WEBVTT - Businessweek Extra- Daniel Boulud

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<v Speaker 1>This is Bloomberg Business Week from Bloomberg Radio. I'm Jason

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<v Speaker 1>Kelly and I'm Carol Masser. Welcome to the Bloomberg Business

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<v Speaker 1>Week Extra. It's our weekly podcast bringing you an in

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<v Speaker 1>depth interview you will not hear anywhere else. And this

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<v Speaker 1>person really a friend of the show. He absolutely is.

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<v Speaker 1>We love catching up with chef and restaurant tour Danielle Bulu.

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<v Speaker 1>His restaurant Danielle one of the best and most famous

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<v Speaker 1>in New York City. He was able this week to

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<v Speaker 1>open up his terraces and provide a little bit of

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<v Speaker 1>a different menu. It's a pivot for him, clearly, Carol,

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<v Speaker 1>but a lot of people looking to him for leadership.

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<v Speaker 1>Every day is a big day because I think every

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<v Speaker 1>day we tried to really bring a little bit more

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<v Speaker 1>improvement and also a little bit more hope to our businesses.

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<v Speaker 1>And today we are putting a sidewalk cafe at restaurant Danielle.

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<v Speaker 1>Which restaurant Danielle is twenty eight years old. When he

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<v Speaker 1>was on s Street, he used to have sideboll cafe.

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<v Speaker 1>When I moved to sixty five and never really put

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<v Speaker 1>a sideboak cafe because we had enough room whinning inside

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<v Speaker 1>and and tonight we are doing um because I've started

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<v Speaker 1>the business of delivery and to go daniel Bury Kitchen,

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<v Speaker 1>So we are serving the menu of daniel Bury Kitchen

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<v Speaker 1>on the terrace of Danielle, So more casual and more approachable,

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<v Speaker 1>but fun and and and and really it's an opportunity

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<v Speaker 1>because I think we have a beautiful uh facade, We

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<v Speaker 1>have a beautiful space, and that's the only place we

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<v Speaker 1>can really serve our guests. And we felt that it

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<v Speaker 1>would be good to bring more staff and to bring

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<v Speaker 1>new to bring guests back. I have to imagine, Danielle,

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<v Speaker 1>that your clientele, many of whom are our listeners uh

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<v Speaker 1>so well known across Manhattan and the world. They must

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<v Speaker 1>have been clamoring for this, right, I mean, have you

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<v Speaker 1>been getting a lot of calls people saying I want

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<v Speaker 1>to come, I can some former fashion come cook for me? Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>the absolutely, So we do that. We have the come

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<v Speaker 1>cook for me by by sending them meal home, of course,

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<v Speaker 1>and we also do package for destination the Emptons or

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<v Speaker 1>other places. People drive miles from the strive state to

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<v Speaker 1>come and pick up a box with all kind of

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<v Speaker 1>meals prepared for them to take home, But I mean

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<v Speaker 1>having them at the restaurant and being able to again welcome,

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<v Speaker 1>serve them, pamper them and offer them something we feel. Uh,

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<v Speaker 1>it makes us very happy and I think it will

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<v Speaker 1>make them very happy. Our guest. Yes, well, you know

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<v Speaker 1>it's interesting, Danielle, like we have been talking to a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of folks, especially within your industry, that you've got

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<v Speaker 1>to figure out how to pivot here, right because it's

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<v Speaker 1>not like you can flip a switch and go back

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<v Speaker 1>to the way it was pre COVID, And so it

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<v Speaker 1>sounds like that's what you guys are doing. Yeah, very much.

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<v Speaker 1>And we also opened the West Side. I have a

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<v Speaker 1>restaurant at sixty Broadway by Buller and Episode Buller open

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<v Speaker 1>yesterday or this morning. Actually this morning we opened a

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<v Speaker 1>Pie three Bullie. So it's a retail store where it's

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<v Speaker 1>opened all day from breakfast to early evening and people

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<v Speaker 1>can have salads and sandwiches and things who are old,

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<v Speaker 1>home baked and homemade. And then we babu as a

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<v Speaker 1>huge theras on sixty four Broadway, so that's very very

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<v Speaker 1>convenient as well. And we took Cafe Bullou up in

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<v Speaker 1>the Berkshire and we did a pop up there in

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<v Speaker 1>a wonderful lleg schateau called the Bland Tyre. So it

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<v Speaker 1>really we find I mean, it's all this opportunity to

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<v Speaker 1>try to bring back staff. I mean we were more

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<v Speaker 1>than seven hundred and fifty staff and we went down

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<v Speaker 1>to seven people and now we're back up two hundred

