INTERVIEW: Chef Daniel Boulud On Daniel Boulud Kitchen In The Hamptons, Quarantine Cooking, Giving Back During The Pandemic, And More

This summer you don’t have to be in Manhattan to nosh on the extraordinary, award-winning contemporary French cuisine fare of Chef Daniel Boulud and his team. On Friday, June 19 – just in time for Father’s Day – Daniel Boulud Kitchen will expand to the East End. The inaugural Daniel Boulud Kitchen in the Hamptons will feature a seafood bouillabaisse dinner for Friday evening, vegetarian dinner for Saturday and brunch for Sunday, along with desserts and bread.

We caught up with Chef Boulud about Daniel Boulud Kitchen in the Hamptons, his philanthropic efforts, an easy summer dessert, and more.

Tell us a little bit about Daniel Boulud Kitchen.

DB: Daniel Boulud Kitchen is our new delivery and takeout concept designed to bring the culinary flavor of restaurant DANIEL to the home. We are offering a weekly-changing menu of French classics with contemporary appeal rooted in the rhythm of the seasons, including new Bistro-inspired and Brunch menus that we just launched this week.

After a successful launch in the City, why expand to the Hamptons?

DB: I’ve always enjoyed visiting the Hamptons and many of my friends and suppliers are based out East. Also, many of our guests are now at their homes in the Hamptons and will be staying through the summer. Since they can’t come to us, we can bring a little taste of DANIEL to them.

The menu changes each week. What inspires your dishes?

DB: I have always been inspired by the seasons. So, while you will see some longtime favorite dishes on the menu, you will always see fresh, seasonal produce alongside.

Five percent of sales will go directly to benefit Hand in Hand. Could you speak about the Foundation and its mission?

DB: Hand in Hand started in March 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis and the temporary closing of our restaurants to guests, the Foundation supports those employees who have not been able to work and are experiencing financial hardship.

A seafood bouillabaisse dinner will launch Daniel Boulud Kitchen in the Hamptons. (Photo: Paul Wagtouicz)

You also recently founded Food1st, along with SL Green CEO Marc Holliday. Why was it important for you to give back to those in need during the pandemic?

DB: In April, I partnered with Marc Holiday, the CEO of SL Green, who established the Food1st Foundation. Food1st has helped restaurants keep their kitchens open to feed New Yorkers in need, such as first-responders, hospitals, shelters and food banks. The foundation has allowed my team to reopen Restaurant DANIEL’s catering kitchen and our commissary kitchen downtown where we prepare thousands of meals every day. Today, our team has prepared more than 30,000 meals, and as a whole, Food1st Foundation has served over 100,000 meals to New Yorkers in need. I am really thankful for Marc Holiday’s initiative to help us support the community by gifting all of the meals we prepare. I look forward to working with him and the SL Green team on our new project at One Vanderbilt.

With a lot more people cooking at home right now, what are some dishes you would recommend adding to their repertoire?

DB: A very simple and refreshing dessert for summer that I recommend is an Apricot Clafouti with Pistachio and Anis Seed. For this recipe you can substitute the apricot with other stone fruits, such as peach, plum, rhubarb and cherry. Below is the recipe:

Ingredients:

1.5 lb. Apricot fresh, ripe but not soft

30 gr Sicilian pistachios

1 tsp. Anis seed

4 eggs

125 gram flour

100 gram of sugar

30 gram of butter

30 Liter of Milk

1 Vanilla Bean

1 pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Cut the apricot in half, discard pits.
2. Mix together the flour, sugar, vanilla, and salt gently with a whisk. Add milk and melted butter (optional: cook the butter light brown), and add to the batter.
3. Let the batter rest for an hour.
4. Pour the batter into a 10inch tart mold with a 1.5inch side-height.
5. Place the cut-side of the apricot over the batter nicely, and push down gently.
6. Sprinkle the pistachio and anis seed on top.
7. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes.
8. Let cool and unfold carefully.
Optional: sprinkle powdered sugar over.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

DB: Over the last several months, I have learned how fragile our economy and community truly are. We have experienced fear for the unknown, and have learned how important it is to fight for your business so everyone can get their jobs back. This is the first time in my career that I have been disconnected with my entire team and many of them have struggled. As important as the business is, we have learned it is the people and the community who come first. What people can do right now is continue to support restaurants, charities and foundations, both locally and nationwide. New coalitions have been formed because of the pandemic to protect staff, suppliers, farmers, purveyors and many other small restaurant businesses. If people continue to support these new organizations, the hospitality business will continue to improve and have a stronger voice.

Daniel Boulud Kitchen in the Hamptons will arrive in the Hamptons on Friday afternoons. Orders must be placed by Wednesday.

For more information, visit danielbouludkitchen.com.