Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Au Revoir, Lutece
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 11, 2004
Modified Mar 6, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 11, 2004
Modified Mar 6, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
New York City's French dining landmark, Lutece, will close it doors on at the end of the week, making its last service, Valentine's Day dinners, bittersweet. With the opening of Lutece in 1961, founder and chef Andre Soltner (right) helped elevate dining in New York to new heights. He sold the four-star Lutece in 1994, and even though the cuisine remained strong (it was given three stars), many still associated it with Soltner. Eric Asimov notes that with the closing of Lutece and La Cote Basque, and the emergence of the Time Warner Center restauarants, the fine dining guard has changed in New York.
Two of Lutece's signature dishes were an Alsatian tart and a sauteed foie gras with dark chocolate sauce and bitter orange marmalade. Gothamist never had the chance to dine there, but now we can think about what it must have been like the next time we eat foie gras...or some dark chocolate or toast with marmalade.
Buy the Lutece cookbook. Or check out the French Culinary Institute's Salute to Healthy Cooking, co-edited by Soltner.
Tagged
André Soltner
books
city
cooking
Culinary Institute
dining
eric asimov
food
french culinary institute
gothamist
headlines
new york
new york city
three stars
Time Warner
time warner center
valentine's day
Warner Center
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Sep 12, 2026
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
Is it worth the high price and ridiculous wait? Gothamist needed to find out.
By
Sonia Rao
Food
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
Is it worth the high price and ridiculous wait? Gothamist needed to find out.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Can a congressional candidate's dumpling diplomacy win over Queens’ immigrant communities?
By
Caroline Shin
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .