A native of Lyon, France, at age 15, he was a finalist in France’s competition for Best Culinary Apprentice. He went on to work with a constellation of Michelin-starred chefs including Roger Verge’s Mougins & George Blanc’s in Vonnas, in France, whom Great Chefs also filmed, and in Copenhagen at Denmark’s highest-rated restaurant, Les Etoiles, before moving to Washington DC to become the private chef for the EU. In the 1980’s, Chef Boulud moved to New York, first to become chef at the Westbury Hotel and then at the Plaza Athenee Hotel, where he opened and brought prominence to its restaurant, Le Regence.

Then in 1986, he became the Executive Chef at Le Cirque and was awarded four stars by the New York Times in 1987, and again later in 1992. It was there in 1991, that the Great Chefs team met Daniel, at which time he confided that he was leaving to open his own restaurant. It was a terrible secret to keep for almost a year. In 1993, a week before the opening of Restaurant Daniel on East 76th Street, the Great Chefs crew, on a Sunday afternoon, walked in with seven pans of chocolate ganache as a gift from French chocolatier Robert Linxe, whom they had filmed earlier that day in NYC. While filming Chef Boulud that afternoon, a large bouquet of flowers were delivered to the restaurant from Sirio Maccioni, owner of Le Cirque, upon Chef Daniel said ” I guess he is no longer mad at me”? Great Chefs & Daniel Boulud prepared 3 dishes that day.

Chef Boulud has gone on to open Cafe Boulud in NYC & Palm Beach FL, Daniel Boulud Brassierie, DB Bistro in NYC as well as restaurants in China, Montreal & Singapore, and has written seven cookbooks. He has received awards from the French Government, James Beard Foundation and Chef of the Year from the Culinary Institute of America. He has served on the board for City Meals-on-Wheels, since 2000.