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<v Speaker 1>and twenty total around the different businesses we have reopened,

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<v Speaker 1>and we are pushing up and bringing more people. So wow,

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<v Speaker 1>that that's big moves. Yea. And in terms of pacity,

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<v Speaker 1>danielle Um, what is the I mean, what can you

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<v Speaker 1>do at at what you're opening tonight versus what you

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<v Speaker 1>would be able to do inside? I think I think

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<v Speaker 1>the terra us is only I will say for right now,

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<v Speaker 1>it's and and because you know, if it's if it's

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<v Speaker 1>beautiful weather, we might be able to extend more tables,

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<v Speaker 1>but if it's a little bit greasily like tonight, we

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<v Speaker 1>want to stander the canopy and we have a limitation

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<v Speaker 1>of about thirty five to forty feets, but that's pretty good.

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<v Speaker 1>And then if it's a nice weather, we might be

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<v Speaker 1>able to double that size. But that's nothing compared to

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<v Speaker 1>the size on the inside, where normally we have private

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<v Speaker 1>dining rooms, we have the barnd nouns, we have the

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<v Speaker 1>dining room, which could almost bring hundred and eighty seats

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<v Speaker 1>or more. So it's a very different business model, and

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<v Speaker 1>it's definitely not um a profitable model, but it's very

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<v Speaker 1>It motivates us so much to do something with the

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<v Speaker 1>whole concept of outdoor dining. I'm sure you've knew about

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<v Speaker 1>it before, but you've probably learned more than you ever

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<v Speaker 1>thought you would about outdoor dining, given that that's how

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<v Speaker 1>we're all eating out these days. How do you view it?

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<v Speaker 1>What have you learned about it in terms of what

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<v Speaker 1>you can and can't do, and maybe what the future

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<v Speaker 1>is given that we're going to be in this for

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<v Speaker 1>some time, I know, and and and thanks God, I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>we're in it in the summer right now, and the

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<v Speaker 1>fall should be mellow until at least November. But the

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<v Speaker 1>the Mayor of New York has really opened up and

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<v Speaker 1>I think many cities all over the country. I've opened

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<v Speaker 1>up the opportunity for restaurate or to be able to

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<v Speaker 1>put table outside in places we will have never been

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<v Speaker 1>authorized before. And they are really helpful, um meaningful, I

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<v Speaker 1>mean mindful of of course the security for the guests,

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<v Speaker 1>but also um, really give the chance for the restaurator

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<v Speaker 1>to have a meaningful business outdoor for the time being,

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<v Speaker 1>for the time being, let's say. And of course the

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<v Speaker 1>fine dining restaurant is more complicated, but not too many

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<v Speaker 1>restaurants as outdoors there. As for cafe the small bestrow,

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<v Speaker 1>we have like four or five table outside. I've seen

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<v Speaker 1>them taking half a block and going around the block

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<v Speaker 1>with tables, so it seemed like they have more tables

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<v Speaker 1>outside and inside now. But but it's good, thank god. Yeah, exactly,

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<v Speaker 1>and that there is that opportunity to do it. You know, um,

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<v Speaker 1>we were talking without Kate Crater, who covers UM. I think,

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<v Speaker 1>as you know, we love we love talking with Kate,

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<v Speaker 1>and you know, we were wondering, you know, you were

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<v Speaker 1>going I thought to talk to Lincoln Center about doing

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<v Speaker 1>maybe big screens for events like the US Open so

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<v Speaker 1>that maybe diners could watch from barbarous. Are you doing that?

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<v Speaker 1>Are you moving ahead with that? Well? Uh, I am

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<v Speaker 1>still convinced that we can do something, and I am

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<v Speaker 1>looking at sponsor. It's it's all about trying to find

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<v Speaker 1>sponsoring to be able to create something for the moment.

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<v Speaker 1>A little bit of a spontaneous things and for a

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<v Speaker 1>short lived but at least we can do things to

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<v Speaker 1>entertain guests. But I think, um, it is important that

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<v Speaker 1>because the open is happening, that we are able to

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<v Speaker 1>show it all over town. Um it's uh, it will

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<v Speaker 1>be fantastic. I mean, I would love to be able

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<v Speaker 1>to show it. That daniel is needed. But at Lincoln

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<v Speaker 1>Center there is the huge esplanade where I'm sure people

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<v Speaker 1>don't have to crowd, and they have the entire War

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<v Speaker 1>of the buildings where they could project the games and

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<v Speaker 1>put some speakers. So I hope there will be you know,

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<v Speaker 1>interested to do that of course. And no, no, no,

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<v Speaker 1>I didn't mean to cut you off. And I have

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<v Speaker 1>the and you know now with the to go business

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<v Speaker 1>or the three, people can grab their little snack or

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<v Speaker 1>sandwich or meal or lunch or dinner and sit down

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<v Speaker 1>and and watch the game during the day. And I'm

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<v Speaker 1>sure than the city can plan uh enough social spacing.

