A biography for Jean-Georges Vongerichtenhasn’t been written yet.
“I love creating new things. It's difficult to be creative once a restaurant's open. People want the same dishes. For me, the creativity is in opening a new place and starting a new menu.”
“A steak is a steak, so I tried to experiment with different side dishes, such as truffle croquettes, and unusual condiments, but I learned that people don't want you to change the steakhouse.”
“Spice Market was just a big investment on lots of different levels.”
“At ABC Cocina and Kitchen, 90 percent of our produce and vegetables come from Union Square, and that's all from upstate New York farmers. We are simply committed to this idea of local, organic food.”
“I drink a lot of juice and eat a lot of vegetables.”
“I grew up in Alsace - in Strasbourg, by the canal; the family business was coal handling. It was still in the days when three generations would live under the same roof. There were 15 people for lunch, 20 for dinner.”
“I spent seven years in France. Then, I went to Asia for five years. I came to London in 1984 and then America in 1985. In 1991, I opened my first restaurant in New York City.”
“The role of a chef isn't to reinvent dishes but to tweak.”
“If we put a vinaigrette together, every part of it is weighed. For the burger, we do a bit of arugula, olive oil - everything is weighed. To the gram.”
“Food is important for me, but as a restaurant group, to expand, you know, we have to look where the best market are - where the best markets are.”
“The house is always full, and we're always cooking - outside, inside, for six, eight, a dozen, 20 people.”
“Cooking at home is easier than cooking in the restaurant because you don't have to write a menu or try to please everybody.”
“I love cooking, but I love the business, too. It's important because a lot of chefs forget the business side and have to shut down after six months.”
“The day of the week changes, but one day in the week I eat vegetarian.”
“My mother worked in a chocolate factory, so when I came home from school, I had a piece of baguette with dark chocolate in it. I remember her smelling like chocolate.”
“I think we're always going to be based in New York. So I would say 50 percent New York and the other 50 percent around the world.”
“I think, as a chef and restaurateur, that you have to take care of your business. Otherwise, you're only as good as your last meal. You have to watch if your food costs are too high, or you could be out of business in no time.”
“For people in London, Asian flavors are always part of the culture, more than in New York.”
“Actually, I'd really love to do something in Bali, up in the mountains. A little restaurant with that scenery would be beautiful.”
“My kitchen in New York City is in the Richard Meier building on Perry Street, so it's ultra-modern: white, glass and transparent. It's 180 square feet, with an induction stove. Everything's hidden, so you don't see the microwave or the fridge.”