"DanielBoulud" news and stories

If cooking is the way to one's heart, Daniel Boulud should be able to attribute much of his success to his understanding of food. "I think that every restaurant is the chef's soul," he says in documentary "A Certain Taste for America."

In an ongoing series entitled "Art de Vivre: The Art of Eating Today," led by the French Institute in New York City on Monday, a screening of the film (very doting on Boulud) was followed by a panel discussion reflecting upon the art of eating and, more specifically, the importance of sustainability and sourcing food.

As a world-renowned chef hailing from a small hamlet outside Lyon, Boulud has achieved his veritable empire -- 10 successful restaurants based in New York, Palm Beach, Las Vegas, Vancouver and Beijing -- by striving to keep a strict culinary focus on seasonal cooking and high-quality ingredients.

More on Boulud's rise to fame, and the panel discussion on sustainable produce, obesity in America, seasonal cooking and its debatable expenses, after the jump.

Grumpy potato. Photo: banger1977, Flickr

• The Cornell-developed Keuka Gold is the prime potato for Orange County, N.Y.'s seasonal changes, plus an outline of upstate's changing potato ways.
• Pasta gets some historical context and old-world charm with Zanini De Vita and her new "Encyclopedia of Pasta."
• The Minimalist makes Crisp Nori.
• With ballpark menus getting fancier by the day, the classic Cracker Jack remains "a do-not-disturb" item.
• The Temporary Vegetarian makes Sara's Spinach Pie.
• Douro (DOH-roo) is a wine region in Portugal whose vino is equally good whether cheap or expensive.
• The popularity of chicken wings has elevated them to a pricey commodity.
• The British population turned towards pre-processed foods, and no one knew the food crafts, so Alison Parente created the School of Artisan Food.
• Cookbook icon Charlotte Snyder Turgeon passes away at the age of 97.
• Cook's Magazine founder Christopher Kimball writes about the demise of Gourmet.
• A Good Appetite rediscovers calf's liver.
• Jeff Ford's bread in Madison, Wis., makes its mark with "obscure organic grains that he sources locally and grinds himself."
• More love for Jen Yates' "Cake Wrecks."
• Daniel Boulud receives three stars from Michelin.
• Michael Pollan shares the Rules to Eat By.
• Food Stuff finds: strangely flavored cannoli, MIL Kimchi and the best Broadway bites.
• Restaurants: Daniel Boulud's sausage spot, DBGB, dishes "perfectly cooked food," East Village's Luke's Lobster is minimalist, like a "wiener hut" and The Financial District's Cowgirl Seahorse serves up adequate American food and fun.
• New York's openings and closings, calendar and benefits.

Mario Batali, sans Doritos. Photo: Bauer-Griffin.

What do chefs eat when they need a palate cleanser after so much fancy restaurant fare? When they take off their aprons, they reach for the same indulgences we do -- perhaps just with an upgrade. Slashfood asked celebrity chefs to share their favorite cravings.

Mario Batali
When orange-clogged chef and television personality Mario Batali isn't reinventing Italian cuisine, he's still got it in the bag -- of Doritos, that is. "I love two things: good gelato and, strangely enough, Doritos and salsa. It has to be Doritos, though. I especially like the lime-flavored ones with chili."

Nigella Lawson
Which foods make domestic goddess Nigella Lawson feel sinful? None! Nigella, who is famous for her intimate, relaxed cooking style says, "I don't have any guilty food pleasures. The only thing one should ever feel guilty about is not taking pleasure."

See what snacks Bobby Flay, Tom Colicchio and other celebrity chefs sneak after the jump.

Eli, Kevin, Ron and a lot of attitude. Photo: Bravo.

Cocky much? You'd think that in the highest-stakes episode yet this season, a bunch of young cooks with their reputations on the line would be too busy sweating the details to gloat.

But on Wednesday night's tribute to the art of French cooking, awe quickly gave way to a swaggering show of braggadocio the likes of which we haven't seen since Eminem was doing freestyle rap-offs on the streets of Detroit. Chalk it up to nerves -- or ironic editing -- if you want, but when the headstrong, "I'm better than my brother" Michael V. seems the most shy and unassuming of the bunch, you know something's out of whack.

Sure, a few were in awe: Not only did the cooks have to make snails for Daniel Boulud in a quickfire challenge, but none other than Joël Robuchon held court at the elimination dinner.

There are few better role models for those wishing to whip up fare in the style of a seasoned pro than Daniel Boulud. Boulud grew up on a farm near Lyon, France, worked under renowned European toques before making his way to New York City and in 1993 opened Daniel. The eatery not only garnered a four-star review from the New York Times but was also was named one of the 10 best restaurants in the world by the International Herald Tribune.

This video for crabmeat salad hearkens back to Boulud's early days (when both his hair and accent were a wee bit thicker!), but his technique still looks masterful. The salad -- a simple mixture of fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs molded into an eye-pleasing ring -- looks ideal for warmer summer months, reminding us that sometimes the basics are all that's needed to create a succulent, four-star meal.