember either meal, though I do remember at one I wondered what all the fuss was about....
1
I find his restaurants out of my price range---by a lot. I was in France last month and ate at several one Star Michelin restaurants. One of the best had a 33 Euro three course meal. It was delightful and affordable. It can be done.
19
My partner and I are middle to upper-middle class professionals. For a decade or so we were both in the tech field, right up to 2000 and we were rolling in money from our day jobs and lucrative consulting gigs. We can't afford to do this now, but for a time we occasionally ate at some of the finest restaurants in the city.
Its quite an experience, from the atmosphere to the service to the food, which is nothing short of divine. Neither of us are into wine much, but when its complementing a meal this good and the pairing is made by someone who knows, the experience is mind bending.
Its something I recommend everyone treat themselves to once or twice in their lifetime. Maybe an anniversary, maybe a birthday.
10
I worked for Chef at the short-lived V Steakhouse at the Time Warner Center in New York. Though the restaurant never broke through, I learned a lot from JG’s positivity, professionalism, and attention to detail. I have one of the original chairs from V to always remind me that in order to sit in the fancy chair, you have to clean a few first.
28
We’ve eaten at two JGV restaurants in the Bahamas, one in Vegas and one on Kauai. While Vegas was better than the tropical locations it still wasn’t memorable. The service was atrocious in the Bahamas and barely better in Hawaii.
At the end of the day, unless the name chef is in the kitchen it’s nothing more than a chain. Nobu is another example. And the worst is that, should the original restaurant that led to celebrity survive, it ultimately seems to become as mediocre as the rest.
Maybe it’s because this is about consuming the brand and not the food? At the end of the day a BMW gets you there the same as a Benz but there’s always someone who has to brag they have the newest/most expensive model. Celebrity chef chains seem to be the culinary version of keeping up with the Joneses.
10
I look forward to seeing if this determined talented chef is able to regain three Michelin stars for Jean-Georges. It's already a restaurant that I greatly enjoy. Now that I know that Hudson is offering a dish developed by Fernand Point at La Pyramide, I'm eager to eat there as well; I dined at La Pyramide only once, about 40 years ago, and it was a memorable experience.
3
While living in London in late 90’s my husband and I frequented Vong. The floor manager would ask from time to time how we enjoyed our meal. One afternoon I gave -what I thought was -constructive criticism of a dish saying that the cilantro was too “stemy” to easily eat without slicing it. He thanked me and disappeared to the kitchen to pass on my comment. Moments later he came back to the table with a small plate filled with different greens all neatly arranged in a row and explained which each one was, and that none of them was cilantro.
So instead of throwing us out of the restaurant for criticism (as one London Chef was known to have a temperament for doing) I was politely educated on my greenery. :). That incident has been a running joke in our family - especially when we actually DO have cilantro.
Vong remained our favorite; we still have fond memories of our time there.
43
@CBailey I really don't get this post. Is it British humor or something?
i remember a special meal at Jean-Georges back in 1998.. with my now-deceased parents.....it remains a beautiful moment. maybe time to repeat with my husband and much-larger family!!
14
Dear Chef, many congratulations for this article and for your amazing career to date. Once a New Yorker, I enjoyed your restaurants so much and a recent lunch at Jean- Georges was just incredible from A-Z. You have helped and supported hundreds of young cooks, servers and purveyors throughout the years. Your work ethic and kindness are legendary. Keep it up! Bravo et merci vraiment beaucoup Chef!
29
1- overpriced restaurants are there for profit?
2- what else would he do? Work for charity? Isn’t he creating jobs?
3- why not set up a healthy restaurant that the homeless can eat in for free. Get a shower. New clothing and a meal. Isn’t he rich enough? Build a huge 5000 to 10000 seat public sector restaurant in Central Park for all to eat in if hungry.
4- lower rents will lead to more affordable restaurants.
