Paris In New York

Laurent Tourandel, the passion of a French-trained chef and the style of a real New Yorker...

The sensory thrills of fine cuisine have long compelled Laurent Tourondel. After graduating at Saint Vincent Ecole de Cuisine in France, the talented French cooked his way through some of the world’s most esteemed kitchens.

At Cello, the elegant townhouse on the Upper East Side, he amassed a series of stellar accolades, which propelled him into the public eye. When the restaurant closed its doors, Tourondel continued to create – penning a cookbook, Go Fish, and opening BLT Steak in 2004. The modern American Steakhouse garnered so much praise that he was bound to expand. Expand he did, creating BLT Fish, BLT Prime, BLT Burger, BLT Steak in Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, and the nascent BLT Market at The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park.

1. How does your childhood in France have (or still) influenced your style of cooking ?
I spent my childhood on the coast of France fishing with my grandfather and baking by my grandmother’s side or coaxing rich flavor out of cocottes of braised rabbit or quails with raisin and foie gras. All those smells and tastes have definitely led me towards cooking and are still very influential. France is where I learned to cook and the foundation for everything I have done since then.

2. Why did you come to New York ? How hard or easy was it ? What did you find here ?
I was offered a great job as executive chef of C.T. (Claude Troisgros). I actually left and came back several years later, after traveling in South America, Asia and Africa to research new tastes and new flavors. I have to confess that it’s been great to work here in New York!

3. What made you decide to open a steakhouse ?
I have always loved the American concept of a steakhouse but I wanted to put a twist on it by adding bistro inspired dishes as well. My idea was to offer something simple but wonderful for the palate.

4. According to you, do New Yorkers have a specific palate? What are they fond of? Is there a difference with Parisians' taste?
NY diners are very sophisticated and they are also adventurous. It’s hard to shock them. I like cooking for this type of audience. Parisians eat very traditionally, I think - very well, but mainly French.

5. Do you meet and share your experience with other French chefs in New York?
Yes, indeed. I like meeting with other French chefs - it's fun to talk about what's going on in the French community here in New York!

6. Can you give us your favorite French addresses in New York?
Daniel, Payard, Le Bernardin.

8. What's next for you ?
Right now, I am working on opening BLT Market here in spring 2007 at the Ritz-Carlton New York Central Park as well as several other BLT Steak restaurants in Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, Scottsdale.

BLT Market
Inspired by farm-fresh ingredients, the menu features delectable dishes to match the flavors of the season.
Ritz-Carlton, 50 Central Park South, NYC TEL: 212-308-9100

BLT Steak, NY
BLT Steak combines a bistro ambiance with steakhouse fare, where guests partake in creating the ideal BLT meal with very creative sides.
106E 57th Street, NYC TEL: 212.752.7470


BLT Burger
BLT Burger is where the attitude is casual, the burgers are old-school, and the milkshakes are spiked. At this rough and tumble member of the BLT family, BLT Burger serves tender, 100% beef burgers on soft buns with all the burger trimmings you could desire, including the usual and the unusual suspects like cheese, bacon, avocado and homemade chili.
470 Sixth Ave, NYC TEL: 212.243.8226

BLT Prime
With a 30-foot dry aging room and a menu boasting 20 different cuts of prime beef as well as lamb and veal, BLT Prime is the ultimate carnivore’s locale. Savor entrees like American Kobe Rib Eye served with house-smoked sea salt and Braised Veal Osso Buco with Mediterranean hints of orange…
111E 22nd Street, NYC TEL: 212.995.8500

BLT Fish
Located in an elegant townhouse in Manhattan’s Flatiron district, BLT Fish emphasizes the delicacy of seafood. The upstairs menu features an assortment of whole roasted fishes and composed fish dishes, accessorized by a mix of sides. For more casual dining, visit the BLT Fish Shack on the first floor of the townhouse, and relax like a true sailor. A raw bar boasts ten varieties of shellfish including periwinkles, clams and oysters while other specialties include a luscious clam chowder and Shack staples like crispy Fish and Chips.
21W 17th Street, NYC TEL: 212.691.8888

French Elections Special : Interview with Guy Wildenstein, member of the Assembly for French Expatriates (AFE*) and representing Nicolas Sarkozy in the USA.

