Le Cirque

[ulterior epicure]

This may be premature, but I read somewhere that a location for the new Le Cirque has already been decided on.

Any word about anything concerning its re-incarnation?

u.e.

[johnder]

They are opening supposedly May 18th in the Bloomberg building -- One Beacon Court on 58th Street between Lexington and Third avenue.

The chef Pierre Schaedelin will be returning to take the helm.

There is a blurb about it over at Bloomberg that is amusing:

The dapper Maccioni, one of the last old-timers to insist on jackets and ties, says he'll concede to the times and let gentlemen come in tieless, but "only if they have someone beautiful with them.''

This may be premature, but I read somewhere that a location for the new Le Cirque has already been decided on.

Any word about anything concerning its re-incarnation?

u.e.

←

Edit: Fixed opening day from the 18th to the 30th per Fat Guys's message below.

Edited April 4, 2006 by johnder (log)

[Fat Guy]

The scheduled opening date is 30 May 2006. The 18 May date is the date of the pre-opening party.

Some information from the press release:

The 16,000 square foot restaurant will feature a main dining room, a separate bar area and private event mezzanine suspended above the bar.  The 27 foot-high semi-circular main dining room with polished ebony panels and a giant abstract “big top” light shade, will comfortably seat 95 people.  The all glass bar, which appears and disappears like a magic circus box, serves as a commanding architectural element anchoring the 65 seat bar area and balances the custom designed 27 foot steel and glass wine tower.  The wine tower visually connects the 80 person private dining mezzanine with the first floor.  The restaurant walls, adorned with bent wire framed art pieces inspired by Alexander Calder’s magical circus installation will capture the whimsical and playful spirit of the original Le Cirque.  The restaurant’s tables will feature Reidel stemware, Villeroy & Boch china, silver by Greggio and Ricciarelli and the restaurant staff will be outfitted with custom designed ties from Stefano Ricci.

Executive Chef Pierre Schaedelin, who began his career with Le Cirque in 1999, and mentored under two of the world’s finest chefs, Alain Ducasse at Le Louis XV and Paul Haeberlin at Auberge de l’Ill, returns to the restaurant after a brief period working as Martha Stewart’s private chef.  Drawing upon the history of the restaurant, Schaedelin will create an extensive menu for Le Cirque incorporating original favorites with new culinary creations. The wine list includes nearly 700 varietals that will be showcased within the two-story wine tower unparalleled in a New York City restaurant.  Maccioni, of course, legendary for his love of all things beautiful, will have an all female team of sommeliers.

[M.X.Hassett]

  Maccioni, of course, legendary for his love of all things beautiful, will have an all female team of sommeliers.

Is this legal?

[ulterior epicure]

  Maccioni, of course, legendary for his love of all things beautiful, will have an all female team of sommeliers.

Is this legal?

←

One word... Hooters.

u.e.

[chefboy24]

  Maccioni, of course, legendary for his love of all things beautiful, will have an all female team of sommeliers.

Is this legal?

←

no.

but i wish him good luck

as i'm pretty sure there are only 5 women sommeliers in manhattan, and they're not going anywhere.

[Megan Blocker]

  Maccioni, of course, legendary for his love of all things beautiful, will have an all female team of sommeliers.

Is this legal?

←

no.

but i wish him good luck

as i'm pretty sure there are only 5 women sommeliers in manhattan, and they're not going anywhere.

←

He could be recruiting from out of town, no? That's so...odd. Not that I don't think championing women in the wine world isn't worth doing. It just seems like a weird touch at a place that isn't Hooters or Scores.

Edited April 4, 2006 by Megan Blocker (log)

[ulterior epicure]

He could be recruiting from out of town, no?  That's so...odd.  Not that I don't think championing women in the wine world isn't worth doing.

Could Alpana Singh be moving to NYC? Just hedging Megan's question...

It just seems like a weird touch at a place that isn't Hooters or Scores.

Just to clarify my earlier post, I didn't mean to suggest that Le Cirque was "Hooterizing" by employing only female sommeliers. Rather, I was simply answering M.X.Hassetts' question of whether or not such a move would be legal...

u.e.

[docsconz]

The dapper Maccioni, one of the last old-timers to insist on jackets and ties, says he'll concede to the times and let gentlemen come in tieless, but "only if they have someone beautiful with them.''

I think this istatement is a more interesting one. Would he actually dare to turn someone away based on this?

[rich]

The dapper Maccioni, one of the last old-timers to insist on jackets and ties, says he'll concede to the times and let gentlemen come in tieless, but "only if they have someone beautiful with them.''

