If you have any idea about food, or are aspiring to know about it, Daniel Boulud will come up on any and every search on the internet. He is originally from Lyon, which becomes of importance in each dish that he prepares. Daniel is best known for his flagship, Michelin-starred restaurant in New York City, but has opened restaurants all over the world and continues to do so. It seems nearly impossible to obtain reservations at these types of places, but maybe luck was on my side and I was able to land a table at the one restaurant I’ve been hearing about since my first time in New York City (eating at Le Bernadin-which is also a must-do for NYC). My Aunt has introduced me to this world of fine dining and all things food, which has launched my passion into full blast with every elevated dining experience!
Before our dinner at Daniel, I did email the concierge to let them know how ecstatic and honored I was to be able to even be in this famous chef’s “home”, that has made his name known world-wide. Pro-tip: I highly recommend doing this prior to any special dining experience because they LOVE to hear positive feedback (who doesn’t?), and they greatly appreciate people understanding the remarkable work someone has put into the entire dining encounter. When we finally arrive at Daniel, we were greeted with huge smiles and told how much they loved hearing from me prior to coming to dinner! The restaurant seems like one of those small store fronts like most places in New York, but as you look past the hostess stand, the place is expansive with tons of greenery and secret seating booths all throughout! We were seated outside in a private red and white striped tent that reminded me of of an old school circus tent, equipped with tassels and all! Our waitress was French, with that beautiful accent making each drink and dish sound exceptionally more exciting! Of course, our table decided on the tasting menu, that featured all the best of the season-but you cannot go wrong with anything!
After having a few of their signature cocktails and taking as many pictures as possible, the food began to come out. We tried to get different dishes so that we could have a taste of all that is featured, which I highly recommend! The tasting menu was 4 courses leaving room for after dinner cocktails inside or if you’re lucky, a tour through the restaurant!
It was as if you could taste the intense leg-work that the chef has taken to create the dishes with each sip of wine. I couldn’t have asked for a better pairing of atmosphere, delicious food, wine, and great company. As if the night wasn’t great enough, the head chef approached our table and asked for me personally to follow him-it was as if life froze in time and I had to take a moment to look around to make sure he meant me! The head chef Eddy Leroux gave me a complete tour of the kitchen to see where “the magic happens”. The definition of team work comes to mind when walking into such a busy kitchen; each person has a job and is doing it to the upmost perfection. Each dish was beautiful in every way!
Me behind the kitchen! 
Head Chef, Eddy Leroux
Add this top restaurant to your bucket list to see for yourself how this well-oiled machine of a place has come together so perfectly to maintain the Michelin Star rating that it deserves. It’s a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget, and I am so honored to be able to rave about the entire staff at Daniel. Kelly and I value hard work, and seeing how one chef can make such an impact on so many people, is incredible! I promise, your tastebuds are not ready for this one! https://www.danielboulud.com