PNY contacted the Sarkozy, Royal and Bayrou campaigns and requested an interview with the representative of each campaign. Only the Sarkozy campaign responded.

Guy Wildenstein is the President of the famous Wildenstein Gallery, which has been helping individuals, museums and foundations to build their collections of fine art for the past century. Born in New York from French parents, he has always been involved in the activities of the French community in Manhattan. Guy is board member of different Franco-American institutions such as the Lycée Français, the French-American Chamber of Commerce, the Alliance Française, the Maison de la France at NYU and Columbia, the American society of the Ordre National du Mérite and the American Society of the French Legion of Honor. www.wildenstein.com

Mr. Wildenstein, can the vote of the French expatriates make a difference in the Election of the French President?

Yes indeed, it will…because the number of French expatriates that are registered at the consulates as abroad has increased significantly since the last election in 2002, going from 345.000 to 930.000 voters. In the USA, there are about 100.000 to 120.000 in three main areas: New York, Washington and Miami. So for example, on the East coast, there will be nine locations opened for voting instead of four in 2002. Still, only French citizens that are registered at the Consulates can vote here in the USA. The others will still have to vote in France.

How do you explain this increase of French voters in the USA?

Well, in 2002 everybody was shocked to see Le Pen advance to the second round of the Presidential elections. Voters don’t want to see that happen another time and my guess is that they have decided to get involved even if it means voting from abroad. In addition, everyone saw how just a few votes made the difference in the last US elections in Florida. And last, it seems that the generational change in the candidates -- Nicolas Sarkozy is 52, and Segolene Royal 54--… has both attracted a new generation of voters and given them hope of positive change.

I have to say that I was astonished this past September when we organized a conference with Nicolas Sarkozy here in Manhattan to see that more than 50% of the attendees were young expatriates, which is totally new.

What does Nicolas Sarkozy think about French Expatriates ?

For him, the French who have decided to expatriate, haven’t found in France what they were looking for: the chance to fully express themselves, or the chance to realize the dream of their life. More specifically, he learned during his the visits he has made here that many left with regret, escaping the fiscal strangulation and the lack of flexibility with the 35 hour work week regulations. For those who had made the voluntary choice to come here, let them be the “rayonnement de la France a l’etranger “, (the radiation of France abroad). But for those who didn’t feel that had a choice, “I want to give them the possibility to return” said Nicolas Sarkozy.

Can Nicolas Sarkozy convince them to come back?

The first thing is to re-create the conditions to put France back to work. You cannot be a country of wealth and influence with a population that does not work the same amount of time as the rest of the world, particularly with globalization. Sarkozy wants to reinvigorate the idea of taking pride in work, and encourage and value business success. He also admires the American sense of generosity.

How much contact has Nicolas Sarkozy had with the French expatriates in New York ?

Sarkozy and his team came several times to Manhattan over the last 2 years. Not only is New York a very important area in terms of foreign policy and visibility, but Sarkozy has always admired the French in New York who have overcome the rough and tumble of the system and the difficulty of integration in Manhattan. To succeed here, il faut vraiment en vouloir ! and Nicolas Sarkozy, as a self made-man, is very receptive to that. He started at the bottom and moved up to the ranks little by little.
He has lots of admiration for the United States and is very impressed by the fact that everything is possible here !

What are the specific proposals that Sarkozy has made to help the expatriates?

The biggest proposal is for schooling. For all the students in the French Lycées abroad, the last three years of secondary school from seconde to terminale, (the equivalent of high school), will be free. Those levels really determine the students’ future and that’s why Sarkozy wants to help French expatriates during those years. The number of grants will also be increased for the other classes in primary and elementary school.

Next, Sarkozy wants to put the Consulates at the service of the expat community by reducing the administrative bureaucracy. And finally, Sarkozy wants to eliminate the tax that occurs on the appreciation from the sale of your residence in France.

The Sarkozy campaign has a special website for expatriates at http://francaisdeletranger.sarkozy.fr/

Why did you decide to join Sarkozy campaign?

