Daniel Boulud has 21 restaurants all over the world, but you still won’t find him everywhere as most of his projects are in New York City, his home base, where his children grew up and everything started for the man who was named “World’s Best Restaurateur” in 2021 by Food Service and Hospitality.
While most of his restaurants are in NYC, 12 to be exact, the chef also has a restaurant in French-speaking Montreal, two in Toronto, another two in Florida, and one in each the Bahamas, Dubai, and Singapore. The chef is selective in choosing his projects and their locations ensuring each one makes sense. After a pandemic-forced hiatus, Chef Boulud had one of his most prolific years in 2023. “Well… I don’t know, every year is busy…but yes, this year, we were able to do everything we wanted,” Boulud says in an exclusive interview with Luxe Getaways.
This year the restaurant Daniel — the first establishment Boulud opened in 1993 after almost a decade of working in the best kitchens in New York — celebrated 30 years and 25 years of being at its location between Park and Madison. “Daniel is a very special place for me,” says Boulud, “it’s my flagship restaurant and where everything started, and to celebrate 30 years in 2023 is unbelievable. It’s definitely a meaningful milestone for me and for my team.”
Not long after that big celebration that reunited the city’s beau monde in late May, another meaningful address, Café Boulud New York, reopened to celebrate 25 years in a brand-new location after being shuttered for almost two years due to the pandemic. The new place on the Upper West Side will soon feature an event space in partnership with Maison Barnes, where Daniel Boulud will be hosting events that will be an ode to the French art de vivre.
The multipurpose venue was part of the reopening plan and something Chef Boulud discusses with great enthusiasm. “In the next phase of Café Boulud New York’s reopening, we will host events and special evenings,” Boulud says. “The space will also be available for private events; it’s a new vocation for the restaurant to showcase the French savoir-faire that I’m very excited to share with our guests.”
In 2024, the chef will also expand his portfolio, opening restaurants in two new cities — Riad and Los Angeles — and his first-ever steakhouse in his beloved city of New York.” It will be the first steakhouse of chef Daniel Boulud. “We will have fun,” promises the chef. The location is set to open on the corner of Park Avenue and 24th Street in early 2024.
2023 was also the year when Daniel Boulud partnered up with the iconic Tiffany & Co. brand to relaunch the mythic Breakfast at Tiffany’s experience. The stunning Blue Box Café is the latest work of Boulud where guests can meet for high tea, breakfast, and a stylish meal. “When people visit New York, Breakfast at Tiffany’s is on their list,” explains Boulud, To be part of that experience is a true honor. Tiffany’s is a place of many celebrations and special occasions, and what we created together with their team is spectacular.”
Blue Box Café was a part of Tiffany & Co.’s multi-million-dollar, five-year renovation project for its landmark store on 5th Avenue. Inspired by the iconic Tiffany & Co. heritage, the decor features 40 works of art, including never-before-seen Tiffany’s pieces and a massive chandelier created with hundreds of blue Tiffany boxes. A true masterpiece that captures what Tiffany & Co., New York City, and Chef Boulud are all about.
When you think about it, the match between Tiffany’s and Boulud perfect sense. They are two New York brands that keep growing, shining, and, most importantly, never going out of style.