Lucinda O’Sullivan’s restaurant review: Jean-Georges at The Leinster, serves high-level, happy food that lives up to the hype

Despite being wary of the advance fanfare, our critic was blown away by the superb fare at the new Jean-Georges at The Leinster in D2

Native lobster, tender celeriac, green curry. Photo: Lucinda O'Sullivan

Lucinda O'Sullivan

I’ve never been the type of critic that’s influenced by gushing press releases or fawning invitations but, I have to say, with Jean-Georges at The Dean Group’s new hotel The Leinster, the experience lived up to the hype. When most people think of celebrity chefs, the first names that probably spring to mind are Gordon Ramsay or Marco Pierre White.

I’d wager that not many people here — apart from high-flyers, industry insiders and box-ticker foodies — will have heard of Jean-Georges Vongerichten who, while not quite as prolific as Mickey D’s, has 13 restaurants in New York City alone, his flagship being his eponymous 2-Michelin Star restaurant on Central Park West. However, even the best are rebuked by the rubber-tyre man in case they get too uppity, for this was 3-Star until 2018 when they stripped him down to 2-Star. Anyway, Michelin always like to cause a furore, so I don’t put any meas on that.

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