Imperious superstar chefs tend to present themselves as pristine magicians, floating above the messy day-to-day fray of restaurant life. But if you think the gods of classical cooking are immune to the fickle winds of gimmickry and fashion, you’d be wrong. Jacques Pépin famously worked as a tastemaker for Howard Johnson’s; Paul Bocuse was an early proponent of the microwave oven; and it was Daniel Boulud, of course, who invented the haute hamburger. During the course of his illustrious and hyperkinetic career, however, no one has tried his hand at more gimmicks than Jean-Georges Vongerichten. The great Alsatian chef is famous for fusing Asian flavors with the classical tradition (at Vong, originally). He has dabbled in Vegas steakhouses (Prime Steakhouse), Southeast Asian street food (Spice Market), and dim-sum parlors (66). In deference to the comfort-food craze, his West Village restaurant, Perry St, now serves fried chicken for brunch, and if you have an appetite for overpriced Japanese food, Jean-Georges has a restaurant for that, too (Matsugen).
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