Worldwise: Chef and Restaurateur Daniel Boulud’s Favorite Things

Oct 22, 2023

Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur Daniel Boulud has had a lot on his plate lately.

On Sunday, he hosted the 25th annual gala to raise funds for Citymeals on Wheels, a nonprofit organization that provides free, nutritious meals to homebound elderly New Yorkers. Last week also marked the opening of American Express's Centurion New York, a club on the 55th floor of One Vanderbilt with food served by Boulud, whose restaurant, Le Pavillon, is located in the same skyscraper.

Meanwhile, he is busy working on new restaurants set to open in both the East and West coasts: two French culinary destinations at One Madison Avenue, a new project developed by SI Green in midtown Manhattan, and Café Boulud Beverly Hills in the boutique condo Mandarin Oriental Residences Beverly Hills in Los Angeles.

Boulud is already proprietor of about 20 restaurants across the world, including the famed Daniel restaurant on Manhattan's Upper East Side, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

"I have worked very hard in my life to create this collection of wonderful restaurants that include fine dining as well as casual dining," Boulud says. "With a great hospitality in mind, a solid foundation of well-trained executives and staff, and partnerships that we have worked over the years, we are continuing to grow."

The French-born Boulud, 67, has been awarded outstanding chef/restaurateur by the James Beard Foundation multiple times. He was also recognized by the U.N. and the French government for his contribution in humanitarian and cultural work.

"I never take anything for granted. I have great mentors and partners, and loyal customers." Boulud says. "Of course, the consistency and the quality of our food and service is keeping loyalty alive."

To give back, Boulud mentors younger workers in the hospitality industry and volunteers at charities such as Citymeals on Wheels, where he serves as a co-president.

For the annual gala this year, he invited chefs from France and California to serve about 150 people at Daniel, which holds two Michelin stars. For the past 25 years, he has raised more than US$20 million for the organization through this event.

Boulud shared some of his favorite things with Penta.

My favorite neighborhood in the world is… Manhattan's Upper East Side, where I lived for nearly 40 years. In my early years, I lived next door to Andy Warhol and cooked for him many times. The Upper East Side has world-class museums and easy access to subways. In the 72nd Street and Second Avenue station, there is a mosaic artwork of me by Brazilian artist Vik Muniz. It always makes me feel I belong to the neighborhood.

Things in my kitchen I can't live without are… a wood spatula, a peeler, and a cast iron pot. I love the pot that can do everything for me: I can roast, I can fry, I can braise, and I can poach.

If I were to buy a piece of art, it would be by… Pablo Picasso. When I was 18, I worked in the south of France where Picasso used to vacation and paint. I never met him, but I was living just so close to his world. We could hear the same sound, smell the same smell. And Picasso did a portrait of the chef I worked for. To me, he was always such a legendary man and still is today.

I like to decorate my restaurants with… paintings by Alex Katz. They are bright in color and exude a lot of energy. Also works by Muniz. They have been a significant part of my life.

A passion of mine that few people know about is… painting. I do have personal passions I dreamed of achieving. I would love to paint in a studio, cook, and share time with friends and family. I would like to build a barn in the country to do that.

The one trip I’ve taken that I would love to do again… I would like to go back to Gauteng, South Africa, to see the wilderness. I took my oldest daughter there and would like to take my young children to visit again.

The next destination on my travel itinerary is… Dubai. I have a restaurant there. I will go to see my team.

The thing that gets me up in the morning is… my kids. I have young kids, they go to school early. I try to see them 30-45 minutes before they get ready and have breakfast with them. Then I’ll read my newspaper and have my coffee. Once in a while I go to the gym.

The restaurant in my hometown that I love to take a visitor to is… restaurant Paul Bocuse in Collonges-au-Mont-d’Or, France. Bocuse and I grew up together. He was the most famous chef in the world. Although he passed away five years ago, the wonderful team there still makes the restaurant magical. Also, a little bistro in Lyon, Le Suprême, which was opened by a young couple who worked for me. I am a finance partner.

A person who inspired me to do what I do is… there are many to me. I worked for [chef] Michel Guérard some 40 years ago in France. He is going to celebrate his 90th birthday in late March. He impacted my life so much as a mentor, a restaurateur, an artist, a book writer, and a leader in the industry.

If I could have a drink with anybody, anywhere, it would be… a drink with Ernest Hemingway at Bar Hemingway, the bar in Paris named after him while he was alive. He was a big drinker and stayed long in the bar.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.