19
@Ralph Petrillo Why should he set up a restaurant for the homeless? That's a public, not a private, responsibility and given the level of taxes to which he is subject as a NYS and NYC resident he is already contributing at least his fair share.
3
@Ralph Petrillo
Why don't you set-up a restaurant for the homeless to eat for free or buy a piece of real estate and rent it out below market price?
Why do you expect someone that went to culinary school and mastered their skills to become a social worker or a government agency and solve societal issues; instead of what he trained to be and is passionate about?
Why can't you see this story for what it is, a profile and celebration of a master at his craft.
6
@Ralph Petrillo would you work at that restaurant for free?
If not, would you work to get homeless folks jobs?
What about helping them get health care?
4
I ate at the TWA just two weeks ago; the food, the presentation, the entire experience was sublime.
The Sous Chef, very recently brought on board, is a talented dedicated individual who lives to present those who are fortunate to experience his talent, with a memorable evening.
Every guest is presented with a repast fit for a King.
I've been blessed to experience this particular Chefs passion and talent for quite some time, ever since he prepared a meal at 10 years of age, as the Ships Cook, on a sailing vessel during a seven day voyage to Nova Scotia, with a stop at the Town of Sandwich in Cape Cod, and shelter during a storm in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
I may be a tad biased, as this extraordinary man is my son, but don't take my word for it, go experience TWA, and enjoy.
112
@Mel Farrell that's just awesome. Congratulations.
2
@Mel Farrell Good one! Proud parent. :)
2
Key to success is attention to detail. Food in the end and the experience is a product. The product must perform. The people criticizing in comments I am sure would complain if the jar of cream was different from batch to batch. Fascinating article and I am taking notes and applying to my business. Congrats on your success.
26
It all comes down to 2 things with Vongerichten. Money and ego!!!
10
@Dave
Trump has at least one of those, ego, and never has produced anything near their pleasure.
@Dave So, he should work for free?
1
Despite the breathless article, this is in fact a restaurant chain. I'll pass.
37
Mr. Vongerichten's talent was never more brilliant than when he opened JoJo in 1991: this was great 4-star food!
Then, when he got greedy, it all went downhill starting with Vong, where when served, a promising rabbit dish turned out to be rabbit confiture (jam)! His sweetbreads at the Time/Warner restaurant were equally disappointing as well as his entire menu in the Hamptons Topping Rose House.
9
You must have eaten at Vong on an off-day. Every so often I tell JG the restaurant I miss the most is Vong: the originality of the combination of Asian ingredients and French techniques made it a very special place.
The recipe is to hire expensive trendy people, designers, architects and pay outrageous rent. Next, have a PR campaign that pays celebrities to eat at your restaurant. That's it, folks.
34
@LS
Have to agree. Most of the good does not come hot anyway. The new entree is warm.
I gotta say, Bravo to Philip Montgomery for these photos...they’re just bloody great!
36
I have great respect for this man. He is a tireless evangelist for fine dining as part of a life well lived. I don't think anyone is more committed to an art form - and haute cuisine is an art form - than Monsieur Vongerichten. Oh, but I wish I didn't have to say this; he is wonderful, but his restaurants are not quite as wonderful as he is. Jean-Georges is a superb restaurant, but there is some divine spark missing. I've felt that spark in the late Jean Louis Palladin's flagship in Washington, DC, in Guy Savoy in Paris, and, on one or two occasions, in Thierry Ratureau's lovely, sorely missed Seattle restaurant, Rover's. I have yet to feel it at Jean-Georges.
But I'll keep on coming back. Unlike overrated chefs like Thomas Keller, whose restaurants are poorly run, over priced disappointments, JG is the real deal. One day, that lightning is going to strike, and I'll have a dinner at Jean-Georges that'll be right up there with Babette's Feast.
19
As a chef I find JG an amazing person, what he started after layfayette was mind blowing at the time. He is very talented, and was kind to let me spend a day in at JG. He allowed total access, recipes, pictures of anything I wanted, all staff showed preparation, dishes, including service.
