Go Forth, Gerry Hayden & Claudia Flemming!

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Husband-and-wife team Gerry Hayden and Claudia Fleming are striking out on their own, taking the Amuse concept and name with them to a new, as yet undisclosed location, according to The New York Times. "Claudia and I have wanted to do a restaurant, just the two of us, and we're looking for a smaller place," Gerry told the Times. Gerry is one of Charlie Palmer's longest and best known protegees, so I have followed his career closely. In Super Chef I wrote about him at The River Cafe with Charlie Palmer (p.53), becoming Palmer's executive chef at Aureole New York (pp. 83-84), and opening Amuse with former Palmer partner Steve Tzolis. Claudia was formerly pastry chef at Tom Colicchio's Grammercy Tavern until she left, first for Pret-a-Manger and then to join husband Gerry at Amuse. Among her many accolades is a listing and article in TIME Magazine among their top ten of most important innovators in the Culinary Arts in the past century. I certainly am looking forward to the rebirth of their baby! Previous articles Elections East 2: Washington Sports Night Charlie Palmer Ties as Washington's No. 1 Steakhouse Larry Forgione: "An American Place" For American Cities Charlie Palmer: Bipartisan Turf Surfs the Hill Don Pintabona Advises Innovation