David Bouley (1953–2024), top New York City chef
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2 min readDavid Bouley was an influential four-star chef in New York City known for his many TV appearances and the Tribeca restaurant that bore his name.
Died: February 12, 2024 (Who else died on February 12?)
Details of death: Died in Kent, Connecticut, of a heart attack at the age of 70.
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David Bouley’s legacy
Bouley’s grandparents had a farm near Storrs, Connecticut, and life there helped shape how he saw the role of cooking in a person’s day-to-day life. He recalled going to a new French restaurant and being unimpressed, thinking his grandparents’ cooking methods were better. He began working in restaurants at a young age in both the United States and Europe, studying in Paris before returning to the U.S. to work in New York City. There, he labored in acclaimed establishments like La Côte Basque, Le Cirque, and Le Périgord.
In 1985, Bouley was with the widely praised restaurant Montrachet when it opened. Two years later, he opened his own in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan, called simply, “Bouley.” At one time, Trip Advisor named it the best restaurant in the U.S., and Zagat’s ranked it the third best in New York City. Other establishments included The Bouley Bakery and Market and Danube.
Bouley was also known for his many TV appearances, which included “Good Morning America,” “Late Night with David Letterman,” “Charlie Rose” on PBS, and others. He has an honorary PhD from University of Connecticut and won the Gohan Society's Washoku Ambassador Award, among other honors. He was also the coauthor of “East of Paris: The New Cuisines of Austria and the Danube.”
Notable quote
“I grew up in a French family that had probably the greatest skills at that time than any restaurant I ate at.”—from a 2013 interview for Epicurious interview
Tributes to David Bouley
Full obituary: The New York Times
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