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Setting the Standard Daniel Boulud Lili Lynton An Interview with Daniel Boulud, Épicerie Boulud Chef and Owner, and Lili Lynton, Partner, The Dinex Group EDITORS’ NOTE Chef-turned-restaurateur renovations. This demonstrated to our loyal and a few specialty items and condiments my Daniel Boulud is considered one of America’s patrons that we are committed to maintain- chefs and I have found in our travels. leading culinary authorities. He is best known as ing and even elevating our standards in a chal- You also recently reopened a new db chef-owner of his signature restaurant DANIEL lenging business climate. Bistro Moderne in Miami. What are your ex- on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. He has been At the same time, we have continued to pectations for the venue and do you have named “Best Chef New York City”, “Chef of the invest in opening new restaurants in New York plans to expand the db Bistro Moderne Year for the United States”, and “Outstanding City – DBGB Kitchen and Bar in 2009, and more brand into other markets? Restaurateur of the Year” by the James Beard recently, Boulud Sud and Épicerie Boulud in 2011. Lynton: We had experience in South Foundation for his refi ned yet soulful cooking We’ve also expanded with locations in other cit- Florida with our Café Boulud Palm Beach and generous approach to hospitality. ies including London, Miami, and Singapore. Our location and felt that a downtown Miami loca- Lili Lynton has been Daniel Boulud’s busi- plans for the immediate future are to open res- tion would be equally successful, with perhaps ness partner since 1993 when, along with Joel taurants at the Four Seasons in Toronto and the fewer seasonal spikes in our business. We are Smilow, they opened the fi rst Restaurant Daniel. Ritz-Carlton in Montreal, both in 2012. just coming upon the one-year anniversary of Prior to 1993, Lynton worked on Wall Street as Would you provide an overview of Miami’s db Bistro Moderne and are pleased to a fi nancial analyst with Sanford C. Bernstein your two new establishments in New York, fi nd that downtown offers a year-round mar- and Lehman Brothers. She was part of the Épicerie Boulud and Boulud Sud, and how ket. The db Bistro brand is well suited to a management team that purchased and operated they will complement your other venues in central combined business/residential location TeleBank, which was sold to E*TRADE in 1999. the market? as it caters well to business customers, lo- She has worked with the New York City Investment Boulud: Opened this past May, Boulud Sud, cals, and tourists. As we fi nd suitable down- Fund as a senior manager from 2001 to the along with Épicerie Boulud and Bar Boulud, town locations, we will consider opening more present. Lynton is a graduate of Harvard College complete our Lincoln Center trio. We had plans db Bistro Moderne restaurants in other cities. and Harvard Business School. to expand when we fi rst opened on the West As with all our operations, we look to create Side three years ago. While we had hoped to get a restaurant that is best suited to the specifi c COMPANY BRIEF The Dinex Group started sooner, waiting for the adjacent spaces location and clientele. (www.danielnyc.com) operates 12 restaurants: to become available had the advantage of giving You are a major employer in New seven in New York – Daniel, a Relais & us time to get to know the neighborhood. York City with a staff of close to 700 in Châteaux member; Bar Boulud; db Bistro Boulud Sud is a Mediterranean journey the market. How strong is the talent Moderne; Café Boulud; DBGB Kitchen and Bar with a menu that travels the entire region from pool in New York City and what are the and, most recently, Boulud Sud and Épicerie France’s Côte d’Azur to North Africa and be- key characteristics that you look for in Boulud – with a second Café Boulud in Palm yond. There’s an emphasis on grilled fi sh and hiring talent? Beach, Florida; Maison Boulud in Beijing. lamb and an abundance of fresh vegetables. Boulud: New York is the strongest mar- His fi rst restaurant in the U.K., Bar Boulud, The restaurant is open and airy. The yellow and ket we serve as far as talent pool, but recruit- opened in London’s Mandarin Oriental in slate grey mid-century modern interiors include ing still requires substantial work. Despite the May 2010. Two new outposts recently opened a spacious bar and lounge in a light fi lled space economy, well-trained people are in demand. include db Bistro Moderne in both Miami and framed by fl oor-to-ceiling windows and vaulted So we emphasize nurturing talent with our own Singapore. ceilings. The West 64th Street entrance is just ongoing in-house training in areas as diverse steps from Lincoln Center. I see it as being both as wine knowledge, language skills, and dining How much of an impact did the global eco- an attraction for neighborhood regulars and a room service. We often hire entry-level people nomic crisis have on your business and destination for theatregoers. without extensive experience but who show how is Dinex Group positioned for growth? Épicierie Boulud is an entirely new ad- dedication and discipline. In potential hires, Lynton: During 2009, our sales declined venture and the fi rst time I’ve created a place we look for the energy and professionalism about 3 percent for existing restaurants. We felt that departs from the classic sit-down restaurant of a leader, the ability to motivate and train a the drop primarily at our midtown restaurant, model. It’s an eat-in and take-out market. We fi - team, and most importantly, a great knack for db Bistro Moderne. While it has a local clientele nally have the perfect place to sell our signature taking care of people. for business lunches, at dinner it caters to out- charcuterie to-go. There’s a wonderful cheese Where do you see opportunities for ad- of-town guests and theatergoers, segments that counter with artisanal French and American ditional expansion? suffered at the time. The situation was similar at selections courtesy of Saxelby Cheesemongers. Lynton: Within New York City, we would like our Lincoln Center location, Bar Boulud, which Our house-made offerings include soups, sal- to expand our Épicerie Boulud operations and are is also partly tourist dependent. ads, gourmet sandwiches, and more. The looking for additional locations for this concept. During 2010, we saw significant sales Épicerie serves breakfast and lunch, gelati, and Outside the city, we would like to add venues growth as tourists returned to New York City. pastry and coffee in the afternoon, and evolves in areas where we have had signifi cant success, Our other locations, including our flag- into an oyster bar with wines by the glass in the including locations in Asia. We are also looking to ship, Restaurant Daniel, and Cafe Boulud, evening. We stand apart for making just about add a second location in Beijing where our brand both benefi tted from recent expansions and everything we sell in-house; all but the cheeses has been especially well received.• 102 LEADERS POSTED WITH PERMISSION. COPYRIGHT © 2011 LEADERS MAGAZINE, INC. VOLUME 34, NUMBER 4.

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