Charles Masson, Proprietor

 Photography: Ron Manville

Since 1962, savvy New Yorkers have turned to La Grenouille as a bastion of classic French haute cuisine, while out-of towners have made the restaurant a gastronomical mecca. Connoisseurs of fine food find in La Grenouille a place to dine, not 'eat out.'

Less well known is the classic French restaurant's private dining room, where light shines in through skylights and 18-foot leaded windows, gracing exposed brick walls crossed with oak beams. The room is warmed by a large wood-burning fireplace, and cabinets along the walls are filled with vintage wines. Above, a two-tiered balcony expands the room's capacity to up to 70 guests, as well as making a fine perch for hired musicians. Tables are topped with copious floral arrangements, which owner Charles Masson tends with affection equal to his passion for food.

In fact, Masson keeps a close eye on all that happens in the restaurant, from the service to the exceptional napery. Event guests will find that food, flowers, and service are exactly as if they were dining in the main salon downstairs.

Masson is at the restaurant every day for lunch, dinner and, often as not, first thing in the morning, "just to turn on the lights." It's that kind of personal involvement and attention to detail that makes frequent guests out of such luminaries as former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Vogue editor Anna Wintour, fashion designer James Galanos, and socialite and philanthropist Brooke Astor.

Booking an event at La Grenouille also affords couples to share in the fascinating history of the building on East 52^nd St. in midtown Manhattan. Built in 1871 as a mews for the Platt family, it originally housed carriage horses and grooms. The property had fallen into some disrepair by the 1930s when Bernard Lamotte, a well-known artist, saw it, fell in love, and took the upstairs room as a studio and apartment. Some of his paintings grace the walls to this day. Visitors to Lamotte's atelier included actors Marlene Dietrich, Charlie Chaplin, and Jean Gabin; author Antoine de Saint-Exupery wrote the first chapters of Le Petit Prince in Lamotte's apartment.

The Masson family acquired the building in the early 1960s and opened La Grenouille; in 1974, Charles, just 19, took over when his father died. The upstairs room was refurbished, retaining the feeling of Lamottes's quarters, and adapted for special occasions: the space is ideally suited for a wedding dinner or engagement party.

For parties and receptions, champagne is the typical pre-dinner cocktail, sipped beside the fireplace. Dinner menus include classic French dishes like le poulet de grain roti grand-mere, served in a rich wine sauce surrounded by fingerling potatoes, lardoons, and pearl onions, and le bass au four dans son fumet au vin blanc (wild bass with fennel) accompanied by a gateau de pommes de terre. Seasonal dishes are always available.

Price and palate dictate wine choices, although Masson prefers not to pair wines to every course. "Wine service can get overcomplicated, which defeats the purpose," he says.

As with all great French cuisine, freshness is the key to a successful group dining experience at La Grenouille. Your meal must never see a heating tray. It must come to the table directly from its kitchen preparation, whether for a party of two or eighty," insists Masson.

Masson typically meets with couples more than once to work out all of the event details. Some clients know exactly what they want to achieve; others need to work out what they wish in food, wines, flowers, and music," he says. "The idea is to meet or surpass what has been decided on for the wedding dinner or lunch."

Written by M.E. Hecht
Photography by Ron Manville