La Grenouille Legend Charles Masson Leaves Chevalier After 1 Month

Charles Masson, the beloved manager of La Grenouille for a full 40 years — before he was ousted from the family business in a very public fight that was described as the Shakespearean end result of "a simmering sibling rivalry and a deep mother-son rift" — has left his post as director of Chevalier, the restaurant just one block away, which gladly welcomed his expertise.

In April, when Chevalier finally opened at the Baccarat Hotel and Residences in Midtown Manhattan, Masson described his position as the next chapter in his life after La Grenouille.

Weeks later, it would appear that Masson is ready to start anew once again.

"I was there to launch the restaurant, and now it's time for me to move on," he told The New York Times. "I was fortunate to have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Masson described the split as "totally amicable" and noted that the team would always be welcome to seek his guidance. As for what Charles will do next, he likes the idea of running a more informal restaurant. Otherwise, "I may become a bohemian and just paint."