David Bouley

David Bouley
Born	(1953-05-27) 27 May 1953 Storrs, Connecticut, U.S.
Died	13 February 2024(2024-02-13) (aged 70) Kent, Connecticut, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Chef, Restaurateur
Known for	Founder and head chef of Bouley (restaurant)

David Bouley (May 27, 1953 – February 13, 2024) was a renowned American and French chef and restaurateur, primarily recognized as the exclusive proprietor and head chef of his signature establishment, Bouley, situated in Tribeca, New York City.

Early life and education

Hailing from Storrs, Connecticut, Bouley pursued higher education at the University of Connecticut and furthered his studies in French culture through the Cours de Civilisation Française at the Sorbonne in Paris.

Career

Bouley’s culinary journey included gaining practical experience in various locations such as Cape Cod, Santa Fe, New Mexico, France, and Switzerland. After completing his studies at the Sorbonne, he honed his skills under esteemed chefs like Roger Vergé, Paul Bocuse, Joël Robuchon, Gaston Lenôtre, Frédy Girardet, and Paul Haeberlin. Upon returning to New York City, he contributed to prominent restaurants including Le Cirque, Le Périgord, and La Côte Basque, as well as serving as sous chef at Roger Vergé’s San Francisco venue. In 1985, Bouley took the helm at Montrachet restaurant, which rapidly earned a three-star rating from the New York Times.

In 1987, he inaugurated his namesake restaurant in Tribeca with views overlooking Duane Park. This venue garnered a prestigious four-star review from the New York Times along with several accolades from the James Beard Foundation, including Best Restaurant and Best Chef awards.

In 1997, Bouley shifted focus to Bouley Bakery and became the first chef to grace the cover of the New York Times Magazine. Two years later, he launched Danube, a restaurant inspired by Viennese cuisine located on Hudson Street, and authored East of Paris: The New Cuisines of Austria and the Danube. That same year, Bouley Bakery received four stars from The New York Times and was awarded two Michelin stars. After relocating in 2008, it was rebranded as Bouley Restaurant. Danube also earned two Michelin stars before being reimagined as Brushstroke in 2011—a partnership with Japan’s Tsuji Culinary Institute that fused Japanese culinary traditions with American ingredients—also achieving two Michelin stars.

A trailblazer in introducing tasting menus to the American dining scene, Bouley was acknowledged for accommodating guests with autoimmune disorders, receiving Lifetime Achievement Awards from Columbia University’s Celiac Disease Center and New York-Presbyterian’s Rogosin Institute.

In 2015, he became the first non-Japanese individual honored as a Japanese Cuisine (Washoku) Goodwill Ambassador by the Japanese Government.

France recognized his contributions in 2020 by bestowing upon him the title of Knight in the Order of Agricultural Merit ().

Personal life

David Bouley passed away due to hereditary heart failure at his residence in Kent, Connecticut, on February 13, 2024, aged 70. He is survived by his wife Nicole Bartelme, whom he met during the final lunch service at his eponymous restaurant in 1996. The couple wed in France’s Loire Valley in 2006.

Restaurants

Before its relocation in 2008 and subsequent renaming to Bouley Restaurant, Bouley Bakery held two Michelin Stars. Similarly, Danube earned two Michelin stars prior to its transformation into Brushstroke Restaurant.

Brushstroke opened its doors in April 2011 at 30 Hudson Street as a collaboration between Bouley and Osaka’s Tsuji Culinary Institute, blending Japanese culinary artistry with American ingredients.

Bouley Test Kitchen operates as a private venue for events and recipe development within Bouley’s ventures. It also hosted the American team preparing for the Bocuse d'Or Competition in 2011. The facility moved from TriBeCa to Manhattan’s Flatiron District in October 2017.

Located at 281 Church Street in TriBeCa, Bouley Botanical serves as an event space and educational platform promoting nutrition through its lecture series titled The Chef & The Doctor.

Bouley at Home is situated at 31 West 21st Street in the Flatiron District. This initiative is a partnership with German kitchen manufacturer Bulthaup, providing an integrated culinary and design experience.

Awards

• Washoku Ambassador Award presented by the Gohan Society (with "Washoku" translating to "food harmony" in Japanese)
• Confrerie Gastronomique de la Marmitr d'OR honored with Officier de Bouche distinction (2007)
• Lifetime Achievement recognition awarded by Columbia University's Celiac Disease Center
• Honorary Doctorate conferred by the University of Connecticut
• Designated Knight in the Order of Agricultural Merit (2022)
• James Beard Foundation Awards including Outstanding Restaurant (1991), inclusion in Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America (1991), Best Chef in America (1994), and Outstanding Chef (2000)

Books

• East of Paris: The New Cuisines of Austria and the Danube (Ecco, 2003) — Co-authored by David Bouley, Mario Lohninger, and Melissa Clark