NEW YORK

• Adieu to two friends. Joseph Baum, one of America's most influential restaurant consul-tants, died on October 5 at the age of 78. With his partner Micheal Whiteman, Baum was the creative force behind Windows on the World (both the original and its makeover), The Rainbow Room, and many other world-famous culinary addresses. Baum, known for creating a "total restaurant experience," won a James Beard Foundation Outstanding Service award in 1994 (Rainbow Room), and our Lifetime Achievement award in 1997. The restaurant world lost another friend on September 7, when Glenn Bernbaum, the man behind Mortimer's, died at age 76. Mortimer's, opened in 1976, is the unassuming East 76th Street restaurant favored by celebrities and socialites. Bernbaum was also active in raising money for the AIDS Care Center in New York.

• Larry Forgione has parted ways with Ark Restaurants after a ten-year partnership. Forgione will retain ownership of An American Place in Manhattan and Rhinebeck, and Beekman 1766 Tavern at the Beekman Arms Hotel. Ark has taken over the Grill Room at downtown's World Financial Center.

• Wait until dark. The owners of Harry's, at Hanover Square, have transformed the historic India House, in the Financial District, into a restaurant by night. Bayard's, under chef Luc Dendievel (Waterloo), has a French-Mediterranean menu.

• Sam Hazen (Cascabel) is now executive chef at Tavern On The Green..

• Steven Picker (Sarabeth's) has opened Campo, a country-style eatery serving pan-American fare, in the West Village. Menu standouts include citrus-glazed cod in banana leaves, pineapple-chile pork tenderloin with yuca, and smoked-pork ropa vieja on garlic bread.

• Dean Willis, who cooked briefly at Midtown's The Garrick, has moved downtown to Salient, which occupies the former Niota space. Begin with seared foie gras and quince chutney before moving on to salmon tournedos with cabbage-potato knish.

• Luca Lounge is the latest hotspot on the upwardly mobile area of Avenue B between 13th and 14th Streets. Chef Vito DiTomaso prepares pizzette, cheese plates, and pasta. Think dark wood, tin ceiling, and exposed beams, and music that ranges from Tony Bennett to salsa as the evening progresses.

• Rande Gerber, the entrepreneur behind the Paramount's Whiskey Bar, has unveiled Whiskey Park, a swanky joint on Central Park South complete with doorman and plenty of attitude.

• Sud is the latest cozy French cafe to open in the West Village. The Gallic fare, such as steak maître d'hôtel and duck with peaches, shares space with Tunisian dishes like rose-petal couscous.

• Newcomer Surya pairs stylish digs with innovative French-Indian cooking, guided by restaurateur Raji Jallepalli.

• Yorkville's La Fourchette show-cases the cooking of Marc Murphy (Cellar in the Sky) in a sophisticated setting.

• Serge Raoul, owner of the hip Raoul's in SoHo, has opened Seppi's in Le Parker Meridien hotel. Executive chef Claude Alain Solliard does French-Alsatian fare; also on hand is a tarot card reader.

• With all the rigors of the restaurant biz, some still find time for romance. Alan Harding met his future bride, Leslie Parks, at the former Nosmo King in TriBeCa, where he was the chef and she a line cook. They were married on August 22. Last December, Harding opened Patois in his Carroll Gardens neighborhood. Similarly, with their late hours, it's amazing that Theresa Masagal and Bowie Fu, both managers of Blue Ribbon Sushi, were able to court. The two were married August 24 at the latest Blue Ribbon incarnation, Blue Ribbon Bakery.

• Velvet 51 on Avenue A is the latest lounge-cum-restaurant to hit the downtown scene. Opened by Andrea Cohen, formerly of Velvet, Velvet 51 will serve eastern seaboard fare such as lobster rolls and fried oysters.

• A little bit of France has come to Fort Green, Brooklyn. Chez Ozkar, Charles Sorel's new bistro, offers classics such as escargots and steak au poivre.

• The venerable Le Cirque celebrated its 25th anniversary in September with a star-studded gala thrown by its owners, the Maccioni family.

• Rozanne Gold, now celebrating her 14th year as culinary director of Joseph Baum & Michael Whiteman Co., has penned her latest cookbook, Recipes 1-2-3 Menu Cookbook (Viking).

• Les Célébrités new chef Luc Dimet has launched his fall menu. One tempting offering is seaweed-flavored steamed turbot in a late-harvest Gewürztraminer sauce with lemon risotto.

• The Hynes Bros. Cafe and Bar is a new drinkateria in Chelsea featuring a D.J. and menu items like smoked-salmon pizza.

• Seen Lippert (Chez Panisse, Across the Street) is overseeing the kitchen of Matthew Kenney's Metrazur in Grand Central Terminal.

• Speaking of trains, Tupelo Grill, the new restaurant from the owners of Dakota Bar and Grill and Bobby Van's, is across from Penn Station in a space designed by JLS Designs. The restaurant is billed as a steakhouse for everyone, which means extensive seafood selections for non-meat eaters.

• Club Raleigh at the Oaks is the brainchild of Rob Miketa (Hot Tomato). The former West Village speakeasy provides nightly entertainment and upscale comfort food.

• At Fresco On The Go, located next door to Fresco by Scotto, the Scotto family is offering its popular Tuscan fare for takeout.

• West Chelsea continues to send forth new restaurants, the latest being the tranquil Wild Lily Tea Room on West 22nd Street, the perfect place to rejuvenate while visiting area galleries.

• Zona del Chianti, the two-year-old Midtown eatery serving home-style Tuscan food, has become the more elegant Chianti. With the new name comes a new look and a new chef, Scott Conant (San Domenico).

• Caviarteria opened its fourth location, this one in the Soho Grand Hotel, offering its trademark selection of caviars and Champagnes by the glass.

• Privé gives Gramercy Park diners contemporary cooking at reasonable prices, thanks to owner Carlos Asencio and chef Rob Weland (Marguery Grill).

• André Renard, pastry chef of The Essex House, has been named the restaurant's executive chef.

• Hudson River Club executive sous-chef Matthew Maxwell has been promoted to executive chef.

• Aldo Bozzi has opened Osteria del Mezzaluna on Fifth Avenue, a stylish younger sister to his Mezzaluna on the Upper East Side. The 100-seat restaurant serves pan-Italian dishes of pizza, pasta, and grilled meats.

• City Bakery has launched Maury's Cookie Dough, a refrigerated line of all-natural cookie doughs in flavors like oatmeal raisin, peanut butter, and gingerbread, for sale in supermarkets and specialty food stores. Oh yes--there's chocolate chip, too.

• This month's International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show features a demonstration kitchen hosted by Michael Batterberry of Food Arts. Among those scheduled to strut their stuff are Laurent Manrique of Gertrude's, demon-strating how to prepare duck; Florian Bellanger of Le Bernardin and Jacques Torres of Le Cirque 2000, making pastry; and Anne Rosenzweig of The Lobster Club, demonstrating shrimp dishes.

• Superstar pastry chef Bruno Feldeisen has left 5757 in the Four Season's Hotel to move on to new ventures in Washington and Toronto. See Dateline under those cities for details.