Celebrated chef Gabriel Kreuther is launching Saverne, a new French brasserie in New York City's Hudson Yards, on March 2. The restaurant features live-fire cooking and an a la carte menu reflecting changes in diner preferences. Kreuther, an Alsace native, draws from his roots while adapting to New York's evolving dining scene.
Gabriel Kreuther, who arrived in New York in 1997, has built a distinguished career in the city's culinary world. He began at the French institution La Caravelle, later cooked under Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and served as executive chef at Danny Meyer's The Modern for nearly a decade. In 2015, he opened his namesake restaurant at 41 W. 42nd Street overlooking Bryant Park, which received three stars from the New York Times, two Michelin stars, and a James Beard Award.
Kreuther has observed significant shifts in New York dining habits over the years. "This city change from a place where people go out three or four nights a week without thinking twice," he tells Eater, "to one where diners are more conscious of what they want and what they’re spending." In response, Saverne opens on March 2 at 531 West 34th Street, at the base of Tishman Speyer’s Spiral tower in Hudson Yards. Named after a historic town in the Bas-Rhin region of Alsace, where Kreuther hails from, the brasserie emphasizes wood-fired cooking as a return to basics.
The interior includes two rooms: a front area with a brass bar and chandelier, and a back room centered on an open kitchen with a wood-fired oven and grill. Twelve seats face the flames, while raised booths ensure all diners view the action. The a la carte menu highlights fire-cooked mains like half-roasted chicken with chicories and pommes puree ($38), deboned loup de mer grilled skin-side down ($39), and black sea bass cooked en papillote ($45). Tarte flamblees range from $22 to $31, including varieties with mushrooms and house-cured gravlax. A beet spaghetti with oysters, salmon roe, smoked sturgeon, and caviar costs $85. Bar snacks from 4:30 to 7 p.m. include pretzels with horseradish dip, paired with beer.
Kreuther notes the trend toward a la carte dining: "People who go out and eat do not want to spend money on an adventure that they don’t know how it’s going to be. They want to know what they’re gonna get for it." The wine list focuses on small producers at accessible prices for discovery and fun. Desserts, overseen by pastry chef Nicolas Chevrier from the Bryant Park location, include creme brulee, ile flottante, chocolate mousse, and coupes glacées like Mont Blanc ($22).
"This is a place where you know what you’re getting," Kreuther says. "And what you’re getting is good." Saverne joins other New York spots embracing live-fire techniques, such as Or’esh in Soho and Ci Siamo nearby.
