Just the other day, someone asked me why, out of the many Zagat surveyed restaurants in New York City, I chose to dine at Restaurant Bouley. My reason is simple and straight-forward - I admire the man.
I read about Chef David Bouley long before I visited NYC. The reputation precedes the man. In fact, in 1994, People magazine selected him as one of its '50 Most Beautiful People'. Go on and read about him and you'll understand my reasons for choosing Restaurant Bouley over all others.
David Bouley was born of French heritage in Connecticut, USA. His strongest influence were his French heritage, his grandmother's love for cooking and life on his grandparents' farm. Like Catalonian Chef Ferran Adria, David started work as a dishwasher in a restaurant in Storrs, near his birthplace when he was 15. At 19, he moved to Santa Fe where he met Michel Richard - now the renowned chef of Citronelle in Washington - who was a pastry chef at the Hotel La Fonda. From there, David worked in restaurants in various parts of the US before eventually going to France and Switzerland. While in Europe, he studied at the Sorbonne, and had the opportunity to work with some of Europe’s most acclaimed chefs, including Roger Vergé and Gaston Lenôtre, among others.
On returning to the US, David worked in some of NYC's leading restaurants of the time, such as Le Cirque, Le Périgord, and La Côte Basque. He also spent time as sous chef in Roger Vergé's restaurant in San Francisco. Then in 1985, David was appointed chef of Montrachet restaurant in TriBeCa. The restaurant quickly drew attention and earned a three-star review in The New York Times. However, the relationship with his partner was complicated and he left.
In 1987 David opened his own restaurant, Bouley, also located in TriBeCa. Bouley quickly became known as the most notable dining experience in New York and set a new standard for fine dining in America. Among many other accolades, Bouley earned a four-star review in The New York Times and received James Beard Foundation awards for best restaurant and best chef. In awarding Bouley with the 4 stars, Bryan Miller of The New York Times wrote, "David Bouley's rabid zeal for fresh regional ingredients, his cerebral approach to textures and flavours and his obvious delight in wowing customers make this one of the most exciting restaurants in New York City."
From 1991 up to its closure in 1996, Bouley received the number one ranking in food and popularity in the Zagat Survey of NYC Restaurants. In 1991, when the Zagat Survey asked 7,000 diners where they would eat their last meal, respondents overwhelmingly picked Bouley. To this day, no other restaurant has been able to achieve a food rating of 29 (out of a possible 30) in the Zagat Survey, as Bouley did in its last three years. At the height of its success, the restaurant was frequented by famous New Yorkers such as Warren Beatty, Bill Cosby and Woody Allen. David and Broadway superstar, Bernadette Peters, were at that time a celebrity couple.
When the original Bouley closed its doors, it was a monumental event, marking the end of a special era in New York fine dining. David decided to close his restaurant to focus on a greater culinary vision with the intent to bring high quality products to a wider audience. The first step involved the opening of a bakery in 1997.
Bouley Bakery opened as a wholesale and retail bakery as well as a café and restaurant and instantly became enormously popular, prompting an expansion in 1999. Shortly thereafter, the bakery earned a four-star review in The New York Times.
In September 1999, David opened Danube, a Viennese-inspired restaurant, around the corner from Bouley Bakery. The cooking features David Bouley’s interpretation of Eastern European cuisines with eye-popping decor a la Gustav Klimt, (one of my favourite artist-painters). The Danube earned a three-star review in The New York Times and was named newcomer of the year in the Zagat Survey. Its beautiful and romantic décor has also earned praise and was rated number one for décor by Zagat.
Following the tragic events of September 11, 2001, Bouley Bakery and Danube were closed, given their proximity to the World Trade Center site. During this time, David established the Green Tarp restaurant at the Ground Zero site to feed relief workers around the clock for nearly four weeks.
While Danube eventually reopened, Bouley Bakery remained closed and served as the base of operations to prepare over one million meals for Ground Zero relief workers in conjunction with the Red Cross. The original Bouley restaurant had been an early pioneer in the developing area of TriBeCa, and, therefore, David remains firmly committed to redevelopment efforts in lower Manhattan.
In February 2002, following repairs and renovations, the Bouley Bakery facility was reopened as Restaurant Bouley, reminiscent of the original Bouley though with a cuisine reflecting influences from David’s travels, growth, and experiences since the original restaurant closed in 1996. The incarnation of Bouley carries on the tradition established by the original, with the promise of taking diners on a journey to enjoy new and exciting culinary experiences.
In 2013, Bouley received the Green Six Star Diamond Award from The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences. The Award cited Bouley as 'the first to utilise a Tasting Menu in the USA and is on the forefront of culinary creativity once again with the development of Haute Health food.
What is Chef David Bouley's Food Philosophy?
His emphasis is on freshness and purity of ingredients. He seeks to capture the highest level of flavor, to be realized in season, in relation to the time of harvest.
In preparing the food, his intention is to bring the flavor forward without distraction, to obtain clarity in taste and presentation to allow the diner to fully realise the essence of the ingredients, drawing forth natural flavors in a health-conscious cuisine.
"I cook as if I were in love with everyone I'm cooking for," David often declares. It was once revealed to Alex Witchel, The New York Times journalist, that "if you finished the food, David's smile is dreamy, sated. If you have not, he grows sullen. If you leave too much, he'll go into the dining room to find out why."
