Daniel

[lxt]

"The meal was pretentious -- a kind of beetroot soup with greasy croutons; pork underdone with loud vulgar cabbage, potato croquettes, tinned peas in tiny jam-tart cases, watery gooseberry sauce; trifle made with a resinous wine, so jammy that all my teeth lit up at once." - Anthony Burgess

Nothing in the meal served at Daniel was pretentious; however what was evident was its aesthetic and emotional impact on the diner: Starting with the subject-matter of each course clearly conveying the innermost mind of the chef and his intentions through applying different element combinations, followed by this excellent draftsmanship involving not only dishes’ preparation but a geometrical precision of the architectural composition on each plate to involve all senses including visual perception in the utmost attempt to appeal to the diner’s feelings and emotions. (Now, that sentence was pretentious ) If criticism and appreciation must be based on knowledge and experience, what Daniel was able to achieve, in my opinion, was to affect a diner on a very primary level of his instinctive feelings and emotions.

There was no sign of mannerism expressed in the engineering of dishes where pure analysis replaces individuality and creativity. All efforts were synthesized into a whole to produce works of “art.” If the accompaniment of a dish was a foamed sauce, it was not to pursue the artificial visual effect, but to add the air and lightness only to stress the main element of the dish not to overshadow it. Every dish had such a logical progression to it.

If you consider presentational effects involving in the dish preparation excessive, unnecessary and pretentious, then why not just disregard geometrical precision of works of Piero della Francesca, Stubbs, or Mondrian. Or how about those vigorous brushwork by Tintorett or Goya marvelously allied to the illusion of three-dimensional form? When a form is only a means to deliver the context, then it surpasses the level of mere pretension and mannerism. What it does; however, it adds another level of complexity to first engage one’s intellectual perception of the dish where long before the nose gets to sample the unexpected exotic smells and for each spice typical aroma, the eye takes an inventory.

Regarding pretentious service in Daniel, though I do feel comfortable in a formal environment, there was nothing pretentious in the gracious attempt to make each diner feel special and comfortable according to the widely accepted norms of etiquette and manners.

[Truman Nabors]

The first course:

Marinated Hamachi Tuna with Fresh Fennel Bavarois, Shaved Fennel, Pink Grapefruit and Avocado

1 question -

Was it hamachi or was it tuna? They are two different species of fish.

[tommy]

The first course:

Marinated Hamachi Tuna with Fresh Fennel Bavarois, Shaved Fennel, Pink Grapefruit and Avocado

1 question -

Was it hamachi or was it tuna? They are two different species of fish.

hamachi is yellowtail, which is a kind of tuna, no?

Edited February 13, 2003 by tommy (log)

[R Washburn]

Nope. Different fish. Blue fin is a kind of tuna.

[mikeczyz]

Nobu the COokbook has just informed me that hamachi is the name given for young yellowtail, and buri for older yellowtail. But yellowtail is......?

Snapper? Tuna? I'm confused too!!!!

mike

P.S. I've run into three kinds of tuna in my life, blue fin, big eye, and ahi. anyone know of any others?

Edited February 13, 2003 by mikeczyz (log)

[CathyL]

Hamachi/yellowtail is amberjack - a migratory game fish, similar to tuna, but a different species.

[mikeczyz]

Hamachi/yellowtail is amberjack - a migratory game fish, similar to tuna, but a different species.

thanks for clearing that up...

mike

[tommy]

and, of course, yellowtail is a type of tuna.

however, that doesn't change the fact that mr. boulud seems to have a strange menu item.

[Fat Guy]

This is actually this third or fourth time I can remember this yellowfin-tuna/yellowtail distinction coming up on eGullet. I know I posted about it once when Robert Brown made the slipup, and Marcus corrected someone awhile back too. Here's a good explanation from one sushi restaurant's Web site:

Is yellowtail a kind of tuna?

No. A lot of people confuse yellowtail with yellowfin tuna. Yellowfin tuna is served as red tuna and usually caught in Hawaii and Florida. Yellowtail is actually a member of the Jack family and not related to tuna. Yellowtail is mostly farm-raised in Japan.

http://www.toshissushiya.com/html/faq.html

[Wilfrid]

I can find the carte on the web-site, but not the tasting menus. Am I missing something?

[sammy]

Wilfred, they had the tasting menu up a few days ago when they still had the winter menu posted. I noticed that they just put up the spring menu so maybe it will take a few days to post the spring tasting menu.

[Wilfrid]

Thanks. I'll check back.

[Bux]

Elsewhere I noted that Florence Fabricant reported in today's NY Times Dining section that Neil Annis left Compass. The bigger news is that Alex Lee is leaving Daniel. Alex had been with Daniel Boulud since before the original Daniel was opened. Alex has been Daniel's right hand man throughout and held the position of executive chef. He's taking the position of executive chef at a country club in Westbury. I suspect the hours will be better and it's much closer to where he and his family live.