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<v Speaker 1>So there's really safety first, of course, very important. So Danielle,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, the last time we talked to you, um,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, the the pandemic was very much on in

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<v Speaker 1>in New York City. Unfortunately, a very different time, um,

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<v Speaker 1>but obviously not much, not too much has changed, although

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<v Speaker 1>you know, little baby steps for it that we're taking

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<v Speaker 1>in terms of outdoor dining. I do wonder for you

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<v Speaker 1>because at the time you were rightly concerned. I'm sure

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<v Speaker 1>you remain concerned about the future of your business and

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<v Speaker 1>maybe more importantly, the future of fine dining all across

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<v Speaker 1>the country. Where do we stand now? What do you

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<v Speaker 1>think about now when it comes to the future of

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<v Speaker 1>fine dining. Well, for a while, he would have to

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<v Speaker 1>be slightly recaliber I mean slightly or strongly recaliber uh

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<v Speaker 1>in in his um ambition of offering, I would say,

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<v Speaker 1>in his size. Uh. You know, we find dining when

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<v Speaker 1>we think of fine danning, that means we're going to

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<v Speaker 1>reopen our restaurant inside and um in its price. Maybe

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<v Speaker 1>maybe more option to be able to have choice of

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<v Speaker 1>not having to go for tasting manu only, but maybe

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<v Speaker 1>some sampler option, maybe some hours of operation. We might

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<v Speaker 1>be shrunk down a little bit because of the cost

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<v Speaker 1>of doing business, and so you know, less less days

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<v Speaker 1>of operation will mean more control in in the cost

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<v Speaker 1>of doing business and uh and and slowly get back

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<v Speaker 1>to where it belonged because I think fine dining will

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<v Speaker 1>not go away. But I'm opening to restaurant, Danielle. I

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<v Speaker 1>can do a pop up for the months to come

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<v Speaker 1>where I create something very casual, very disrupting, and very

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<v Speaker 1>different than Uh. I'm basically covering the skin of fine

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<v Speaker 1>dining and putting a skin of a casual place and

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<v Speaker 1>and but something a little bit of a It's like

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<v Speaker 1>a movie set where you are somewhere else for a

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<v Speaker 1>minute for a time and and and I do that

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<v Speaker 1>with sponsor, and we have some wonderful sponsor. We want

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<v Speaker 1>to support my idea and and help the restart of

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<v Speaker 1>fine dining. And I think everybody's gonna have to figure

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<v Speaker 1>it out how to restop, not to become who they were,

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<v Speaker 1>but to restart something. And so that's an opportunity to

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<v Speaker 1>do that. So I'm thinking of people who are listening

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<v Speaker 1>and saying I want in um, is it going to

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<v Speaker 1>be all reservations or reservations and walk ins? So right

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<v Speaker 1>now for the Sidebook Cafe, Danielle, it's going to be

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<v Speaker 1>a reservation some day starting at three o'clock in the

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<v Speaker 1>afternoon until six o'clock. And oh, but it's at three o'clock.

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<v Speaker 1>We opened the reservation, so we know exactly the weather,

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<v Speaker 1>we know a mini table to put and all that,

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<v Speaker 1>because there's nothing worse than coming to a restaurant and

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<v Speaker 1>there is no table. But we will always keep tables

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<v Speaker 1>up and with no reservation as well, so a portion

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<v Speaker 1>of it will be a reservation portion no reservation, so

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<v Speaker 1>there's always an opportunity that a table could get available.

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<v Speaker 1>And that was Chef in Restaurant toward Danielle Bowlue. I

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<v Speaker 1>love what he said, Jason about every day being a

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<v Speaker 1>big day, bringing a little bit of hope, a little

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<v Speaker 1>bit of improvement. You know what they're doing right now.

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<v Speaker 1>It's not profitable, but again he's hopeful and he's really

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<v Speaker 1>just trying to bring back his workers and bring back

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<v Speaker 1>his customers. You've been listening to Bloomberg Business Week Extra.

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<v Speaker 1>Be sure you tune into Bloomberg Business Week on Radio

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<v Speaker 1>Live Monday through Friday at GBM Moll Street Time. I'moowork Radio.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm sure all answer, and I'm Jason Kelly. This is

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<v Speaker 1>Bloomberg