Daniel Boulud (born 25 March 1955) is a French
chef
A chef is a professional Cook (profession), cook and tradesperson who is proficient in all aspects of outline of food preparation, food preparation, often focusing on a particular cuisine. The word "chef" is derived from the term (), the di ...
and
restaurateur
A restaurateur is a person who opens and runs restaurants professionally. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who owns a restaurant, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspe ...
with restaurants in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
,
Palm Beach,
Miami
Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
,
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
,
Montréal
Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
,
Singapore
Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
, the Bahamas, and
Dubai
Dubai (Help:IPA/English, /duːˈbaɪ/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''doo-BYE''; Modern Standard Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic: ; Emirati Arabic, Emirati Arabic: , Romanization of Arabic, romanized: Help:IPA/English, /diˈbej/) is the Lis ...
. He is best known for his eponymous restaurant
Daniel, opened in New York City in 1993, which currently holds one
Michelin
Michelin ( , ), in full ("General Company of the Michelin Enterprises P.L.S."), is a French multinational tyre manufacturing company based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes '' région'' of France. It is the second largest t ...
star.
Boulud was raised on a farm near
Lyon
Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...
and trained by several French chefs.
Boulud built a reputation in New York, initially as a chef and more recently as a restaurateur. His
management
Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a Government agency, government bodies through business administration, Nonprofit studies, nonprofit management, or the political s ...
company, The Dinex Group, currently includes fifteen restaurants, three locations of a gourmet cafe (Epicerie Boulud) and Feast & Fêtes Catering. His restaurants include
Daniel,
Le Pavillon, Le Gratin, Café Boulud, Maison Boulud, Joji, and Joji Box, db bistro, Bar Boulud, and Boulud Sud.
Culinary background
At fifteen, Boulud earned his first professional recognition as a finalist in France's competition for Best Culinary Apprentice. Boulud worked in France with
Roger Vergé,
Georges Blanc and
Michel Guérard and later in
Copenhagen
Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
before becoming the private chef to the
European Commission
The European Commission (EC) is the primary Executive (government), executive arm of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with a number of European Commissioner, members of the Commission (directorial system, informall ...
in Washington, D.C.
After moving to New York City, Boulud opened the ''Polo Lounge'' at The Westbury Hotel, followed by ''Le Régence'' at the
Hotel Plaza Athénée. From 1986 to 1992, he was the critically acclaimed executive chef at ''
Le Cirque''.
Restaurants
Boulud opened ''
Daniel'' in Manhattan's
Upper East Side
The Upper East Side, sometimes abbreviated UES, is a neighborhood in the boroughs of New York City, borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is bounded approximately by 96th Street (Manhattan), 96th Street to the north, the East River to the e ...
in 1993 before relocating the restaurant to a Venetian renaissance-inspired setting at Park Avenue and 65th Street in 1998. The original ''Daniel'' was re-launched as Café Boulud. He opened a more casual restaurant,
db Bistro Moderne, in Manhattan's theater district in 2001.
The $29 db Bistro burger, stuffed with braised short ribs, preserved black
truffles, and
foie gras
; (, ) is a specialty food product made of the liver of a Domestic duck, duck or Domestic goose, goose. According to French law, ''foie gras'' is defined as the liver of a duck or goose fattened by ''gavage'' (force feeding).
''Foie gras'' i ...
, was seen as an example of American excess.
According to
John T. Edge, other chefs "follow
din Boulud's wake" to add burgers to the menus of upscale restaurants.
After other chefs offered even more expensive burgers, Boloud started adding fresh shaved truffles to his burger and selling it for $59, and by 2004 was offering a $99 version.
In 2003 he opened a second Café Boulud in Palm Beach, Florida. Bar Boulud, a French bistro opposite New York City's Lincoln Center, was opened in January 2008.
In 2009, Boulud opened DBGB Kitchen & Bar, a Pan-European brasserie, in New York City. Bar Boulud London opened on May 29, 2010, inside the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Knightsbridge, becoming the first Boulud's restaurant in Europe.
2011 saw many new Boulud openings, including
db Bistro & Oyster Bar at
Marina Bay Sands
Marina Bay Sands is a integrated resort fronting Marina Bay, Singapore, Marina Bay in Singapore and a landmark of the city. At its opening in 2010, it was deemed the world's most expensive standalone casino property at Singapore dollar, S$8&nbs ...
in Singapore, a Maison Boulud in
Ritz-Carlton Montreal, as well as Boulud Sud next to Bar Boulud, and
Épicerie Boulud, a market/deli. In the following year, d, bar opened in the
Four Seasons Hotel Toronto, The third location of Epicerie Boulud opened in the Oculus World Trade Center in November 2016.
