Chef Daniel Boulud Reopens Restaurant Daniel

Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud has announced the completion of the renovation of Restaurant Daniel in New York City. He has also promoted Eddy Leroux, previously Chef de Cuisine at the restaurant, to executive chef, and Shaun Velez, formerly executive pastry chef at Café Boulud, to executive pastry chef.

In collaboration with Chef Boulud, Chef Leroux and the culinary team continue to evolve the cuisine at Restaurant Daniel. In keeping with the trademark of Chef Boulud, the new menu is rooted in French tradition, with modern refinements and innovations.

Chef Leroux has been with the restaurant since 2004, first as executive sous chef and then as chef de cuisine. Prior to this, Chef Leroux worked his way up in the kitchens of Paris’ Michelin three-star restaurant, Lucas Carton. There, under Chef Alain Senderens, one of the founding fathers of la nouvelle cuisine, Leroux had the opportunity to hone his technique. During his five-year tenure with Senderens, he also took a four-month assignment in Thailand, working as chef de cuisine at Le Normandie in the Oriental Hotel, Bangkok.

Born and raised in the Bronx, Pastry Chef Velez graduated from the French Culinary Institute, now known as the International Culinary Center, in 2008. He then established his career in the kitchens of Chef Boulud’s Boulud Sud and Restaurant Daniel, working closely with his mentor Ghaya Oliveira. In 2018, he was appointed the executive pastry chef at Café Boulud. As executive pastry chef of Restaurant Daniel, Velez continues to hone his craft by employing innovative techniques to transform classic desserts into modern creations.

The 3,000-square-foot dining room at Restaurant Daniel has been updated by its original interior designer Tihany Design. Noteworthy elements include a polished stainless steel arched entrance, a "reimagined" lounge area with custom furnishings, and a new crystal-enhanced bar area designed in collaboration with Lalique.

A new floor plan gives a contemporary vibe to the main dining room, featuring hand-crafted undulating wood screens and custom-designed carpets, furniture and lighting.

The Paris-based Lalique Interior Design Studio worked closely with Chef Daniel and his team to create a bespoke bar experience featuring crystal glass and space in creative combinations. All pieces have been created at Lalique’s Wingen-sur-Moder (France) glassworks by a dedicated studio.

As part of the interior renovation, Chef Boulud has created a dedicated series of biannual exhibitions to be installed in the historic neoclassical dining room, the intimate Upper Lounge and the private Bellecour Room. Curated with art advisor Janis Gardner Cecil, the initiative debuts with an exhibition of landscape paintings by Alex Katz in collaboration with the artist and Gladstone Gallery, New York. On display in the Upper Lounge is a selection of works by Robert Mapplethorpe, courtesy of the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation and Gladstone Gallery. The art exhibition at Restaurant Daniel reflects Boulud’s deep appreciation for artists and their unique visions, a parallel to his devotion to fine cuisine as an art in itself.

The rotating fine art program at Restaurant Daniel is a celebration of New York City as the epicenter of art and culture. The restaurant is located in the former Mayfair Hotel on Park Avenue, the original site of Le Cirque, and is within a short distance of many museums, including The Frick Collection, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Neue Galerie.

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