I believe Alex was the last of the original crew to still be in the Daniel Kitchen full time. In a way it seems like the end of an era, but many chefs have gone through the kitchen and Alex' tenure was remarkably long for a top NY restaurant. Thus I suspect it will have less effect on the food than it might seem. Daniel himself is always reinventing his food and has always managed to assemble and train a talented team. Still it will be intersting to hear reports of meals.

[ballast_regime]

I was more interested in seeing what Alex will do when he strikes out on his own. He has some chops, that's for sure, and I would like to see how much Daniel feels like a phantom limb at his new place.

IML

[herbacidal]

alex lee lives in queens, correct (i remember that from the fourth star)?

anyway, that is definitely not a suprise. just wondering when it was going to happen.

his continued tenure would be the reason daniel got more press than what i've always seen as the big 4 of NYC restaurants / NYC French restaurants (Jean George, Lespinasse, ADNY, Daniel) although others with more experience would have to comment further on accuracy.

seems impossible to find someone with that level of talent, technique, etc. who wasn't overly ambitious to get out and do their own thing.

[johnnyblaze]

I had the pleasure to work with Alex Lee at Daniel for about a year and a half. He has encyclopedic knowledge of world cuisine and cooking techniques. Beyond that, he is a great human being who cares about and teaches the cooks. Im sure that Daniel will miss him sorely.

Alex is going to work at the Glen Oaks Country Club. ( so all you Long Island cooks who want to learn a tremendous amount and not to travel too far, go there) Yet I think that he hasnt " ended his time in NYC". I believe that Alex will be back in a short time to open his own restaurant, which will , no doubt, be a success.

Congrats Alex- youve dealt with more stress than 100,000 NYC cooks. Big Flavors Dude.

[Lady T]

Interesting. I would have expected Vongerichten or maybe even Ducasse to cherry-pick Alex Lee out of Boulud's kitchen to head one of their branch operations before now.

I bet Boulud & Co. are going to miss him something huge.

[Bux]

Florence Fabricant reported that Alex lives in Port Washington which is a long haul away from Manhattan. Alex has two kids. I don't know Alex that well, but under those circumstances I don't find it all that surprising a move. I like Alex and and think he has great talent and love for food. Alex has been with Daniel longer than anyone. I believe he came with him from le Cirque. Of course he will be missed. On the other hand, Daniel is as much an executive, trainer and organizer as he is a cook and promoter. His kitchens have always been deep in strength and some of the best meals I've had in Daniel have been served when neither Daniel or Alex were in the kitchen. That the chef is not in the kitchen is one of the deep dark secrets at most restaurants, but at Daniel, it was never a dirty secret. My guess is still that Alex' departure is likely to put a crimp in Daniel's charity cooking appearances all over the globe and in his bood promotion appearances as well, but that you may be more likely to see him at the restaurant for a while.

It would be hard to believe that other kitchens in Manahattan haven't eyed Alex for a while, likely even well before he started to get some overdue publicity, but it's interesting that of all the kitchens in NY, Daniel seems to get the most loyalty from his cooks. True, his ex-sous chefs are all over NY, but that's the norm. It's not that common for any chef to retain an employee for ten years. In a NY Times article, one restaurant head hunter was quoted as saying he (or she?) never solicited anyone currently working in Daniel's kitchen. I suspect it was out of interest in not encouraging Daniel's wrath, but it was an interesting statement. As far as I know, Daniel still has one person in his organization who's been with him since he opened the first restaurant. That person has had the liberty to move in and out of the restaurant. He's been sous chef at Daniel and exectutive chef at Feast and Fetes, the catering division, and currently working on what might be called special projects.

[herbacidal]

sounds about right to me, especially about other kitchens eyeing / wooing alex away.

[viaChgo]

I saw that Jean François Bruel is the executive chef at Daniel. Does that mean Alex Lee has left? Perhaps to head his own kitchen?

[R Washburn]

Alex Lee hasn't been at Daniel in months. He is heading up the kitchen at a country club on Long Island.

[herbacidal]

boulud stepped back from day to day at daniel officially?

how long as bruel been at exec?

[viaChgo]

Thanks, R Washurn. I've been interested in seeing what he was going to do ever since reading The Fourth Star.

[MichaelB]

Alex Lee left Daniel on July 31. Bruel's appointment was some time a bit later -- I read about it sometime later in August, I think.

Edited November 20, 2003 by MichaelB (log)

[Bux]

boulud stepped back from day to day at daniel officially?

how long as bruel been at exec?

Stepped back? I believe Alex Lee was executive chef from the day Daniel opened. I know he was executive chef at the time the restaurant moved to its present location. Jean François was made executive chef when Alex moved on. Jean Francois has been with Daniel a long time and I believe he has worked in all three of Daniel's NY restaurants.