At his level, to allow total access, on recommendation of a fellow chef is incredible.
For a man with so much going on, to spend so much time with me will never be forgotten. Bonne Amitie JoJo
57
I love the shot of him walking to work with his chef coat on a hanger. Reminds me of my former students at NECI - part of a long tradition of pride in the profession.
42
As a restaurant owner I have always paid attention to successful chefs and how they operate. Chef Vongerichten has always been willing to share his passion, ideals and knowledge. I will use this article to inspire my team to make our restaurant better. On a side note, I can pretty much guarantee that chefs don’t care which way you lean on the political landscape. We spend our efforts on figuring out how to exceed your expectations using our culinary and hospitality skills. It offends me when potential guests make comments negative or positive about our establishments without having tried our food.
59
Interesting article. I am a former Chicagoan and, as any foodie knows, Chicago is a great restaurant city. I know Vongerichten had at least one restaurant there -- Vong, bistro-like, mid-90s -- but I find it unusual that he no longer has a presence there, have to wonder why.
4
@Tuvw Xyz Alinea. OK, how's that. Plus, Chicago has the most Michelin-starred restaurants of any American city after NYC.
1
@Tuvw Xyz If you've lived there 45 years and have this opinion of the restaurant scene, I doubt anyone else's recommendations might cause you to reconsider. Perhaps best to leave you to the handful you've already determined give you pleasure.
@ Jennene Denver, CO
"as any foodie knows, Chicago is a great restaurant city" -- Oh?! I live near Chicago more than 45 years, but I can count all the good (in my view, of course) restaurants in Chicago and its Northern suburbs on the fingers of one hand.
Pray share your knowledge with the readers of the Chicago region.
7
My last experience with a Jean-Georges restaurant was Paris Cafe at the TWA Hotel. Apologies, but I cannot read this story without the bad taste that meal left in my mouth coming back. I'd appreciate the chef concentrating on the quality of the food served at each and everyone of his establishments, and not ensuring the prominence of their name around the world.
9
@ Craig Lucas Putnam Valley, NY
Your comment gives me a ray of hope. I am mistrustful of the so-called great chefs running multimillion dollar restaurant chains.
One of the worst "fine dining"experiences in my life was the restaurant he runs at the Trump Hotel. For our 35th anniversary, I brought the whole family and brought a 50 year first growth from my own cellar. The 22 year old "sommelier" was just interested in telling us about the 85 dollar corkage fee and knew nothing about wine. The waiters seemed to recite ingredients regarding the dishes as some sort of script. A bit "meh". And I've eaten in some of the finest restaurants in the world. The best ever? Tallevent in Paris. Or maybe "Tour d'Argent".
28
Le CouCou one of the best in the world? Really!??? I mean it’s ok. But great?
@Tom Taillevent is back to great, but Tour d’Argent is downright mediocre.
1
@ Tom Bluffton SC
Your unfortunate experience at the restaurant in Trump Hotel is a double proof of (1) professional illiteracy and poor training of the serving personnel, and (2) the name Trump Hotel, associated with the individual devouring cheeseburgers held in the hands.
16
great article; great man.
11
As long as his "flagship" is docked on Trump's building, I'll find someplace else to eat and another chef to eat from.
174
@Jay Why Thank you. Yuck!
1
I'm a little lost as to which Lafayette restaurant the article is referring. Lafayette is owned by Andrew Carmelini,no?
1
Lafayette was his original fine dining restaurant prior to his namesake and the Lafayette you are referring to.
2
I continue to be surprised in reading profiles of JG how another critical component to the empire is not mentioned: his brother Philippe. While officially Philippe is the general manager of Jean-Georges and Nougatine, he also helps with the teams at other restaurants. (And his carved pineapple is a showstopper!)
21
This man has given me the great culinary experiences of my life.
15
True, long ago. Now it’s a few steps up from airline food. Inevitable when going global.
5
@Craig Lucas @Craig Lucas Yea, Please calm down
1