I think this istatement is a more interesting one. Would he actually dare to turn someone away based on this?

←

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I'm sure green will be more beautiful to him than anything else.

[Nathan]

the following should not be deemed as constituting a legal opinion or advice in anyway whatsoever:

I'll put it this way: there are significant issues with deliberately recruiting only female sommeliers. I have a hard time believing he has the approval of counsel.

Hooters is inapposite. lawyers for Hooters have argued (rather convincingly) that Hooters is not solely a restaurant but rather akin to a strip club that also serves food and that its female-only waitstaff are necessary for its commercial survival. in other words, Hooters has asserted (admitted?) that customers go to Hooters for its severs' pulchritude, not for its wings.

I don't see Le Cirque as making this sort of argument.

Edited April 4, 2006 by Nathan (log)

[ulterior epicure]

I don't see Le Cirque as making this sort of argument.

←

No, I can't either.... but, gosh, what I wouldn't give to see Maccioni going down that line...

u.e.

[Megan Blocker]

He could be recruiting from out of town, no?  That's so...odd.  Not that I don't think championing women in the wine world isn't worth doing.

Could Alpana Singh be moving to NYC? Just hedging Megan's question...

It just seems like a weird touch at a place that isn't Hooters or Scores.

Just to clarify my earlier post, I didn't mean to suggest that Le Cirque was "Hooterizing" by employing only female sommeliers. Rather, I was simply answering M.X.Hassetts' question of whether or not such a move would be legal...

u.e.

←

Oh, of course...but even if it's legal (which, as a former recruiter, I highly doubt - though an affirmative action arguement could possibly be made, based on the low number of female sommeliers), it's weird, which is more my point.

As happy as I would be to see a restaurant this visible in the industry employ female sommeliers, I find it to be an odd goal, and, given the way he put it, almost chauvinist or objectifying, like the whole reason he would hire them would be for the attractiveness factor rather than their qualifications. Hence the Hooters comparison.

ETA: Looking back over the posts, I see that there's no quote from Maccioni on this, just commentary...so I shouldn't leap to conclusions of the reasons for all-female sommeliers...but still, weird.

Edited April 4, 2006 by Megan Blocker (log)

[Sneakeater]

I agree it would be offensive. But illegal? Is it illegal that all the JGV places have these beautiful female front-desk people (one hesitates to call them maitresses d'hotel)? Or, for that matter, that so many art galleries do? And how many male coatcheck people have you seen?

Edited April 4, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[Sneakeater]

(Actually, maybe all those things are illegal, too. Or maybe the mistake would be announcing your intention -- as Maccioni apparently hasn't done here [if this is even real].)

[Nathan]

as an attorney I am extremely constrained in what I can say on this or any other legal topic (for fear of unintentionally creating a lawyer/client relationship -- although Maccioni is always welcome to give me a call and discuss a suitable retainer). indeed, I see inaccurate statements concerning legal matters all the time that I simply have to bite my tongue on.

lets just say that there are many things in the restaurant world that could result in legal ramifications if someone were to actually bring suit (and had standing).

btw, I have indeed seen male staff in all of the positions you referenced in the latter part of your post.

[ulterior epicure]

I'll defer to the attorneys in the forum.

u.e.

[rich]

I think all restaurant staff (from the chef to the dishwasher) should be women so us men can be served for once. It would be nice to relax. That's one of the reasons I only went to restaurants (when I was paying) that had female chefs in 2005.

Last week, my wife phoned me in a panic - she had no idea where she was. I calmed her down and asked her to describe her surroundings. After a minute or two I told her to relax, gave her directions to find her way out and then reassured her not to be frightened again - it was only the kitchen.

[R Washburn]

I think this istatement is a more interesting one. Would he actually dare to turn someone away based on this?

←

Well, in the old Le Cirque they would provide you with a loaner Jacket and tie.

[Sneakeater]

So you're saying that now they'll provide you with a beautiful companion?

Edited April 4, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[herbacidal]

So you're saying that now they'll provide you with a beautiful companion?

←

Hmm, that'd be a key selling point. Imagine the PR possibilities.

[jamiemaw]

Well, in the old Le Cirque they would provide you with a loaner Jacket and tie.

That tie was a giveaway - covered with disdains. Like the condescension on my gin and tonic, complimentary.

[BryanZ]

I've got a reso here in early June. We'll see if I keep it when report start coming out, but this is shaping up to be quite the rebirth.

[cchen]

My friend was hired as a pastry chef, and he says good things are happening there. We will see.... hopefully I can get an invite to their private pre-opening dinner.

[ulterior epicure]

... and here it is...

u.e.