Tuesday, June 8, 7:00 pm
Members $90, guests $115

When Simpson Wong first arrived in Manhattan from Malaysia to “experience life,” he wore many different hats before finally settling on a toque. A banker in Kuala Lumpur, in the United States he served as a U.N. liaison for the World Meteorological Organization. He got his certification to be a shiatsu masseur, and he worked with Penthouse magazine when it sought to crack the Chinese market. But on his days off, Wong energetically explored the restaurant scene. From deluxe four-star establishments to unadorned holes-in-the-wall, he ate in them all, absorbing flavors, familiarizing himself with unknown ingredients and cuisines, and finding inspiration for his own cooking.

Eventually it became clear to Wong that food was his real calling. His culinary education had started when he was a boy, helping his ethnic Chinese mother cook meals for the employees of his father’s lumberyard. After Wong came to New York, he gobbled up cookbooks (metaphorically speaking), catered hundreds of parties, and ate thousands of dishes. In 1996, his self-education complete, Wong opened Café Asean in the West Village, a pan-Asian restaurant serving Vietnamese, Thai, and Malaysian specialties. After paying a visit, Eric Asimov wrote in The New York Times that he “love[d] the fresh, direct quality” of the restaurant’s dishes. Not long after, Asean was included in the Times among the 12 reasons to enjoy Vietnamese cuisine in New York City.

But time passed, and Simpson Wong began to feel limited by Asean. He longed for freedom in the kitchen, he longed to express himself. So last year, he opened Jefferson just a couple of doors down from his original eatery. He’s serving highly original East-West creations, such as snapper with caramelized persimmon, grilled toro with foie gras, and black edamame ravioli. Perhaps you saw the place on Sex and the City, when it served as the setting for Miranda’s wedding. But hey, nobody needs to tell us what’s stylish. This year, we nominated the ultrahip Jefferson for a James Beard Foundation award for Outstanding Restaurant Design. Just where does this leave the food? As William Grimes wrote in a flattering review in The New York Times, “Jefferson does noble work. In a small way, it expands the known culinary universe. At a time when restaurants all over town are simplifying and, in many cases, dumbing down, Jefferson has smartened up. Like its namesake, it has faith in the people and in itself. That makes it a good American, in my book.”