Lacroix is gone, is Georges next... who takes over

[matthewj]

Reactions to the coming events very soon... questions comments observations....?

who has got the (Jamba) Juice?

[mrbigjas]

i don't know, but i have a gift card for lacroix that i was given a little while ago, and now i'm not sure how to use it.

[Sartain]

I've been holed up in my office - can you elaborate on the "coming events"??

Reactions to the coming events very soon... questions comments observations....?

who has got the (Jamba) Juice?

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[shacke]

Oh Vadouvan.....?

[Vadouvan]

Reactions to the coming events very soon... questions comments observations....?

who has got the (Jamba) Juice?

So MatthewJ is Good cop and i am slightly Jaded cop......

So the scoop is JML (The man) is history and actually retired now.

BUT............

The restaurant retains his name in some kind of Licensing deal.

It's been an age old quandry whether a business that is no longer affiliated with the creative personality it was associated with would do as well or would still be respected in the abscence of the aforementioned "creative personality".

Certainly while the company "Gianni Versace" still makes Billions years after Gianni....."the Man" was blown away by Andrew Cunanan in florida........ thanks to the managerial and creative prowess of Donatella......i'm afraid it isnt quite the same in the restaurant BIZ.

Generally, restaurants that have names of people who arent involved in creating the food tend to get mixed results as far as public perception and expectation.

Remember "MIX" Ducasse/Chodorow/Psaltis debacle

the non Roy Yamaguchi involved OUTBACK steakhouse "ROYS"......or closer to home the post Tony Clark..."Tony Clarks".

That's America, seriously if I could sell my name, buy a Ferrari, a pimping condo ...and not have to work...I would be first in line.

In my opinion, it seems almost better to just rename the restaurant and start afresh than to window dress it with some "licensing/consulting deal".

Uninvolved licensing deals have proven themselves to be as effective as strategically re-arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic.

Dont get me wrong.....there are excellent reasons to keep the name "Lacroix" after Jean marie is gone.

1. His prestige is undisputed and deeply respected.

2. you save money on stationery,china,book matches ect ect.

WHat's left to see is if the public buys it.......

People still bought Yves saint Laurent stuff even though karl Lagerfeld was designing it but his name was equally presitigious.

BMW makes Mini coopers.

Honda owns Acura

Toyota owns lexus and lots of people who refuse to buy japanese products drive Lexi..(plural of lexus)

So people are apparently cool with window dresssing......

and On and on.....

Matt levin's food and Jean Marie's food is like having keith Haring take over Cezanne's studio...

BUT

At the end of the day, if the food tastes good, I hope that is all that matters.

I really hope so.

Edited June 6, 2006 by Vadouvan (log)

[Vadouvan]

By the way Matt.

Georges Perrier is like the queen of England.

His retirement will co-incide with his funeral.

He is the last passionate Frenchie who takes this food thing seriously .

[mrbigjas]

So the scoop is JML (The man) is history and actually retired now.

BUT............

The restaurant retains his name in some kind of Licensing deal.

yeah that was in michael klein's column--i think lacroix was out of there as of 6/1, wasn't he?

Matt levin's food and Jean Marie's food is like having keith Haring take over Cezanne's studio...

BUT

At the end of the day, if the food tastes good, I hope that is all that matters.

I really hope so.

me too! especially since i gotta use this gift certificate. guess i'll be the guinea pig--i think i'll give things a couple months to shake out.

[matthewj]

eloquent as usual V. You and i kow that this is now a money grab. They should have kept Jim Coleman if this was to be the out come. Like i said before and i will say it again a 5 million dollar waste of time. Ask Marty how he feels about it

[Vadouvan]

Matt, we grew up in this biz together, now you know why I always said I would never work for a hotel even with full medical benefits and they drove me to the doctor's appointments in a Maybach.

Edited June 6, 2006 by Vadouvan (log)

[matthewj]

This is the eqivalant of giving Daniels to Rocco Despirito. I wonder what chef has to say.

[Vadouvan]

More like giving Daniel to Wylie Dufresne.

Dont get wrong, Wylie is Gajizibrilliant, just not what those upper east side stiff upper lip long in the tooth crowd are expecting.

[matthewj]

I know what you and i think, but i would really interested o know what everyone thinks as well. Perception is a funnny creature. Especially since we are in the game.

My other question is a general, but still appropriate. I believ that you, V, and Mark Vetri are the sole carriers of this task. NO?

[matthewj]

I would also add that his job is slightly easier, since all the hard work of organizing, ordering and systems are put into place. All he has to do is not mess it up and create something close to Lacroix's food... err did i say Lacroixs food? That is not as daunting task as it seems. But brunch is going to be a bear.

[Sartain]

Boy, get buried in work miss out on the scoop.

I was there for brunch last Sunday and I did miss Chef's presence. The food was a little off, but only a little (fewer interesting combinations, less perfectly cooked) and the kitchen was a little less precise. I chalked it up to Chef not being around that day. Now it will be really interesting to go back and see.

