FASHION

Chanterelle’s unseen last menu (sniff)

Manhattan food lovers are still mourning the loss of Chanterelle, the pioneering French restaurant that closed earlier this month. But as much as it was sacred culinary ground, Chanterelle was also a haven for artists,...


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Manhattan food lovers are still mourning the loss of Chanterelle, the pioneering French restaurant that closed earlier this month. But as much as it was sacred culinary ground, Chanterelle was also a haven for artists, many of whom were early clients when the restaurant opened its first location in SoHo in 1979. A tradition was born: The artists would design covers for Chanterelle’s menus, which owners Karen and David Waltuck would change periodically during the year. (Robert Rauschenberg and Matthew Barney were among the many vaunted participants.)

Before Chanterelle’s fate was known the Waltucks had big plans for the restaurant, including a significant renovation and a menu cover by Chuck Close, who, fittingly enough, was one of their first customers. Here it is, below: