Rouge Owner to Buy Audrey Claire Taichman’s Two Rittenhouse Restaurants

After two decades running Rittenhouse restaurants Audrey Claire at 20th and Spruce and Twenty Manning Grill, a block away, Audrey Claire Taichman is selling both to Rob Wasserman, who owns another Rittenhouse institution: Rouge, right on the square.

Taichman, 48, long a force in the Philadelphia restaurant scene, told Philadelphia magazine the reason for the sale is she wants to spend more time with her family. She got married a few years ago and has three young kids, and she’s been living in Baltimore.

The sale isn’t final, but Rouge chef Michael Yeamans has also been at Audrey Claire (a BYOB) and Twenty Manning Grill since September.

Rouge originally belonged to influential Philly restaurateur Neil Stein, who passed it to his daughter Maggie and her husband, Wasserman. “[T]here’s nobody else I can think of that understands Rittenhouse Square like he does,” Taichman said of Wasserman to Philly mag.

Taichman is keeping ownership of Cook, her Rittenhouse kitchen that sells housewares and brings in big-name chefs for cooking classes and events.

In addition to Rouge, Wasserman is a partner in Snap Custom Pizza.

• Audrey Claire Taichman to Sell Her Rittenhouse Restaurants to Owner of Rouge [Phillymag.com]
• Audrey Claire selling 2 restaurants to Rob Wasserman [Philly.com]