First, this is a long friendship between the two of us. I have been always impressed by Nicolas Sarkozy. Everyone who saw him on the Charlie Rose Show in March could see how much passion this guy has. You can see right away that he is a man of action just by looking at the flame in his eyes when he talks. And, of course, I was convinced by the soundness of his policies and platform to get France moving forward again. I think he has a real vision on where to take France in the future !

English version of Sarkozy.fr on www.support-sarkozy-france.com

* The Assembly representing French citizens living abroad, includes 155 members representing about two million French expatriates all over the world. The delegates, elected representatives, are entrusted with the task of helping the French expatriate community defending their rights and interests, specially concerning their security and social protection, in front of the French Assembly.

Yves Durif : "A Haircut is a great medium to express yourself and certainly a better accessory than a Hermes Bag !"

Almost ten years ago, Yves Durif opened the doors to his salon, which is nestled in a landmark brownstone in the Upper East Side. A master with scissors, Yves uses French cutting techniques to achieve a distinctive style for each client. It is no wonder then, that he has garnered the trust and loyalty of a discerning, sophisticated clientele ranging from downtown to uptown style-setters, CEOs, celebrities, artists and media. And the list of his supporters continues to grow with such socialite fans as Nina Griscom, Nancy Friday, Nancy Novograd, Erica Jong and Amy Fine Collins. Praised for his styling expertise and respect for the individual, Durif and his staff, provide a high degree personal attention for each client.

Yves, How did you end up in New York City?
I began my career very young in Jacques Dessange’s first franchised salon in Grenoble. Very quickly, I moved to Montreal to open a new salon. And few years later, I met Bruno Pittini, who had just opened the first Dessange in New York City. Very quickly, he offered me a job. Bruno Pittini, the artistic director of Dessange, was famous for bringing the French cutting techniques to the US. He was more like an artist than a stylist and when I came to visit him in NYC, I was taken by the queue in the stairs of clients waiting to be cut by him. I saw Raquel Welsh and Andy Warrhol, and thought, if this is the Hair business then I want to move to NY and join Bruno’s team. It was incredible: a real beehive of creativity. Every hair stylists who worked there at that time became famous: Frederic Fekkai ( www.fredericfekkai.com), Alain Pinon (www.salonaks.com) and so many others…

What’s the difference between the French technique and the English technique?
Well…the two are very different. The English technique is like an artist who paints very close to his canvas with lots of tiny details and sharpness. The hair stylist starts cutting hair by hair, section by section. The angles are hard and edgy. This, in my opinion, severely limits the fit of the haircut to the person. In the French techniques, it is the opposite, we like to step backward, and look at the background first. Bruno used to say, “You have to draw the haircut in your head.” We look at the whole profile of the person, search for the harmonious combination between the hair and the shape of the head. For me, at the end, I want harmonious shapes that remind me of an oval.

How do you adapt this oval shape to the shape of the head itself ?
If you have a “pear” head (pointed on the top but large on the bottom), then I will add more volume on the top part and then get narrow at the bottom. If you have a square face, I will increase the volume a bit on the side and on the top. For a rectangular face, the volume will be added on the sides. Pretty logical...

You like to say that you adopt more a holistic approach to your clients. What do you mean?
I believe it is fundamental to step back from your work. I like to ask a client to stand up first. I look at her body, the way she talks and I try to apprehend her personality. I always start with the sides (many hairdressers will start by pointing a person’s head down, leaving the client wondering what it is happening in the back of her head). By contrast, the sides actually give you a better guide for cutting the back. I start with a classic shape and then I may compose something more angular, with more shape and perhaps more funky. In my view, clients come to get a style not just a cut!

What’s your favorite style for a woman?
I often refer to French movies and Italian movies. I like the mix of the two styles. I like Juliette Binoche’s style or Audrey Tatou’s in Amelie, with a short fringe on the front. Fringe puts the emphasis on your cheekbones and directs the focus to your eyes. Very sassy !
A haircut is a great medium to express yourself and done correctly certainly better than a Hermes bag! Think about it, this is the place on your body where you can let go because hair grows back. Our techniques is designed to create points of interest in the face, so the haircut becomes a real accessory of beauty for a woman.

