Cityorkers

What makes you a real paryorker? Having a business in New York and a family in Paris. My daughter who works in the restaurant business lives in Paris, as do my two sisters.

How did you become one? Enjoying New York life and not losing my Parisian heritage.

Do you know any other paryorkers? Michel Bittan who is a real estate entrepreneur and also owns two restaurants in New Jersey. My friend Stephane Santos is also a paryorker and just recently opened a brasserie called “La Voile” in Boston, Mass.

How do these two cities contribute to balancing your personal and/or your professional life? Paris is the capital of “haute cuisine”. I make frequent trips to Paris to keep my finger on the pulse of what the great Parisian chefs are creating as well as new food trends. When I come back, I share this knowledge with my chef John Keller who creates his own unique adaptations.

What’s the difference between the New-Yorker you and the Parisian you? After 15 years in New York, I feel like a New Yorker, but my Parisian side comes back when I am on vacation.

What images do these two cities bring to mind? Paris means romance, family, culture and cuisine. New York means success, business and a very satisfying quality of life.

What’s your fondest memory of Paris? The birth of my daughter Jessica in 1983.

What’s the first thing you do when you set foot in Paris? I pick up my daughter and we go to a French bistro, owned by a friend, called “Le Petit Pergolèse”.

And the last one, when you leave? I shop at the airport and pick up French gifts for my American friends.

What’s the best time of day for you in Paris? I prefer the Parisian nightlife because it is more elegant and sophisticated.

Do you have a ritual that’s intimately related to the city? I go to visit the house I grew up in.

What excites you about Paris? The cleanliness of the city, the architecture of the buildings and the beauty of the museums,

What annoys you? I don’t like the traffic and the slower pace of life compared with New York.