Hospitality Design - October 2014 - 78

perspectives

interview daniel boulud

and jeffrey beers

3
3. The Alcove, a semiprivate dining space at db
Bistro Moderne, wrapped
in a wall done in red, a
signature Parisian bistro
color.

cadet, and we're going to serve space food,' he
can definitely dream it and do it. That's why
we enjoy each other and working together. I
always tell him I don't want to be too trendy.
It's more about being a bit more classic-a
reference to being French and being from
Léon-and the food itself is not trendy either.
I've seen some amazing designs that are the
biggest failure because it was not about the food
anymore; it was too much about the design. It
will entertain you for a short time, but it doesn't
bring you back.
JB: I enjoy that the most about working with
Daniel. He is not looking for a steroid-centric
design. He is a restaurateur, and an amazing
restaurateur and chef in his heart, and if I
can do my job well, it would be to bring that to
the guests, to bring his sensibility, sensitivity,
and genuineness in the environment. In the
ambiance of the dining room, it needs to
balance and harmonize perfectly with his
hospitality. We share that.
DB: You try the first time to have it right, so if
you redo it [in 10 years], you don't have to rip it
out and redo it.
JB: Daniel is not a spaceship guy at all, but we
pay attention to fashion, we pay attention to the

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October 2014 hospitalitydesign.com

cultural moment in the city where we are, and
we try hard to bring that edge, that attitude,
that style, to keep it young and fresh. With art,
we share the same sensibilities from a style and
artistic standpoint, in layering in the artistic
point of view of the room. That's a fun part.
DB: That's what I love about Jeffery: He can
lead to a combination of materials, colors,
textures, appeal, while respecting the classic
line of design.
JB: It's about being timeless.
DB: Today, there's big talk about the
importance of design, and some people say it's
70 percent of the success of the restaurant. For
me, it's 50 because I'm the chef. The other 50 is
the cuisine and service for me-or maybe the
design is 40 percent.
JB: I'll take it. I feel very strongly that a
successful restaurant venture involves
three elements that are all working equally
in harmony: the cuisine, the operation
and service, and the design. If those three
components are in harmony, in balance, and
one really doesn't outshine another, you have
very good potential of being a long-lasting,
successful restaurant. It's when the design
becomes something it isn't, and it's overtaking

somehow. The owner doesn't feel comfortable.
It's like wearing the right suit.

How do you know when you have a
successful restaurant?
JB: You can feel it before opening, certainly,

when the restaurant has really come together,
with all of the furnishings and finishes. You
can feel that the vibe is right.
DB: It's all the details, making it functional.
After, there is always tweaking to do, and
reassessment-add a curtain here, or maybe a
partition there. If you do it right, there's nothing
to change, just things to adapt.
JB: As a designer, I know I can get the look of
the restaurant. What I'm concerned about is
if the restaurant as a business, as a machine,
works properly, and it can be successful from a
business standpoint, so he can do X amount of
covers, and waiters know where they're going,
the dining room flows right, the bar flows right.
It's very important.

Do you ever piss each other off?
DB: What I love about Jeffery is he's a

gentleman and he listens. He doesn't put his
ego in the middle, and it's not about 'me, me,
me; I'm the designer, I'll do what I think is
right.' He asks if it's going to work for me, for
the team. You get upset with the designer
when there is a major oversight and mistake in
something, like the air conditioning or lighting,
and we never had an issue with Jeffrey.
JB: Thanks, Daniel. I appreciate that. I try to
imagine myself working in the restaurant since
I worked in so many of them growing up.
DB: And you own some restaurants, so you
know. hd
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