In April 2014, Boulud opened
db Brasserie at
The Palazzo. It would close in January 2017 driven by differences in the imagined concept by Boulud versus what the hotel/casino desired.
Around 2018, Boulud collaborated with a group of MIT entrepreneurs to create
Spyce Kitchen, a
robotic restaurant in Boston. He was responsible for the menu while the founders developed the technology. Following over a billion dollar valuation, the restaurant announced its acquisition by Sweetgreen at the end of 2021.
Boulud opened
Le Pavillon, a Michelin starred restaurant in the
One Vanderbilt skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, in May 2021.
In March 2023, he became head of dining and menu strategy for Centurion New York, a members-only restaurant created by American Express.
Later that spring, he opened another New York City restaurant, Blue Box Café, located in Tiffany & Co.
In May 2022, Boulud opened Le Gratin, located in New York's Financial District, paying culinary homage to his French roots. In September of the same year, Boulud opened Jōji, an Omakase experience also located in One Vanderbilt, beneath Le Pavillon. Café Boulud NY is also set to re-open in 2023, following a closure in 2021 during the pandemic.
In November 2024, Boulud opened La Tête d'Or, his first steakhouse, in the
Flatiron District
The Flatiron District is a neighborhood in the borough (New York City), borough of Manhattan of New York City, named after the Flatiron Building at 23rd Street (Manhattan), 23rd Street, Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway and Fifth Avenue. Generally ...
of Manhattan.
Awards
''Daniel'' has been rated one of the top ten restaurants in the world by the ''
International Herald Tribune
The ''International Herald Tribune'' (''IHT'') was a daily English-language newspaper published in Paris, France, for international English-speaking readers. It published under the name ''International Herald Tribune'' starting in 1967, but its ...
,''
received ''
Gourmet
Gourmet (, ) is a cultural idea associated with the culinary arts of fine food and drink, or haute cuisine, which is characterized by their high level of refined and elaborate food preparation techniques and displays of balanced meals that have ...
''
's Top Table Award,
a four-star rating from ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'',
Wine Spectator's Grand Award, and New York City's top ratings for cuisine, service, and decor in the ''
Zagat'' Survey. In 2010, Daniel was the recipient of the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant. In January 2013, Daniel NYC was inducted into
Culinary Hall of Fame. Daniel was awarded 2 Michelin stars in the 2015 edition. The restaurant also won the 2023 Innovation Award from La Liste, as one of the top 1,000 restaurants in the world.
Boulud himself earned the inaugural Best New Chefs award in 1988.
Since then, he has been named Chef of the Year by ''
Bon Appétit
''Bon Appétit'' is a monthly American food and entertaining magazine, that typically contains recipes, entertaining ideas, restaurant recommendations, and wine reviews. Owned by Condé Nast, it is headquartered at the One World Trade Center ...
'', and received the
James Beard Award for Best Chef of New York City in 1992 while Executive Chef at ''Le Cirque''.
The James Beard Foundation also recognized him as "Outstanding Chef of the Year" in 1994 and "Outstanding Restaurateur" in 2006 for restaurant ''Daniel''.
In April 2007, he received the Culinary Humanitarian Award at the United Nations from the Adopt-a-Mine Field Foundation. The President of France made Boulud a Chevalier de la
Légion d'honneur
The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...
in March 2006 in recognition of his contribution to the advancement of
French culture. In 2015, Boulud was the recipient of the International Outstanding Achievement Award at the 2015
The Catey Awards, as well as winner of the Lifetime Achievement award by The World's 50 Best Restaurants.
In 2021, he was voted best restaurateur in the world by Les Grandes Tables du Monde for his flagship restaurant Daniel.
Television
Boulud previously hosted ''
After Hours with Daniel Boulud'' a behind-closed-doors look at the late-night dinners by chefs and for chefs. The series revealed where chefs go to unwind after service and uncovered the foods they enjoy and cook for each other. The first season was filmed in New York City restaurants, and the second, on the West Coast, in Los Angeles restaurants. The third season of the show featured restaurants in the New Orleans and Miami culinary scene.
