From New York to Vancouver, Daniel Boulud applies a local twist to the art of cooking French cuisine.
The essence of gastronomy is the attentive study of the relationship between culture and food. By discovering more about the natural and social environment in which a meal is prepared, a student can acquire a deeper level of taste and understanding. Essentially, studying the combination of science, art and food can make one a pupil of the gastronomic arts. To become a master, however, one has to have lived it. It should come then as no surprise that internationally celebrated Chef Daniel Boulud was born in Lyon, France—the world’s beating heart of gastronomy.
I first met Daniel in New York City in a small cocktail lounge so obscure that even the taxi driver had no idea where it was. The doors opened up into an entirely unexpected and buzzing environment; a dimly lit small room packed with an eclectic crowd of artists, business types and scenesters. A glowing bar was suddenly ablaze with glasses of absinthe, the small group of revelers applauding. I looked up at the smiling barman and found myself standing face to face with Chef Boulud. “I’m so glad that you found the place,” he said, as he warmly shook my hand. “This is one of my favourite spots.”
Despite being a French Michelin-star chef of international fame and repute as well as the proprietor of 10 award-winning restaurants, Daniel is always learning, and loves to immerse himself deeply into the local culture of each new project, wherever it may be. He learns everything he can about a city and, in turn, uses that knowledge and experience as inspiration for spectacular dishes in a classic French style.
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It’s a sunny Sunday brunch at DB Bistro Moderne and the room is full. Daniel bustles over to the table and then calmly sits down, mentally shifting gears from the busy kitchen to the front of the restaurant. “It’s nice to see you again. May I offer you some of the salad today? It’s quite excellent; the vegetables were just picked this morning.” He motions to a server who glides into the kitchen. Daniel sits upright yet affably composed, his attention comfortably divided between running the kitchen and having lunch with me simultaneously. I’m curious as to how Daniel is enjoying Vancouver. “I love this city,” he replies. “It’s wonderfully diverse and inspiring.” He particularly appreciates the artistic and multicultural face of Vancouver, and the self-professed art lover can be found on his days off enjoying Gastown galleries and the diverse offerings of Commercial Drive.
As he pauses to take a sip of water, my salad arrives. Sure enough, the light, mixed organic greens are both refreshing and flavourful; a beautifully balanced blend leaving me wondering what is next on the menu. “We source all of our ingredients from Canada,” he says. “Most of them are fished or farmed locally. I like to work with the best quality that I can find, and that comes from the freshest local produce.” With a mandate to support local business as much as possible, he frequents farms in East Vancouver and UBC and even indulges in trips to Granville Island for produce inspections. “I like to take photos in each city at the markets and reflect upon what I see,” Daniel says.
Part of his introduction to Vancouver has also been dining out at many other great local kitchens and popping by unannounced at cooking schools to support young aspiring chefs. Daniel believes that the superb quality of the restaurants in Vancouver is a direct reflection of the city’s wide diversity, and that it is this very diversity that has helped us to become a city of gastronomic excellence. “There are many people here who care about health and active lifestyle, so we have incorporated unique vegetarian dishes on the menu,” he explains. Vancouverites also tend to care strongly about the environment and demand excellent value, he adds. Daniel feels it has much to do with the ‘West Coast’ contemporary approach, which he defines as an evolution, an “interesting mix of staying true to oneself and bringing in a new dynamic to the food.” In regard to French cuisine, Boulud’s creed is that “French bistro food can be either safe or daring; it is constantly evolving, yet doesn’t follow trends.”
This is a philosophy that has been proven successful, as Vancouver foodies have embraced DB Bistro Moderne and the revamped Lumière despite economically lean times. “This is not the old Lumière,” Daniel bluntly states, referencing a past reputation of pricey eight-course menus for special occasions. In a continuing effort to make his guests comfortable, Daniel’s Lumière now also offers a unique and delectable dining experience that will leave guests’ palates and pocketbooks more than satisfied. The new three-course prix fixe menu offers spectacular meal suggestions at an amazing value. Creating these culinary delights alongside Daniel are the inspired DB Bistro Moderne Chef de Cuisine Stephane Istel and the prodigious Dale MacKay at Lumière, their superb talents and friendly demeanour bringing regulars back for more.
Our lunch wraps up, and the kitchen beckons Daniel, who politely excuses himself and returns to his canvas. Throughout our conversation his complete dedication to his craft was apparent. A professional at every level in the restaurant industry, Boulud certainly merits all his successes, yet remains humble and mindful of his roots. His understanding of family, culture and the way people like to eat help drive him to create—be it for an obscure cocktail bar in New York or a local favourite in Vancouver, Daniel endeavours to learn from, and be inspired by, the best each region has to offer. He shared this gastronomic philosophy with his grandparents, who opened the first small, family-run Café Boulud in France years ago, and whose picture is hanging at DB Bistro Moderne today. It is a strong reminder of how old meets new. “All my restaurants share the same philosophy,” Daniel states.” Everything on the menu is related to classic preparation and the local interpretation of ingredients.” For anyone interested in learning more about the art of gastronomy, a dining experience at either DB Bistro Moderne or Lumière is an excellent first course.
In 2004, newspaper headlines were all doom and gloom when it came to British Columbia’s film and television production sector. In one year alone, total spending in BC’s most alluring industry tumbled 43 percent to $800 million. The industry meltdown was primarily blamed on the exodus of American producers who had abandoned BC due to rising costs thanks to a soaring Canadian dollar.
