Bruno Jamais

[robyn]

While it certainly seems that this particular establishment is over the top haughty and snobby, I'm wondering if, in general, the egullet membership feels that there is a place for private dining clubs...country clubs with wonderful food ( they exist), University clubs and true private dining clubs and bars..what do you think?

Sure there's a place for them. The only issue is whether a member thinks a particular place is worth what it charges. I only belong to one - a semi-private resort golf club (one of the TPC clubs) The golf course is great - and the dining room serves good food (breakfast and lunch only). It's inexpensive ($1600/year - and I play golf for cart fees only) - so it's a terrific deal in my opinion. Robyn

[Bond Girl]

NYC is about the last place I would ever want to do something like join a club like this even if the food were really good. There are too many other wonderful places to eat. For the same reason I would prefer not to get a vacation home. I would rather travel to a lot of different places than feel obligated to return to the same one time after time.

I guess the real reason most people do join clubs like this is because they can.

Well said! Joining a club like this is silly when there are so many other places to expand one's culinary horizon on. A place like this is good for entertainment value. Speaking for myself, ever time I step into one of these establishments, I always have this incredible temptation to misbehave, particularly towards other patrons.

[anil]

It is not about food no ? Apart from trophies, and rent-by-the-hour; it is a place the R&F can take someone out without making the gossip columns no ? Or am I wrong ? Escaping from the wife and kids in CT

[jackal10]

The US has always had exclusive (and expensive) clubs. For example the Cosmos Club in Washington. Its even snobbier and elitist than the UK.

[hannnah]

The US has always had exclusive (and expensive) clubs. For example the Cosmos Club in Washington. Its even snobbier and elitist than the UK.

I can't really imagine the Cosmos Club being snobbier than some of the London gentlemen's clubs - certainly their membership requirements are less restrictive, since they let in women! I suspect the price is a function of several things - maintaining their building, as it's of an age and in an expensive part of town real-estate wise; running programming (they have a pretty robust schedule of lectures, etc.); and the amount of research fellowships they hand out every year.

I know several Cosmos members, and their distinguishing feature (other than age) is that they've all had significant academic and professional achievements. I mean, how many of the London clubs (other than perhaps the Athenaeum) have a wall of photos of members who are Nobel laureates? I can't picture the scene people are describing at Bruno Jamais occurring at the Cosmos Club.

Plus, someone in the Cosmos kitchen makes a damn good sticky toffee pudding.

[MichaelB]

I guess the real reason most people do join clubs like this is because they can.

and because they want to be around people just like themselves. which i suppose might be considered a good thing for others.

I subscribe to the Groucho Marx theory of club membership:

I wouldn't want to be a member of any club that would have me.

[jeunefilleparis]

Ya Roo, if you go,you have to take me, I want to pretend to buy a trophy wife for a night, its always been a dream of mine.......

[Bond Girl]

I will be more than happy to take anyone who is willing to come, but so far none of my broker dealer friends have caught on to this place, and at $20 per drink I don't think there will be too many takers. Such is the effect of the recession on the great corporate expense account.

[Bux]

"Ex-Daniel maitre d', Bruno Jamais, recently opened an exclusive supper club on the Upper East Side. Membership is $7,000 and the guests are handpicked by Jamais.

Recently? There was a thread here a good year ago on this same subject. I believe the "club" opened in November 2002.

Wasn't Richard Farnabe the original chef there? But already left??

Yes. I heard from sources that can be described as relliable, but also as friends of his, that the food was very good, at least at the preopening dinners. Farnabe went on to open his own restaurant on First Avenue uptown, but that's closed.

It can't be that exclusive, since they solicited me to join when they first opened.  I think Bruno invited everyone on the so-called "shmuck list" at Daniel, plus his own regulars.

I don't know whether to feel bad that I regularly get faxes reminding me they're open for business or to feel good that my name is consistently misspelled.

My understanding is that one needn't be a member to eat there, but it's possible this privilege is restricted to a small number of people chosen by Bruno Jamais. As noted in the earlier thread, Bruno had access and connections to the regular diners at both Daniel and AD/NY where he was employed after he left Daniel.

[herbacidal]

I will be more than happy to take anyone who is willing to come, but so far none of my broker dealer friends have caught on to this place, and at $20 per drink I don't think there will be too many takers. Such is the effect of the recession on the great corporate expense account.

ya know, if i pretty myself up, maybe have some plastic surgery, liposuction and a new wardrobe, i'm sure i could be a worthy trophy husband.

[robyn]

I will be more than happy to take anyone who is willing to come, but so far none of my broker dealer friends have caught on to this place, and at $20 per drink I don't think there will be too many takers.  Such is the effect of the recession on the great corporate expense account.

ya know, if i pretty myself up, maybe have some plastic surgery, liposuction and a new wardrobe, i'm sure i could be a worthy trophy husband.

Trophy husbands don't have great skin tone - they have huge wallets . Robyn