Jean-Georges Vongerichten has spent more than five decades building one of the most influential culinary empires in the world, with more than 60 restaurants spanning New York, Miami, Shanghai, Kyoto, Paris, Doha, and beyond.
That global reach can be traced back to a single moment—an unforgettable meal that changed everything. For his 16th birthday, his parents took him out to dinner at the Michelin-starred Auberge de l’Ill in France. “I didn’t know you could make a living out of food,” he says. Two months later, he was washing dishes as an apprentice there.
Since then, he’s cooked for royalty, collaborated with world-class architects, and redefined how people dine. Yet, when asked about his career today, he says, “I’m just warming up.”
A multifunctional room at the Miami Tropic Residences, shown in a rendering, features a communal table and floor-to-ceiling shelving
This fall, he debuts ABC Kitchens in Brooklyn’s DUMBO neighborhood, a single space uniting three of his most beloved concepts into one menu, and the first restaurant he’s designed entirely in-house.
Housed in a former 19th-century warehouse with original beams and whitewashed brick, the space was conceived by Vongerichten alongside his company’s president and CEO, Lois Friedman. “Everything is personal,” he says. Vintage flatware ensures no two guests have the same fork, while antique lamps mingle with contemporary fixtures. “We’ve spent the last couple of years on it,” he adds. “It’s been a lot of creative thought.”
For Vongerichten, design matters as much as the food. He confesses he once dreamed of becoming a designer but struggled in school. Now, he feels like he’s coming back full circle. “Sometimes the menu is the last thing I do,” he says. “I want to sit in every chair, on every corner. I want to touch every piece of silverware. You have to live the space before you share it with a customer.”
A rendering of a lounge at the Miami Tropic Residences, designed by Yabu Pushelberg, layers rich textures with purple accents
This instinct is also shaping his latest endeavor. His first foray outside of the restaurant world, the Miami Tropic Residences is a luxury condominium opening in 2028, conceived by Arquitectonica with interiors from Yabu Pushelberg. His concepts have been in Miami at the EDITION for more than a decade, so when David Martin of development firm Terra Group approached him about a project in the Design District, Vongerichten was clear. “I told him I’d love to be part of this, but not just the restaurant,” he says. “I wanted to help provide the whole lifestyle.”
That begins in the kitchens, where residents can choose from two palettes—one light, the other dark—each designed with chef-level functionality. The residences will also offer curated culinary services such as stocked refrigerators, private chefs, and tableware sets for specific cuisines. Amenities extend beyond the units, with a chef’s kitchen, private dining room, lounges, and ABC Kitchens concept, as well as a pool deck, rooftop pool, recording studio, coworking spaces, an art gallery, game room, and fitness and wellness areas.
Amenities will span the first eight floors of the Arquitectonica-designed Miami Tropic Residences tower, shown in a rendering
As for what’s next, Vongerichten said he has his sights set on creating his own hotel. “It’s the ultimate pampering,” he says. “People come to a restaurant for two hours, but when they stay for two or three days, you have to provide more attention.”
The secret behind his success across many different disciplines is the trust he has with his team. Delegating, he admits, requires compromise, but he knows when to step away. “Tomorrow is a new day,” he says. “Whatever doesn’t work for dinner, you fix for lunch. Whatever doesn’t work for lunch, you fix for dinner.”
A rendering of the lounge-like coworking space at the Miami Tropic Residences
This article originally appeared in HD’s September 2025 issue.
