Read our Q&A with globally renowned Chef Daniel Boulud. Chef Daniel’s first restaurant in the Caribbean Café Boulud The Bahamas opened at Rosewood Baha Mar in Spring 2021 featuring French inspired cooking fused with local Bahamian ingredients and flavours for a seasonal taste of the Caribbean. Read on to discover more about Chef Daniel’s career, menu inspiration and the vibe at Cafe Boulud The Bahamas.
What is your earliest inspiration and memory that made you want to become a Chef?
I loved the bounty of each season while growing up and waiting to cook with my grandmother all the things the harvest had to offer.
Why did you choose The Bahamas, and particularly Rosewood for your next Café Boulud?
Many of our New York guests travel to The Bahamas frequently. Partnering with Rosewood feels like the perfect fit. Together, we share many values between our brands and clientèle.
How does Café Boulud The Bahamas differ from your other restaurants?
Being in the Caribbean, we created a menu based on our cuisine, but curated for the tropical lifestyle of The Bahamas and local ingredients available to us. It is fine dining with a casual approach, relaxed style, great wine, and excellent service.
What inspired you to create the Café Boulud The Bahamas menu?
My inspiration came from my four culinary muses. The menu is a journey through each. La Tradition highlights elevated French classics, La Saison emphasises seasonal and local Bahamian produce, Le Mer offers seafood specialities of the Bahamas, while Le Voyage explores various world cuisines through creative French interpretations.
How have you incorporated Bahamian food into your menu?
It was important to me to have the menu not only reflect the destination, but also the seasonality of The Bahamas. My culinary team and I spent time on the island and met with local farmers and suppliers to understand more about the regional produce available. This helped us incorporate a variety of delicious Bahamian ingredients and seafood on the menu, such as King Crab and Grilled Swordfish, which we combine with traditional French flavours and technique.
What was your favourite part about visiting the Bahamas, what did you like about the destination?
I loved the lifestyle and tropical feel, the hospitality and kindness of the Bahamian people. It is so close to the US and such a relaxing island.
What is your favourite dish from the Café Boulud The Bahamas menu?
of my favourite dishes on the menu is the local Red Snapper served with a Pepper Fricassée and a Chorizo and Mojo Verde Sauce.
How have you found opening a restaurant during the pandemic?
It has been challenging for so many to navigate the current climate. The hospitality industry is amongst the hardest hit. Having launched at the same time as the Rosewood Baha Mar, we were able to bring another fine table to the Bahamas. The team at the Rosewood Baha Mar was fully committed in keeping our staff and guests at Café Boulud safe.
Apart from French food, what is your favourite cuisine to cook?
Any cuisine that has history, flavor and made with heart and soul. Also, going to the market and creating a dish that is spontaneous and flavourful is the most entertaining type of cuisine.
Who would you most like to cook for and why?
I have cooked for so many famous people from all walks of life, but I would love to be able to cook for my grandmother again- to show her how far I’ve come since we cooked together.
What does luxury mean to you?
Luxury today? Being in a beautiful place of the world, the ability to source the best ingredients, selecting the finest wines, cooking with friends, dressing up a very nice table, curating great music, and having fun like the old days.
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