Boulud has also been a featured chef on ''
Great Chefs'' television, and appeared in the second-season finale of the Canadian television program ''
Anna & Kristina's Grocery Bag'', where his cookbook ''Chef Daniel Boulud: Cooking in New York City'' was being tested. Boulud appeared as the guest judge along with chefs from his restaurants located in Vancouver: Stephane Istel, executive chef at DB Bistro Moderne, and Dale MacKay, executive chef at
Lumière. Boulud's cookbook received the "A & K Stamp of Approval" at the end of the episode.
Boulud appeared as a guest judge in Seasons 1 and 3 of ''
Top Chef Canada''.
Boulud appeared as himself in the television drama series ''
Billions'', episode "Flaw in the Death Star," season 3 and the episode “Napoleon’s Hat” in season 6. He also appeared as himself in the third-season premiere of the
FX on Hulu comedy-drama series ''
The Bear'' (2024).
Community involvement
Since 2013, Boulud has been Co-President of
Citymeals-on-Wheels, a non-profit organization which provides home-delivered meals to homebound elderly in New York City, and a Board member since 2000. Each spring since 1998, Boulud has hosted Sunday Supper gala, an annual gourmet event that has raised over $12 million for the organization since its inception.
The Daniel Boulud Scholarship Endowment Fund was established by the chef's business partner,
Joel Smilow
Joel E. Smilow is an American philanthropist and former CEO of Playtex.
Early life
Joel Smilow was born in Washington, D.C. He graduated from Yale University in 1954. As a student, he was sports director at the campus radio station, WYBC-FM ...
, in 2005. The fund provides education enabling promising young American cooks to pursue professional culinary studies in France.
In 2008,
Paul Bocuse
Paul François Pierre Bocuse (; 11 February 1926 – 20 January 2018) was a French chef based in Lyon known for the quality of his restaurants and his innovative approaches to cuisine. Dubbed "the pope of gastronomy", he was affectionately nick ...
asked Boulud to establish a structure for the selection of the
Bocuse d'Or Team USA, who, along with
Thomas Keller
Thomas Aloysius Keller (born October 14, 1955) is an American chef, restaurateur and cookbook author. He and his landmark Napa Valley restaurant, the French Laundry in Yountville, California, have won multiple awards from the James Beard Found ...
and
Jérôme Bocuse form the Board of Directors of the
Bocuse d'Or USA Foundation. The first Bocuse d'Or USA competition was held in September 2008.
[''Reuters.com'' (September 28, 2008)]
Bocuse d'Or USA Announces Winner
/ref>
Legal issues
According to a 2007 article in the Dining Section of ''The New York Times'', Boulud was sued by current and former workers for discriminatory labor practices at his namesake restaurant in Manhattan. The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed suit, and there was an investigation by the Civil Rights Bureau of the New York state Attorney General's office. Boulud settled with the workers, seven current and former employees of Latin American and Bangladeshi descent, for $80,000 and agreed to set up standards and procedures for promotions to be overseen by the EEOC and the state attorney general's office.
Books
* ''Cooking with Daniel Boulud'' (1993)
* ''Daniel Boulud's Café Boulud Cookbook'' (1999)
* In 2001, Boulud allowed author Leslie Brenner near unlimited access to ''Daniel'' the result was the 2002 book ''The Fourth Star: Dispatches from Inside Daniel Boulud's Celebrated New York Restaurant'' which gives some insight into the workings of the chef and how he operates.
* ''Daniel Boulud Cooking in New York City'' (2002)
* ''Daniel's Dish, Entertaining at Home with a Four Star Chef'' (2003)
* '' Letters to a Young Chef'' (2003)
* ''Braise: A Journey Through International Cuisine'' (2006)
* ''Daniel – My French Cuisine'' by Daniel Boulud (Author), Sylvie Bigar (Author), Thomas Schauer (Photographer), Bill Buford (Contributor) (2013)
References
Further reading
* Feast & Fetes covered in New York Parties - Private Views by Jamee Gregory - Nov 2010
External links
*
*
Superstar New York Chef Joins Vancouver's Lumiere
Interview with Chef Boulud and Video of Restaurant
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boulud, Daniel
1955 births
Living people
People from Rhône (department)
French chefs
French male chefs
French cuisine
French television chefs
Television chefs
Head chefs of Michelin-starred restaurants
French restaurateurs
James Beard Foundation Award winners