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Food with Mark Bittman: Jean-Georges Vongerichten

Watching New York change.

Published August 13, 2026

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 I met my friend Jean-Georges Vongerichten in 1987 when he first moved to New York. I could talk about him for a half an hour without stopping — I really could.

Listen to Jean-Georges Vongerichten on Food with Mark Bittman

Jean-Georges is from Strasbourg. He cooked in Asia for five years — Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok. And then he was sent by his mentor to open Lafayette Restaurant at the Drake Hotel in Boston.

He was immediately too great to stay in Boston. This is true. So they moved him to New York, and I think it’s the only time in the New York Times‘ history where Ruth Reichl gave him three stars and then went back six months later and gave him four stars. I met him back then, and we’ve remained friends.

In the course of this podcast, Jean-Georges proposes that we do another book together. Maybe that’ll happen. I’d like that. Enjoy the conversation.

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