Located at Columbus Circle in the lobby level of Donald
Trump's International Hotel and Tower, restaurant Jean
Georges is among New York City's very small circle of
4-star restaurants. Designer Adam Tihany has created a
visually stunning space, with floor to ceiling windows
overlooking Central Park and a soothing palette of taupe,
ecru and silver. The restaurant is divided into two dining
rooms - the 4-star Jean Georges and Nougatine, a slightly
more casual dining room with a sophisticated, hip bar
scene and an exhibition kitchen with a full view of Jean-Georges
and his staff at work. During the warmer months, you can
enjoy outdoor dining and cocktails at the Mistral Terrace,
with views of Central Park. In conceiving this restaurant
Jean-Georges wanted to bring back the elegance of tableside
service to accompany his signature style of modern French
cooking. "It
is time to revive the kind of service that is reminiscent
of the 40's and 50's," states the Chef and Co-owner.
"We wanted to bring back tableside service for two reasons:
first, because it is elegant and graceful; second and
more importantly, I felt it was time to bring the excitement
and the wonderful aromas of food preparation back into
the dining room. After all, we cooks are the ones that
have been having all the fun in the kitchen -- that
first aromatic smell of freshly sliced meat or the placement
of the perfect garnish to finish a dish will now be
experienced by the guests. It will add a sense of aliveness
and conviviality to the dining room that focuses on
the food."
The cuisine at Jean Georges is based on the deceivingly-simple
philosophy of using the highest quality ingredients
and preparing them in a way that allows their natural
flavors to stand on their own. Whenever possible, meats
and fish are cooked whole, on the bone, to keep their
flavors and juices intact, and then served tableside.
As a man in a constant quest to find and refine new
flavors to pique his interest and our palates, Jean-Georges
spents months of research and weeks of foraging Upstate
New York, that he clearly defined his new palette of
seasonings and accompaniments for his menu at Jean Georges
-- wild edible plants. Garlic Mustard, Yarrow, Sylvetta,
Burnet, Chickweed and Nettles, to name just a few. Used
to garnish a dish, sautéed as an accompaniment,
or added as an integral seasoning in a sauce, they are
found throughout the menu and change regularly with
the seasons. These old flavors, brand new to our 20th
century palates, are clean, intense and pure, and add
a depth of flavor to the food.
The Jean Georges dining room is opened for lunch Monday
through Friday and for dinner Monday through Saturday.
Nougatine is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Return
to the Jean-Georges Vongerichten Restaurant
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