40°44′22″N74°00′27″W / 40.739483°N 74.007572°W /40.739483; -74.007572
| Florent | |
|---|---|
 Interactive map of Florent | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1985 (1985) |
| Closed | 2008 (2008) |
| Food type | French[1][2] |
| Location | 69 Gansevoort Street,New York City,New York, 10014, United States |
Florent was an all-nightdiner in theMeatpacking District ofManhattan that opened in 1985 and closed in 2008.
Florent was located at 69Gansevoort Street, one of the few remainingsett-paved streets inNew York City.[3] In 1985 Florent Morellet took over the R&L Restaurant, which had opened in 1943, and renamed it Florent.[4] The following January, a reporter forNew York magazine referred to it as "New York's hottest downtown eating spot".[5]
Florent was a hub of gay New York. Morellet was diagnosedHIV-positive in 1987 and used to post hisT-cell count on the restaurant's wall menu along with the daily specials.[4] It attracted a highly eclectic clientele.[4][2] It was also known for itsBastille Day celebrations, which started in 1989, the year of the French bicentennial.[6] Other major annual celebrations wereHalloween,New Year's Eve, andOscar Night.[7] Morellet campaigned for the preservation of the neighborhood and became known as "Unofficial Mayor of the Meatpacking District"; he preferred "Unofficial Queen".[2]
The graphic design for the restaurant was designed byTibor Kalman and Douglas Riccardi from M&Co, in exchange for free meals;[4][7] examples are now in theMoMA design collection.[8]
Florent Morellet, the eponymous owner of the restaurant, is the youngest son of French conceptual artist,François Morellet.[1]
Erica De Mane, thefood journalist and cookbook writer, began her cooking career at Florent in 1985.[9]
Florent closed on June 29, 2008, after the landlord raised the rent considerably.[4][1][2] In the last weeks, Morellet held five parties themed after thestages of grief.[4][1]
In May 2011, Magic Lantern releasedFlorent: Queen of the Meat Market, adocumentary history of the restaurant directed byDavid Sigal.[10]
As of September 2015[update],Alan Cumming is planning to co-produce with Sigal and star in aShowtime biography of Morellet focusing on Florent.[11][12]