Gabriel Kreuther

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

The Chef Behind the Name

Gabriel Kreuther spent the first decade of his career cooking in Michelin-starred kitchens across Germany, France, and Switzerland before making his way to New York. He passed through La Caravelle, took a leadership role at Restaurant Jean-Georges, and then spent nearly a decade as Executive Chef at The Modern, where his cooking earned sustained critical praise. Food & Wine named him one of its Best New Chefs in 2003; the James Beard Foundation followed with its Best Chef: New York City award in 2009. In June 2015, he opened the eponymous restaurant on West 42nd Street, fusing classic French technique with his Alsatian roots and his adopted city's energy.

A Room That Tells a Story

The dining room is a quiet declaration of where Chef Kreuther comes from. Reclaimed wooden beams reference the half-timbered houses of Alsace; hand-painted regional patterns warm the walls. Forty-two crystal storks hang from the ceiling, flying eastward toward his hometown of Strasbourg. Amber glass lampshades and white leather stools anchor the bar, while plush banquettes fill the lounge. Forbes Travel Guide, which awards the restaurant its Five-Star distinction, notes that the décor "feels retro but not dated" and that the waitstaff "strikes the ideal balance — attentive without hovering." Across the street, Bryant Park adds a rare patch of green to the Midtown backdrop.

What's on the Table

The menu reads as a conversation between Alsatian tradition and New York ambition. Shared starters include the Applewood Smoked Bacon Tarte Flambée with crème fraîche and onion — the dish most immediately rooted in the Alsace region — alongside a Sturgeon & Sauerkraut Tart finished with applewood smoke and Imperial Kaluga caviar. The foie gras, cited specifically by Forbes as a must-try, appears both as a La Belle Farms terrine with madeira gelée and brioche, and as a seared preparation with roasted orange and grand marnier gastrique. Main courses range from Gently Poached Nova Scotia Halibut with a comté crust and smoked mussel nage to a Two Week Aged Hudson Valley Duck Breast with Sicilian pistachio and sour cherry jus. Pastries arrive from a glass sculpture; a waiter shaves fresh wasabi tableside; the cheese course is plated on antique china. Each detail is considered.

Dinner offers a three-course menu, a four-course option, and a Chef's Alsatian Tasting Menu. Lunch, served Wednesday through Friday, follows a similar structure at a shorter format. The wine program holds a Wine Spectator Grand Award.

Beyond the Main Dining Room

For a more intimate experience, the Kitchen Table — a private chef's table overlooking the open kitchen — seats up to ten guests and is served directly by the culinary team. The Bar & Lounge serves the full menu à la carte in a more relaxed setting. Two private dining rooms, combinable for groups of up to 150, handle everything from corporate dinners to celebrations. Chef Kreuther and business partner Eben Dorros have also built Kreuther Handcrafted Chocolate, a separate brand combining New York-inspired flavors with French confectionery craft.

The restaurant holds membership in both Relais & Châteaux and Les Grandes Tables du Monde — two of the most selective hospitality associations in the world — and was named among the New York Times' 100 Best Restaurants in New York City.