Nevertheless, the Upper East Side stiff upper lip crowd were certainly wowed. I kept seeing them at the stations falling over themselves to get to the food. It was quite a sight.

[matthewj]

like I said V perception is a funny monster. Chef not there = not as good. No offense S. SOmetimes things were not always what they seemed.

There is no lion in the kitchen any more. Only mice playing dress up

[Sartain]

No offense taken, Matt. There were a couple of false notes in the brunch, such as roasted veal short ribs that were tough, and a uni-pekee toe crab shooter that didn't quite work (rich yet dull), but for the most part the quality was there. Some kitchen staff had that bewildered look about them that never left their eyes when I was in the kitchen, but that may have to do with the women eating right there on the buffet line and exclaiming "I've never seen such food!" or the man who randomly snatched a tablecloth from a rolling-by cart.

[matthewj]

Looks like they did not check to see if the short ribs had braised long enough. Rookie mistake. Should not have been made. And the uni and crab combo, especially with peeky to too watery, needs to be drained and well seasoned to make it worthwhile, . I could expect niether was done correctly. Like I said the Mice are dressing up.

[KatieLoeb]

Whoa! Major inside scoop/dirt going on here.

Keep talking amongst yourselves...

[murkcury]

The departure of chef lacroix will certainly have an impact on the food. The bigger issue, however, is that the kitchen has too few good cooks who actually know what they are doing or care about it. Their turnover has been mind-boggling in the past two-three months. Yes, chef's presence kept everyone operating at a higher level, but if your line cooks and sous chefs are relatively inexperienced and don't make the grade ...well, draw your own conclusions. I guess what i'm trying to say is that if standards have slipped recently there is more than one logical explanation.

[matthewj]

The departure of chef lacroix will certainly have an impact on the food.  The bigger issue, however, is that the kitchen has too few good cooks who actually know what they are doing or care about it.  Their turnover has been mind-boggling in the past two-three months.  Yes, chef's presence kept everyone operating at a higher level, but if your line cooks and sous chefs are relatively inexperienced and don't make the grade ...well, draw your own conclusions.  I guess what i'm trying to say is that if standards have slipped recently there is more than one logical explanation.

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I agree with that whole heartedly, sounds like you have spent some time in that kitchen. If so when, may i ask. The inexperience of the kitchen is chefs fault he had a slew of great talent over the last 6 years he has been there and I am not even speaking of my self. He had plenty of great staff. He blew it. The hotel blew and they are going to feel it. The pastry department has a great staff, and a great chef . My bets are he is the best in the city. He is the most versitile and most senior staff. He is aslo the most creative It may take about 6 months to feel the overall effect. I

[Vadouvan]

The real issue is whether the hotel management/Food and Beverage directors will not Alienate all the people from leaving.

Murkury is right, think of it Matt, the Lacroix I remember no longer has any of the solid people who were there in the beginning, The 20/21 crew Maslowski et al........Sean at Bistro du Vent, Jared B., Brinn.....You.........really straight up good cooks.

Its going to hinge on if the cooks believe in the new chef.

Any young chef would kill to have that kind of stage to show his or her talents but then again the hotel reponsibilities like lunch and brunch kill you and your passion.

We shall see what happens.........but I hold out hope.

Everytime I hear Matt Levin's name, I think of "Truffle juice ice cubes" from Laban's review.

He loved Moonlight in New Hope and declared him a rising star.

I never got to make it there because the entire dining room was painted white down to the last detail and I felt like I would look like Yoda from star wars at a sorority tea party.

[matthewj]

I know chef, I know the management. I know what they will, and won't do. They won't do much. they are always a day late and a dollar short. Chef could have avoided this two years ago. This could have gone better. Funny everytime I think of Matt Levin. I think of his ecargot and hazelnuts, at Moonlight. Oh wait. That was someone elses dish.

My question is why did they so quickly went with this path.. It seems should i say rushed. And to have a person who has never worked for Lacroix take over seems a bit. Should I use a chef Phrase "strange"

[matthewj]

I know chef, I know the management.  I know what they will, and won't do.  They won't do much.  they are always a day late and a dollar short.  Chef could have avoided this two years ago.  This could have gone better.  Funny everytime I think of Matt Levin. I think of his ecargot and hazelnuts, at Moonlight.  Oh wait.  That was someone elses dish.

My question is why did they so quickly went with this path.. It seems should i say rushed.  And to have a person who has never worked for Lacroix take over seems a bit.  Should I use a chef Phrase "strange"

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I loved making brunch, Who do you think got the kitchen brunch going in the first place.

[Vadouvan]

Brunch was excellent.

My previous mention of marigold just referred to the delicious dishes without 700 item menu like Lacroix or 4 Seasons.

Apparently Dom Filoni got a better offer at the DC 4 seasons, more money, dinner only.

[matthewj]

less money.