New York City in the 2000s was a collision of legendary places and legendary personalities, an era when dining out often felt wild, cinematic, and unforgettable.

Chef Andrew Molen, whose resume spans some of the city’s most respected kitchens, reflects on the profound impact Chez Josephine and its owner, Jean‑Claude Baker, had on his early career in hospitality.

Jean‑Claude Baker, who described himself as one of Josephine Baker’s adopted children in what she called her “rainbow tribe,” was a larger‑than‑life restaurateur who ran Chez Josephine until his death in 2015.

The restaurant had long been a magnet for artists and performers and Molen was twenty‑nine when he went to work for Baker. Actor Michael Imperioli worked there as a server in the early 1990s, and Harry Connick Jr. played piano at the restaurant several times a week in 1987.

“One of my favorite things to watch was how Jean Claude greeted guests at the door,” Molen recalls. “He would ask, ‘Do you have a reservation?’ If they said no, he would follow with, ‘Do you have enough money to enjoy yourself here?’ in that cinematic French accent.”

“Baker was like a movie director. He would seat people who seemed like opposites next to each other, and within an hour they would be deep in conversation. Four hours and many drinks later, they would leave as old friends.”

From Baker, Andrew learned the art of creating flow in a dining room, the subtle choreography that shapes a restaurant’s energy. Chez Josephine also introduced him to many of the clients and friends he still has today, including the original ladies of The Real Housewives of New York City: Countess Luann, Ramona Singer, and Jill Zarin. They filmed an episode there in 2011.

Today, Molen splits his time as a private chef between New York City, the Hamptons, and South Florida. He says that when he closes his eyes, he can still picture Jean‑Claude Baker racing through the snow in silk pajamas on 42nd Street, a perfect snapshot of a man whose joy and mischief always seemed to arrive in equal measure.

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