NYC's Star Chef Shines in Hamptons

BRIDGEHAMPTON, NY - The most exciting culinary news in decades has the Hamptons buzzing: Jean-Georges Vongerichten has brought his extraordinary vision and taste to Topping Rose House in Bridgehampton.

Bravo's Top Chef head judge Tom Colicchio, who spends weekends with his family at his renovated Mattituck farmhouse on the North Fork, according to Travel + Leisure, was the first to bring farm-to-table dining to the highly anticipated South Fork restaurant when the historic property opened its doors in 2012. He brought in the crowds, but according to Zagat, Colicchio and his Craft restaurant group parted ways with Topping Rose House's owners two years later.

Now things are changing once again at Topping Rose House, with the debut of Vongerichten — who has been feeding A-listers, foodies and socialites ever since he first opened NYC's JoJo in 1991. His super chef status was confirmed when The NY Times food critic Ruth Reichl declared: "His food took my breath away."

Today he carries on the tradition with Jean-Georges in NYC's Trump Hotel and ABC Kitchen in NYC's ABC Home and Carpet; along with other hot spots in places as diverse as Japan, St. Barths and Chicago. He also, with his son, runs the acclaimed Perry Street in NYC's West Village in the soaring Richard Meier-designed north Perry Street tower, home to celebrities such as Hugh Jackman and his family.

We are betting there will be lots of famous faces vying for a table at his newest creation as East Hampton's own Martha Stewart is a fan of her friend Vongerichten.

The French-born Vongerichten vows to continue the farm-to-table tradition, using produce from Topping Rose's one-acre farm, along with locally sourced fish and ingredients grown on other local farms, both his website and the Topping Rose sites say.

Vongerichten wants to celebrate the seasons, keeping the menu diverse as he serves breakfast, lunch and dinner all year round.

One of his specialities already unveiled is pasta with clams. So take a deep breath and let the Hamptons' feeding frenzy begin in style.