Did it change your view of restaurants?

[Andy Lynes]

Did your experiences at Daniel change the way you regard the experience of eating out either at Daniel in particular or restaurants at that level in general, or indeed at any level?

[Leslie Brenner]

Yes, Andy, my experiences at Daniel did change the way I look at dining in some ways. Mostly, I'd say that I'm more impressed by meals such as one experiences at Daniel (or other four-star-type establishments). The amount of work and care and attention--and talent--on the part of so many people in order to give people such experiences is truly amazing.

But it also gave me a solid idea of what the standards should be for this kind of high-end dining. Interestingly, on a recent trip to France on which I dined at a number of very formal, Michelin-starred restaurants, I felt the French establishments I visited this time paled in comparison to Daniel--both in terms of service and the food itself.