Jean-Georges Vongerichten

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Master Chef
Jean-Georges Vongerichten

Jean-Georges Vongerichten
Born 1956 (age 51–52)
Alsace, France
Cooking style French cuisine, Thai cuisine
Education Culinary school in Perpignan, France
Current Restaurant(s)
Official Website

Jean-Georges Vongerichten (IPA: /ʒɑn ʒɔʀʒ vɔŋəˈrɪxtˌən/) is a French chef residing in the United States of America. His style of cuisine is classified as Thai – French. Vongerichten was born in Strasbourg, France in 1956. He is the Executive Chef at 17 restaurants and the author of 4 cookbooks.

Contents

[edit] Early Life in France

Born and raised on the outskirts of Strasbourg in Alsace, France, Jean-Georges’ earliest family memories are about food. The Vongerichten home centered around the kitchen, where each day his mother and grandmother would prepare lunch for the almost 50 employees in their family-owned business. His love for food cemented into his choice for a career at the age of 16, when his parents brought him to the 3-star Michelin-rated Auberge de l’IIl for a birthday dinner.

[edit] Culinary Education

Jean-Georges began his training soon after in a work-study program at the Auberge de l'III as an apprentice to Chef Paul Haeberlin. He went on to work with the top chefs in France, including Paul Bocuse and Louis Outhier at L’Oasis in the south of France. With this three-star Michelin training, Jean-Georges won a position at the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok. From 1980 to 1985, he opened 10 restaurants around the world, including one at the Meridien Hotel in Singapore and another at the Mandarin Hotel in Hong Kong.

[edit] Relocation to America

Jean-Georges arrived in the United States in 1985, opening the Lafayette restaurant in Boston. A year later he arrived in New York to take over the executive Chef position at Lafayette in the Drake Swissôtel, generating critical acclaim with his innovative interpretation of classic French cuisine and earning four stars from The New York Times at the age of 29. Jean-Geroges opened his bistro JoJo in 1991. JoJo was named Best New Restaurant of the Year, and earned three stars from The New York Times, in which Food critic Ruth Reichl claimed: "His food took my breath away".

[edit] Vong

His next venture, Vong, paid homage to his passion for the spices and flavors of the East. Using over 150 different herbs and spices to create his take on Thai-inspired French cuisine, the menu at Vong impressed critics, earning another three-star review from The New York Times for his "explosive flavorful food". In an adjacent space to Vong, Jean-Georges also opened The Lipstick Cafe, catering to the midtown business crowd and serving breakfast and lunch in a casual, upscale setting. The Lipstick Cafe has since closed.

[edit] Jean-Georges at the Trump International Hotel

In March of 1997, Jean-Georges opened Jean-Georges Restaurant in the Trump International Hotel and Tower, earning a four star review from The New York Times less than three months after opening, and the "Chef of the Year Award" from John Mariani at Esquire magazine. Jean-Georges remains one of 3 restaurants in the city awarded four stars by the New York Times and three stars by the Michelin Guide.

[edit] Expanding the Brand

A year and a half later, Jean-Georges opened a second Vong in the Knightsbridge area of London, earning a three-star review and the 1996 vote for the London Evening Standard’s "Newcomer of the Year". In September 1997, he opened Vong in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Hong Kong, which Robb Report awarded "Best Restaurant in the World" award in 1998 . A fourth Vong in Chicago changed its name and format to VTK (Vong's Thai Kitchen) in 2002. The 2nd and 3rd Vongs have since closed.

Jean-Georges followed with The Mercer Kitchen, opened in July 1998, in the stylish Mercer Hotel in Soho. This venture features an American-Provincial menu and ‘communal’ style tables in the open kitchen area. Another addition is the Prime Steakhouse in Steve Wynn’s Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, which opened in October 1998.

More recently Jean-Georges has opened Spice Market (Southeast Asian street food) in 2004 and Perry Street in 2005 (French-American)in NYC, as well as the Chambers Kitchen in Minneapolis[1] in 2007. He has opened various places around the world in the past 2 years.

[edit] Starwood Hotels

Jean-Georges Vongerichten and partner Phil Suarez have formed a new company with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. and Catterton Partners, a consumer-focused private-equity firm which will own, operate, manage and license restaurants in Starwood properties as well as freestanding concepts not attached to the hotel giant's lodging outlets. The deal calls for 7 Spice Markets and other concepts world wide. The total number of eating destinations could total 56 with this contract. The first to open will be Spice Markets at new W Hotels in both Atlanta and Doha, Qatar.

[edit] Family

Jean-Georges is married to Marja Allen. His children are: Chloe (who speaks English, French, Spanish and Korean language), Cedric and Louise.

[edit] Books

[edit] External links

Languages