I read about Chef David Bouley long before I visited NYC. The reputation precedes the man. In fact, in 1994, People magazine selected him as one of its '50 Most Beautiful People'. Go on and read about him and you'll understand my reasons for choosing Restaurant Bouley over all others.
David Bouley was born of French heritage in Connecticut, USA. His strongest influence were his French heritage, his grandmother's love for cooking and life on his grandparents' farm. Like Catalonian Chef Ferran Adria, David started work as a dishwasher in a restaurant in Storrs, near his birthplace when he was 15. At 19, he moved to Santa Fe where he met Michel Richard - now the renowned chef of Citronelle in Washington - who was a pastry chef at the Hotel La Fonda. From there, David worked in restaurants in various parts of the US before eventually going to France and Switzerland. While in Europe, he studied at the Sorbonne, and had the opportunity to work with some of Europe’s most acclaimed chefs, including Roger Vergé and Gaston Lenôtre, among others.On returning to the US, David worked in some of NYC's leading restaurants of the time, such as Le Cirque, Le Périgord, and La Côte Basque. He also spent time as sous chef in Roger Vergé's restaurant in San Francisco. Then in 1985, David was appointed chef of Montrachet restaurant in TriBeCa. The restaurant quickly drew attention and earned a three-star review in The New York Times. However, the relationship with his partner was complicated and he left.
In 1987 David opened his own restaurant, Bouley, also located in TriBeCa. Bouley quickly became known as the most notable dining experience in New York and set a new standard for fine dining in America. Among many other accolades, Bouley earned a four-star review in The New York Times and received James Beard Foundation awards for best restaurant and best chef. In awarding Bouley with the 4 stars, Bryan Miller of The New York Times wrote, "David Bouley's rabid zeal for fresh regional ingredients, his cerebral approach to textures and flavours and his obvious delight in wowing customers make this one of the most exciting restaurants in New York City."
From 1991 up to its closure in 1996, Bouley received the number one ranking in food and popularity in the Zagat Survey of NYC Restaurants. In 1991, when the Zagat Survey asked 7,000 diners where they would eat their last meal, respondents overwhelmingly picked Bouley. To this day, no other restaurant has been able to achieve a food rating of 29 (out of a possible 30) in the Zagat Survey, as Bouley did in its last three years. At the height of its success, the restaurant was frequented by famous New Yorkers such as Warren Beatty, Bill Cosby and Woody Allen. David and Broadway superstar, Bernadette Peters, were at that time a celebrity couple.
When the original Bouley closed its doors, it was a monumental event, marking the end of a special era in New York fine dining. David decided to close his restaurant to focus on a greater culinary vision with the intent to bring high quality products to a wider audience. The first step involved the opening of a bakery in 1997.
Bouley Bakery opened as a wholesale and retail bakery as well as a café and restaurant and instantly became enormously popular, prompting an expansion in 1999. Shortly thereafter, the bakery earned a four-star review in The New York Times.
In September 1999, David opened Danube, a Viennese-inspired restaurant, around the corner from Bouley Bakery. The cooking features David Bouley’s interpretation of Eastern European cuisines with eye-popping decor a la Gustav Klimt, (one of my favourite artist-painters). The Danube earned a three-star review in The New York Times and was named newcomer of the year in the Zagat Survey. Its beautiful and romantic décor has also earned praise and was rated number one for décor by Zagat.
Following the tragic events of September 11, 2001, Bouley Bakery and Danube were closed, given their proximity to the World Trade Center site. During this time, David established the Green Tarp restaurant at the Ground Zero site to feed relief workers around the clock for nearly four weeks.
While Danube eventually reopened, Bouley Bakery remained closed and served as the base of operations to prepare over one million meals for Ground Zero relief workers in conjunction with the Red Cross. The original Bouley restaurant had been an early pioneer in the developing area of TriBeCa, and, therefore, David remains firmly committed to redevelopment efforts in lower Manhattan.
In February 2002, following repairs and renovations, the Bouley Bakery facility was reopened as Restaurant Bouley, reminiscent of the original Bouley though with a cuisine reflecting influences from David’s travels, growth, and experiences since the original restaurant closed in 1996. The incarnation of Bouley carries on the tradition established by the original, with the promise of taking diners on a journey to enjoy new and exciting culinary experiences.
In 2013, Bouley received the Green Six Star Diamond Award from The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences. The Award cited Bouley as 'the first to utilise a Tasting Menu in the USA and is on the forefront of culinary creativity once again with the development of Haute Health food.
What is Chef David Bouley's Food Philosophy?
His emphasis is on freshness and purity of ingredients. He seeks to capture the highest level of flavor, to be realized in season, in relation to the time of harvest.
In preparing the food, his intention is to bring the flavor forward without distraction, to obtain clarity in taste and presentation to allow the diner to fully realise the essence of the ingredients, drawing forth natural flavors in a health-conscious cuisine.
"I cook as if I were in love with everyone I'm cooking for," David often declares. It was once revealed to Alex Witchel, The New York Times journalist, that "if you finished the food, David's smile is dreamy, sated. If you have not, he grows sullen. If you leave too much, he'll go into the dining room to find out why."
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