After living here for so long, do you still feel French?
Yes, because everyone reminds me of it with my accent! New York is a city where you can keep your own identity. You stay who you are. So yes, I am French, I am a New Yorker, but not yet an American.

What are your favorite French places in NY ?
I like to go to the Alliance Française to see French movies (www.fiaf.org), but I definitely would recommend 360, a very good bistro in Red Hook (360 Van Brunt St., Brooklyn, NY 11231, nr. Sullivan St. 718-246-0360).

Haircuts start at $100 and up for staff and $200 with Yves. Coloring cost goes from $95 to $200.

Hush…Yves Durif will open very soon a new concept of salon! Another story to be continued…

Yves Durif
130 East 65th street
212.452.0954
www.yvesdurifsalon.com

Feeling overstressed, jetlagged or sleep-deprived ? It’s naptime at Yelo…….

Nicolas Ronco just launched the new concept of Yelo a month ago-- private cabins that enable you to relax and re-energize naturally in few minutes. So instead of caffeine, there is reflexology treatment or napping in an ideal soundproof and cocooned environment. Going to Yelo may become the new trend for stockbrokers, lawyers, sleep-deprived parents, overtired students, and even partygoers. www.yelonyc.com

Here’s the deal. You sit in a custom designed “zero-gravity” chair (feet above your heart), listen to ambient music of your choice…and fall quickly into a Power Nap (20 to 40min”- $12-$24). The lights gradually brighten to bring you back to reality softly. As a result, your productivity goes up in the short term and you are healthier in the long term. Before napping, you can also get a reflexology treatment where a therapist relieves excessive stress by using finger pressure and massage techniques on your feet, hands and ears.

Nicolas Ronco moved to New York in 1988 for a summer exchange program at Columbia. He then worked for Time Warner in a fast growing division. The “crazy Frenchman” (as they called him at work) fell in love with New York and decided to make his life here.

Nicolas, where did the idea for Yelo come from?
First, I found inspiration in my own background. I grew up in Tunisia where napping is considered as part of the daily routine. Later, when I was working at Time Warner, I saw more than a few of my colleagues taking naps at their desks, and I also felt those “tired moments “where you feel like lying in your bed for few minutes. During my numerous professional trips to Asia, particularly in Japan and Korea, I realized that reflexology centers were like Starbuck coffees – they were everywhere! Asians tend to nap as soon as they can –it is very different than here. And they are some of the most productive people on earth ! There is a real human need to nap.

How long did it take to build Yelo ?
I came back to NYC in 2005 and went to meet with the HR department of Time Warner to investigate the market and see if they would let people get time off for napping. They totally encouraged me. I then came up with a specific concept of short but powerful treatments that work well together and where you don’t need to undress or shower after. Easy, efficient and no-hassle. After raising a bit of money, we then worked on the design of the cabins that are at the center of the concept. We looked in nature and decided to adopt the shape of the beehives: small cabins, still very comfortable a bit like the womb environment and easily transportable.

Who are your clients ?
It is really very New York, meaning quite eclectic. Since we are just across the street, we get people from Hearst and Time Warner. Our customers include a psychotherapist who comes to recharge her batteries on a regular basis, a lawyer for whom Yelo is like a second home. Even though he is a member of a sport club, he prefers Yelo for relaxation. We also have exhausted parents that come to catch up on their sleep as their kids have taken over their beds. Or airline companies which send us their employees and VIPs to recover from jetlag. Interestingly, we definitely have a more masculine clientele than a regular Spa.

Can you tell us more about your New York experience ?
When I first came to New York City for a summer exchange program, I thought it was an amazing place. This is the place I want to be! I then got obsessed to come back afterwards, which I did when I found a job at Time Warner. New York is always a bit harsh when you arrive but very quickly everything becomes easier and you feel more comfortable You are far from people who know you, so you can totally reinvent yourself. Manhattan is both a village and an enormous beast. You get the best of both world.
The other great thing also about NYC is that as a foreigner, I always felt welcome. This tolerance level was very touching for me. I have to be honest I also used a lot of my charm (as a Frenchman) to obtain the forgiveness of my mistakes at work ! I avoided French people at the beginning, but the funny thing was that I met some of them here that I should have met more naturally in Paris. Like Gilles Amsallem who created the French Tuesdays (www.frenchtuesdays.com) who has the same background than me.

