Behind Amuse

The story of Amuse’s proprietors, CJ Reycraft and Julianne Hodges, is one about love: love of good food, of all things French, and of one another.

Both found their passion for food early in life. For Ms. Hodges it was a global affair, from spending time with her family’s roots in Southern France, to kitchen work in Israel while on a kibbutz. Chef Reycraft knew from his first restaurant job as a line cook that he was most at home in the kitchen.

Chef Reycraft and Ms. Hodges received classical training at The French Culinary institute in New York City, which boasts countless influential alumni, including Momofuku’s David Chang, wd~50’s Wylie Dufresne, to Food Network personality Bobby Flay.

Hodges and Reycraft met while working at Westfield’s Chez Catherine in 2011, and have been inseparable ever since. In his time at Chez Catherine, Chef Reycraft created seasonally inspired classic French dishes from tasting menus to dessert, that The Newark Star Ledger called, “well­-focused dishes that consistently hit a high mark, each presenting a visual that matches the taste” in addition to awarding him their “Best French” award for six consecutive years.

When frequent patrons Jim and Missy Ford approached Reycraft about opening a restaurant together he knew it was fate. Proud of their Westfield roots, they were delighted to settle into a beautiful space downtown a building that was a post office at the turn of the 20th century.

The team behind Amuse are inspired by the beautiful simplicity of fresh local ingredients, French food culture, seasonality, and the Westfield community.