Daniel Boulud life and biography

Daniel Boulud, a French chef and restaurateur who's working with restaurants in New York City, Palm Beach, Miami, Montreal, Beijing, and Singapore. But mostly, Daniel is known for Daniel, his eponymous, Michelin 3-star restaurant in New York City.

Raised on his family’s farm near Lyon, France, Daniel Boulud grew up surrounded by the rhythms of the seasons, the wonders of produce fresh from the fields, and of course, his grandmother’s inspiring home cooking. Boulud spent his formative years training with several renowned chefs, including Roger Vergé, Georges Blanc, and Michel Guérard. Following two years in Copenhagen, where he worked as a chef in some of the city’s finest kitchens, Boulud took a position in the US as chef to The European Commission in Washington, DC. Boulud then opened the Polo Lounge at The Westbury Hotel and later Le Régence at the Hotel Plaza Athenée in New York City. From 1986 to 1992, Boulud served as executive chef at New York’s Le Cirque.

Now, Boulud is chef-owner of ten award-winning restaurants and the Feast & Fêtes catering company. While he hails from Lyon, it is in New York where he has truly mastered the culinary scene, so much so that Boulud is today considered one of America’s leading culinary authorities.

Over the last two decades, Boulud has evolved from a chef to a chef-restaurateur, bringing his artistry to his New York City restaurants Daniel, Café Boulud, DB Bistro Moderne, Bar Boulud and now, DBGB Kitchen and Bar. In addition, he has created Café Boulud in Palm Beach and Daniel Boulud Brasserie at the Wynn Las Vegas Resort. In May 2008, the chef extended his culinary reach internationally, opening Maison Boulud in the Legation Quarter in Beijing, China. Boulud and his restaurant management company, The Dinex Group, have also recently formed a partnership in Vancouver where they manage the renowned Relais & Châteaux restaurant, Lumière. Adjacent to Lumière they have created a new DB Bistro Moderne, a sister restaurant to the one in Manhattan’s Midtown. Two new Manhattan destinations, Boulud Sud and Épicerie Boulud are scheduled to open on the Upper West Side in May 2011.

Boulud’s culinary accolades include James Beard Foundation awards for “Outstanding Restaurateur,” “Best Chef of New York City” and “Outstanding Chef of the Year”. Daniel has been named “one of the ten best restaurants in the world” by the International Herald Tribune, received Gourmet Magazine’s “Top Table” award and a coveted four star rating from The New York Times, as well as Wine Spectator’s “Grand Award”.

Boulud is one of the American culinary industry’s greatest mentors and in 2007 he was the recipient of the StarChefs.com New York Rising Stars Mentor Award as well as the 2008 StarChefs.com Mentor Innovator Award, honoring his profound effect on and dedication to New York City’s culinary community. He also serves on the StarChefs.com Advisory Board. Additionally, the Chef has authored six books and has created three seasons of his “After Hours with Daniel” television series.

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