Fans of the iconic Upper East Side eatery La Grenouille are fearing for the restaurant’s future after Charles Masson, the power spot’s gentlemanly general manager, mysteriously left Friday and was replaced by younger brother Philippe.
The move has dismayed upper-crust patrons of the East 52nd Street establishment who wonder whether the spot can survive. “To many, Charles was La Grenouille,” an insider said. “He knew whom to seat where. He trimmed the flowers and was as much a part of the room as the art.”
La Grenouille is the last survivor of Midtown’s fabled “Le’s” and “La’s,” which included La Côte Basque and La Caravelle. It’s served up classic French cuisine to regulars including Carolina Herrera, Manolo Blahnik and Oscar de la Renta for more than 60 years since its launch by patriarch Charles and wife Gisele.
When Masson senior died in 1975, son Charles took over at age 19. Ten years ago, he began drawing a younger clientele by printing the menu in English and loosening the dress code.
But on Tuesday, Philippe — who spent most of the past 15 years taking care of his mother Gisele in Brittany — told us he’s taken over as general manager. He played down any bad blood, telling Page Six, “It’s like a relay, you just hand over the baton. It’s a good thing we’re two brothers that can keep the tradition of this family.”
But sources tell us Charles left after a series of disputes with Philippe. Charles had once previously left in the 1990s after an altercation with Philippe that reportedly got to the point of pulling knives. But Philippe told us, “We just grabbed each other. It was more like wrestling.”
Philippe said it was their mother’s decision to have him take over. He insisted she has no intention of selling and denied any family rift: “My mother owns this place, and she has no intention to sell,” he said. But he cryptically added, “She doesn’t want to be in a situation where she can’t sell her baby.” Asked if the restaurant might be closing, Philippe exclaimed, “Hell, no,” and denied there would be any changes to the dining room or staff.