Which French locations would you recommend ?
I particularly love Jean-George (www.jean-george.com). I find the service amazing and the food delicious.

Nicolas is planning to open 25 new locations in NYC within the next 5 to 10 years and also branches in hospitals, airports, train stations, malls and big firms. To be continued.......

Yelo
315 West 57th Street | Between 8th and 9th Avenues | New York, NY 10019
212.245.8235
[email protected]
www.yelonyc.com

Interview of the week…BRIGITTE SAINT-OUEN, an American Art Dream

Every week, Paris in New York will interview a French person who has a successful career in New York City.
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Brigitte Saint-Ouen moved to New York 14 years ago. Initially, she was working as director of marketing for Wally Findlay Gallery on 57th Street. After more than a decade, Brigitte decided to create her own gallery, Gramercy 32 Fine Arts to provide a more customized service to corporations, decorators and private collectors. The Gallery specializes in European paintings of fine quality art work spanning 16th century Masters to 21st century. Over the past three years, Brigitte has organized numerous events to promote French painters. 2006 was a fantastic year when Gramercy 32 Fine Arts became the only guest gallery to stage an art exhibit at Sotheby’s. It spanned an entire floor for five days.

How do you sell Art?
I created a huge network of contacts along my 15 years in the business and I communicate with collectors all the time. I send a lot of brochures, personal letters, and I make a lot of phone contact. I also create a lot of events in New York and Miami. I have a monthly Newsletter with information about the gallery, the art scene, and a talkative section about my social life.
To increase my contact list, I am going out four to five times a week to cocktails or events where I make connections. I have now more than 7.000 names in my mailing list.

Being French does that makes any difference for your clients?
I would say it opens doors. People are more willing to talk with me because I am French.
But when I started working with Wally Findlay Gallery, there was always a colleague to ask what I did understand from the meeting to make sure that I listened to the new rules and wasn’t going to do it my own way. My philosophy was and still is: Everything is possible. I always try to find a solution to a problem.
During the French bashing, it was not easy. Nobody had interest in purchasing French artists. So I decided to diversify and I launched a new Photography department at the gallery. I represent an American artist and in collaboration with Kodak we just signed to represent an English photographer in the USA.

Where to meet French people in New York ?
I would say one of the best opportunities is the French Tuesdays (www.frenchtuesdays.com), where we network and dance in a new place every two weeks. Then if you are free during the day, you might want to join Accueil New York, which is planning lots of activities for French Expatriates (www.accueilnewyork.com).

Is it easy to meet French Natives in Manhattan ?
There are actually two types of French in New York. The one who are working in an American company and that you would have hard time to meet because they working long hours.
The other category is the French who are still attached to their country. They haven’t cut the ombilical cord yet. They stay between French people in small and close group. At first they might appear cold but they warm up as soon as you break the ice. They love inviting you for dinner in their house. Get ready to invit them back...that's the rules !

Tell me more about this French artist you have been promoting lately ?
Danielle Le Bricquir ? She is fantastic. She creates very colorful folkloric paintings based on old French legends from Brittany. She loves working with children. Gramercy 32 Fine Arts was able to accompany her to some of the most prestigious private schools in New York City, but what really affected her was the Master Class she gave at P.S.333, a public school in the Bronx. There, she spent time drawing and painting with 6 to 8 year old kids. It was an amazing experience!

Do you have another French artist that you would like to talk bout ?
Right now I have some paintings from Thierry Le Baler. He is influenced by the Nabis, a group of young avant-garde Parisian artists, who in the 1890s developed a decorative and Synthetist style.
His paintings are a study in color. He often repeats the same landscape a number of times with different palettes, exploring mood, tone and emotion.

I would like to invite you to visit my web site, www.32finearts.com . My gallery offers a concierge service. I am very grateful for this interview.

Brigitte Saint-Ouen
Gramercy 32 Fine Arts
32 Gramercy Park South, suite 15d
New York, NY 10003
212.780.0932