Renowned Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten expands his New York footprint with Four Twenty Five, a restaurant that perfectly blends culinary excellence with architectural marvel and sustainability practices.
Design
Situated at the prestigious address of 425 Park Avenue in an L&L Holding office tower, Four Twenty Five boasts a remarkable design by the esteemed Lord Norman Foster of Foster+Partners, a recipient of the prestigious Pritzker Prize. Four Twenty Five delivers extraordinary experiences on both its Mezzanine and Street levels. The captivating cocktail lounge and bar downstairs feature 45-foot high ceilings, complemented by a 24-foot painting created by artist Larry Poons and stunning staircase. Enhancing its appeal, the restaurant's Mezzanine level features an intimate dining room suspended above Park Avenue showcasing a stunning open kitchen.
Sustainability
The partnership between L&L and Jean-Georges works so well because they are symbiotic in their approach. Long before Four Twenty Five, Jean-Georges had made an effort and taken necessary steps to promote sustainability in his restaurants, both in the kitchen and the dining room. The building’s green ethos goes hand in hand with how Jean-Georges runs his restaurants. From the lights to the furniture, ingredients and more - conscious decisions have been made to create little to zero carbon footprint.
The restaurants in New York and around the world work with local and organic farms to source ingredients - from produce to meat and dairy. The culinary team puts great emphasis and devotes significant resources to work with local farmers at the Union Square Greenmarket, sustainable seafood suppliers, ethically raised poultry and meat and local artists.
Jean-Georges
A full-circle moment for Jean-Georges. In 1986, Jean-Georges began his New York journey at Lafayette, steps away from Four Twenty Five. In 2023, he opens Four Twenty Five, marking the 62nd restaurant in his repertoire of worldwide restaurants.
Born and raised on the outskirts of Strasbourg in Alsace, France, Jean-Georges' earliest family memories are of food. He began his training in a work-study program at Auberge de I'Ill as an apprentice to Chef Paul Haeberlin, then went on to work under Paul Bocuse and Master Chef Louis Outhier at L'Oasis in southern France. With this impressive three-star Michelin background, Jean-Georges traveled to Asia and continued his training at the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok, the Meridien Hotel in Singapore and the Mandarin Hotel in Hong Kong.
It was during this time spent working and traveling throughout Asia that Jean-Georges developed his love for the exotic and aromatic flavors of the East. His signature cuisine abandons the traditional use of meat stocks and creams and instead features the intense flavors and textures from vegetable juices, fruit essences, light broths, and herbal vinaigrettes. Jean-Georges’ culinary vision has redefined industry standards and revolutionized the way we eat.