La Grenouille (restaurant)

La Genouille Restaurant
Private
Industry Food and Entertainment
Founded 1962[1]
Founder The Massons, Charles Sr. and Gisèle
Headquarters New York City, U.S.
Key people
 Philippe Masson
Website la-grenouille.com

La Grenouille is a historic and award-winning French restaurant located at 3 East 52nd Street (between Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue) in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Founded in 1962 by former Henri Soulé apprentice Charles Masson, Sr. and his wife Gisèle, later with sons Philippe and Charles, La Grenouille (Fr., "The Frog") became a location of choice among New York, U.S., and eventually international diners, including designers from the nearby New York fashion district. It is the last operating New York French haute cuisine restaurant from the 1960s, and remains, into the new millennium, a highly rated restaurant.

Location

La Grenouille is located at 3 East 52nd Street, between Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue, in Midtown Manhattan in New York City.[1]

History

The restaurant was founded in 1962 by Charles Masson, Sr., a former Henri Soulé apprentice, and his wife Gisèle; they were joined by sons older son Charles Jr., and younger son Philippe.[2] Charles Masson Jr. was General Manager of La Grenouille from 1974 to 1993, and from to 1998 to 2014.[3] La Grenouille is currently operated by Philippe Masson.[2] It is the last operating New York French haute cuisine restaurant from the 1960s, having "outlasted gilded contemporaries like Lespinasse… and Lutèce," which closed in 2003 and 2004, respectively.[2]

Menu

The menu of La Grenouille is essentially entirely "haute French cuisine,"[1] with customer menus presenting the French names of classic and more modern dishes, followed by the English, and an English description.[4]

Renown

Aside from its haute French cuisine, La Grenouille is notable for its clientele, and is considered a location of choice among New York, U.S., and international diners. A segment of this clientele includes designers from the nearby New York fashion district; it has been spoken of as a hotspot for its notables, e.g. Elle magazine creative director Joe Zee.[5]

In addition, the restaurant is famous for its lavish floral arrangements, a tradition started by Charles Masson, Sr. and continued by his sons Charles and Philippe Masson, and reflected in a decor ranking that places it in the top tier of New York Restaurants.[1][6]

In 1972 W magazine referred to it one of "Les Six, the last bastions of grand luxe dining in New York." The other five were Lutèce, La Caravelle, La Côte Basque, Lafayette, and Quo Vadis.[7] La Grenouille is the last operating New York French haute cuisine restaurant from the 1960s, a time when it dominated New York City's French haute cuisine.[8]

Current enterprise

La Grenouille Restaurant is currently operated by Philippe Masson, and remains devoted to French cuisine. Responding in jest to a query by visiting critics, regarding plans Masson might have for changing the restaurant (with his elevation to being its general manager), a restaurant representative is said to have replied Mssr. Masson "plans on putting in a pool hall and bordello".[2]

As of Summer 2015, some spectators were still skeptical of Philippe Masson's ability to manage a high volume New York City restaurant; especially after a mass exodus of former La Grenouille employees following Charles Masson Jr's abrupt exit in 2014.

Within a year of Philippe assuming the position of General Manager, the restaurant's ten year Dining Director and Sommelier (Guillaume Chamote-Rooke), Event Director (Wade Pirie), Executive Chef (Noah Metnick), Executive Pastry Chef (Matthew Lambie), and long time Office Manager (Tim Prior), all split from the restaurant, fueling rumors that the old time French Favorite, was not only struggling to maintain its regular clientele, but its top managers too.

Throughout 2014 and 2015, the restaurant was plagued with a very public family battle over ownership.

Accolades

Through April 2015, Zagat's ratings for food, decor, and service for La Grenouille were a uniform 28,[1] with food rating being the highest in the East 50s in Manhattan, and within a point of highest in New York.[6]

In terms of overall ranking in its city, the restaurant landed at number 7 in 2012 and 10 in 2015, on Zagat's list of the best restaurants in New York City.[6][9] In the 2015 listing, La Grenouille trailed the number one-rated La Bernardin by one point in the food and service categories (tying it in decor), followed the number two and three, both French restaurants—Bouley and Jean-Georges—in food, either trailing by a point (Bouley) or tying it (Jean-Georges), and tying it in both other categories; for the remaining six ahead of it on the 2015 list—a mixed set focusing on steak and various cuisines—La Grenouille tied all for food, and surpassed four in decor and service (tying the other two).[6] As such, the restaurant appears in the Zagat lists, "Best Restaurants in the East 50s" and "Best Restaurants in NYC's Midtown East" (as well being among the overall leaders in "New York City's 100 Best Restaurants," as cited).[1]

Further reading

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Zagat, 2015, "New York City, Rating and Reviews: La Grenouille," Zagat (online), see , accessed 28 April 2015. Quote: "Still 'extraordinaire' after 'so many years', this Midtown 'institution' leaves 'all your senses satisfied' with 'superb' haute French cuisine, 'pampering' service and a 'soigné' setting festooned with 'soaring floral arrangements'; jackets and deep pockets are de rigueur here, but it’s 'well worth the splurge' for a 'memorable' meal at what is surely the 'last of its breed'; P.S. the departure of its beloved front-of-house leader, Charles Masson, has loyalists waiting to see what happens next."
  2. 1 2 3 4 Bill Addison, 2014, "Review, The Road to the 38: Three Critics at La Grenouille in NYC," Eater (online), May 20, 2014, see , accessed 28 April 2015
  3. ↑ Alexandra Vallis, 2009, "Vintage Wrap: La Grenouille," Zagat (online), April 2, 2009, see , accessed DATE UNKNOWN.
  4. ↑ NY Mag, 2015, " La Grenouille Menu, 2015" New York Magazine (online), see , accessed 28 April 2015.
  5. ↑ Alexandra Vallis, 2009, "Elle Creative Director Joe Zee Styles Julia Roberts, Loves Roadside Burritos and Setagaya," New York Magazine, now Grub Street (online), March 20, 2009, see , accessed 28 April 2015
  6. 1 2 3 4 Zagat, 2015, "Top Restaurants, New York City - 2015," Zagat (online), see , accessed 28 April 2015.
  7. ↑ Colatello, Bob (30 January 2012). "Here's to the Ladies Who Lunched!". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  8. ↑ Mimi Sheraton, 2007, "The Frog at Forty-Five," The New Yorker (online), December 24, 2007, see , accessed 28 April 2015 (subscription required)
  9. ↑ Zagat, 2013, "The 10 Best Restaurants in New York City," Zagat (online), see , accessed 28 April 2015. Archived November 13, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.

External links

Coordinates: 40°45′34.6″N 73°58′32.11″W / 40.759611°N 73.9755861°W / 40.759611; -73.9755861

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