Chef Daniel Boulud, the famous new york chef, cooks in Toronto for a hospital charity event in October 2008.Charla Jones/The Globe and Mail
Just weeks after shuttering his Vancouver restaurants, New York all-star chef Daniel Boulud says he will open a restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton Montreal in early 2012.
The new venture, Maison Boulud, will feature his French cuisine using local products, according to a press release.
"While I create restaurants that reflect my own distinct style, always inspired by the seasons, my traditional French culinary roots and my standards of hospitality, each place is developed to reflect the culture, tastes and lifestyle of its native city, with a particular focus on local products and purveyors," Mr. Boulud said in the release, issued Wednesday. "In this respect, my Montreal restaurant will be no exception."
Mr. Boulud's Vancouver restaurants Lumière and db Bistro Moderne closed in March, after little more than two years. Industry observers in the city blamed the closures on several factors, including the restaurants' failure to adapt to the local market and their location in a residential neighbourhood.
Mr. Boulud emphasized he will be keeping the tastes of Montreal diners in mind.
"While I've been a guest at countless wonderful Montreal events and even cooked in the restaurant of my friend [renowned Montreal]chef Normand Laprise, now more than ever, it's so important for me to embrace the city, its culture and its people as I begin to conceive this new restaurant," he said.
Last year, Mr. Boulud told The Globe and Mail he was approached by the Four Seasons about opening a restaurant in Toronto. As of late last month, neither the Four Seasons nor Mr. Boulud's Dinex Group had further news of whether a deal has been made.
A total of $150-million has been invested to completely revamp the Ritz-Carlton Montreal. The hotel is expected to be completed by late fall 2011.
"Our partnership with Daniel proves our clear aim to make the Ritz Carlton Montreal a unique five-star hotel property in Montreal," Andrew Torriani, president and chief executive of the Ritz-Carlton Montreal said in the release.
Wency Leung