One of Manhattan’s most celebrated restaurants is reopening after a years long closure. Café Boulud is on its way back to Manhattan, with a new location in Midtown East. The original restaurant temporarily closed in early 2020 due to the pandemic and never reopened.
Today, chef and restaurateur Daniel Boulud announced that Café Boulud will open in the Beekman building, thanks to a new partnership with the hospitality division of BARNES International Realty.
Café Boulud will open in late 2023, followed by a second hospitality space, Maison BARNES, which will open in 2024. Maison BARNES will encompass a bar, dining salon and private dining rooms, as well as a speakeasy and a wine cellar table to offer multiple distinctive culinary experiences and cultural programs.
The Beekman Tower by Frank Gehry is a prominent skyscraper on Manhattan’s East Side
“The Upper East Side is a very special neighborhood to me, as this year we celebrate the 30th anniversary of restaurant DANIEL, which has become synonymous with the neighborhood. It is a tremendous opportunity to open Café Boulud and Maison BARNES just a few blocks away,” said Chef Boulud. “This Café Boulud will be unique in its approach, but will continue to be guided by my four longstanding inspirations as well as the deep roots of the brand.”
Café Boulud is especially meaningful for Chef Boulud, as it is named after the original Café Boulud started on his family’s farm outside of Lyon by his great-grandparents. Chef Boulud’s rendition focuses on four core inspirations: La Tradition – the classic dishes of French cooking; La Saison – the seasonal specialties of the market; Le Potager – the vegetable garden; and Le Voyage – the exotic flavors of the world’s great cuisines.
The first Café Boulud opened on the Upper East Side at The Surrey Hotel in 1998. Since, the brand expanded to luxury properties in Palm Beach, the Bahamas, Toronto and Beverly Hills, each developing a unique variation on the chef’s four key inspirations.
Chef Daniel Boulud in the kitchen at Daniel, his upscale French restaurant on Manhattan’s Upper East … [+]
Café Boulud’s Executive Chef in New York will be Romain Paumier, an alumni of the previous Café Boulud and the current Executive Sous Chef at Restaurant Daniel. The Executive Pastry Chef will be Katalina Diaz, an alumni of Restaurant Daniel and Boulud Sud.
Jeffrey Beers International will design the space, featuring Art Deco and vintage accents in the interior design motifs and ornamentation.
“As our Café Boulud family continues to expand in the USA and abroad, we’re pleased to re-open Cafe Boulud in New York and promote our French savoir-faire with an American touch,” said Sebastien Silvestri, CEO of Dinex. “No two Café Boulud experiences are alike, as they draw inspiration from local flavors, techniques and traditions, creating bespoke moments for every guest, every time they dine with us.”