Founded by famed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Jean-Georges are a series of Michelin award winning restaurants with several locations around the United States, all of them serving Vongerichten’s unique blend of traditional French cuisine with an Asian twist.
Born on the outskirts of Strasbourg, Alsace (France), Jean-Georges Vongerichten spent his youth traveling through Asia, where he was inspired by the color, vibrancy, and endless possibility of Asian Cuisine.
Inspired to create his own fusion of Asian cuisine, and the French recipes of his youth, Vongerichten opened his first restaurant in London (Jean-Georges at the Connaught), a stylish, lavish affair overlooking the opulent and ever fashionable Mount Street in the heart of Mayfair.
There are a number of Jean-Georges restaurants around the United States, including:
The flagship restaurant is ‘Jean-Georges’ based at 1 Central Park West, on the lobby level of the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Manhattan, and is a two time Michelin award winning restaurant (You might also want to check out Does River Café Have A Vegetarian Menu?).
There are also other highly rated and successful locations around the world, including:
The flagship restaurant alone in Trump Tower has received several prestigious awards within the city.
Considered one of the top five best French restaurants in the United States, according to the Michelin Guide, Jean-Georges also remains one of the few restaurants in the city of Manhattan that is consistently awarded 4 stars by the New York Times, and as such has become a New York institution without certain circles (Also check out The Very Best Gourmet Vegetarian Restaurants In New York).
Famed for his crisp chef whites, and his fusion of classic French dishes with influences from Asian cuisine, there are countless gourmet recipes that can be sampled and enjoyed by guests lucky enough to get a reservation.
While options may differ, depending on the location around the world, the main menus within the United States are the Six Course Omnivore, and the Ten Course Omnivore.
At $268 dollars, the Six Course Omnivore menu consists of crispy Tasmanian sea trout sushi, sweet corn veloute with black truffle, caviar with crispy potatoes, sea urchin, and yuzu, yellowfin tuna ribbons with avocado, radish, ginger dressing and chili oil, king crab dumplings with goldbar squash broth and lemon balm, and black sea bass with banyuls vinegar, and brown butter jus.
At a slightly more elevated price of $338 dollars, the Ten Course Omnivore menu features all of the 6 courses above (albeit subtly changed) with added courses of egg toast with caviar and herbs, madai sashimi with chanterelles and golden berry vinaigrette, heirloom tomato with summer fruits, rose gelee and basil, Maine lobster with market corn and spiced coconut emulsion, Hudson Valley foie gras with umeboshi sake, shiso and vanilla, charred duck breast with za’atar, cannellini beans, and aleppo pepper savory infusion, and stone fruit flowers served with lemon verbena, apricot, and red currants.
For vegetarians, Jean-Georges also offers a Six Course Vegetarian menu, offering many of their signature fusion style dishes without any meat or animal products.
There are some differences with this menu, as obviously changes had to be made to avoid using animal products or meat.
Nevertheless, it remains a delicious range of options, including crispy avocado sushi, sweet corn veloute with black truffle, itachi cucumber with tonburi, nigella, and cashew-lemon dressing, artichoke with Fresno chili-garlic emulsion and fragrant herbs, black truffle with silen tofu, fava beans, and yuva, corn ravioli with heirloom cherry tomato and basil fondue, crispy maitake mushroom with black sesame tahini, turmeric honey, and togarashi, and a summer berry ‘garden’ served with almond sucree and Sicilian pistachio.
The price for the vegetarian Six Course menu is cheaper than the other two, with a price tag of $198 dollars per person.
This is obviously cheaper due to the exclusion of the meat, seafood, and caviar, all of which can fluctuate (depending on market price), and are generally more expensive items due to the work and preparation involved.
While the thought of paying hundreds for meals might seem outlandish to some people, those who travel in these circles would consider this reasonable in the great scheme of things.
And while the vegetarian menu offers cheaper combinations (due to no meat), the service that is being paid for is the experience - one that is built on classic French cuisine, and infused with distinct notes of Asia (specifically Japan).
So, if you are in the fortunate position to be able to afford, and indeed experience this menu, then we would say that yes it is indeed worth it - if only to experience a global phenomenon that has especially taken the United States by storm.
Despite being somewhat exclusive in terms of price and experience, it couldn’t be simpler to get a table at most of the American locations.
Prospective guests can make reservations through Jean-Georges website, specifying which restaurant they would like to choose.
They should then specify the number of people in their proposed party, and the date and time they would like to dine.
Guests can also make reservations over the telephone, specifying the same information to the person on the other end of the phone.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a prestigious restaurant if they didn’t offer private parties and events, however there are certain things you have to do before that is possible.
They will need to either telephone, or go to the Jean-Georges website, where under ‘special events’ they can fill out the required enquiry form, stating their personal details, additional information, the number of guests, and the times they have in mind.
Bear in mind that Jean-Georges only operates from Tuesday through Saturday, and from 4.30pm to 9.30pm.
And there we have it, everything you need to know about Jean-Georges, and the menu options they offer to guests.
If you happen to be close by, and fancy an indulgent treat, then why not sample some of their wares? Something tells me you won’t be disappointed!
