Lutece sale to Ark signals end of an era - classic French restaurant in New York, New York, Ark Restaurant Corp - Brief Article

NEW YORK -- The selling of Lutece, New York's grand pere of classic French restaurants, signals the end of an era for the quintessential New York fine-dining independent.

The purchaser of the 33-year-old restaurant is the Ark Restaurant Corp., which also owns and manages 30 restaurants in the Northeast, including An American Place, America and B. Smith's in Manhattan, Sequoia in Washington and Beekman 1766 Tavern in Rhinebeck, N.Y.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Ark is not planning on making any major changes in the concept, and the staff of 42 has been invited to remain. Andre Solner, who opened Lutece in 1961, will acquire a minority interest in the venture.

The new chef at Lutece will be Eberhard Mueller, a veteran of the four-star Le Bernardin restaurant here. "I'll break him in, and we'll work together," Soltner explained. "I'll stay in at 100 percent for one year at least; then I'll relax a little."

"I'm sad to see him leaving. I feel lonely now. We are two of the oldtime chefs and owners," said Jean Jaques Rachou, owner of La Cote Basque. "I'm upset that he's leaving because he's my friend."

Ark president Michael Weinstein said that the two parties had been in discussion for more than one year. In the past there have been many suitors interested in the property, including Alan Stillman of The New York Restaurant Group, which operates Smith & Wollensky.

Ark may consider opening a Lutece brasserie and possibly launching Lutece food products somewhere down the road, Weinstein said.

"All of us have ideas related to the business," Weinstein said. "We have bought restaurants in the past, and we will continue looking at buying in the future."

Terms of the deal call for Soltner to retain ownership of the townhouse on East 50th Street, where the restaurant is located. Soltner, 62, whose Alsatian-styled cooking has drawn top reviews for many years, said Ark assured him that there would be no significant changes made at the restaurant. "They don't want to interfere," he said.

"I think it's the best thing for all of them," said Sirio Maccioni, owner of Le Cirque. "These days you have to be an entrepreneur, not just a restaurateur."

The name Lutece is derived from the Celtic word for ancient Paris.

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