Hi All,

This morning, I had the pleasure of talking with Chef Daniel, about his food philosophy, his take on the current food trends, and his commitment to the quality of the ingredients used in all of his restaurants. I wasn’t surprised to hear that he has personal relationships with all of the farmers and producers where he sources his food, and that he takes that relationship very seriously. I was glad to hear that in all of his restaurants, he has no problem accommodating people with different dietary needs, whether it is vegetarian, vegan, or gluten free, and that he has been offering a Vegetarian Tasting Menu, alongside of the Chef’s Tasting Menu at his restaurant Daniel, for over 18 years. All of his restaurants have a full vegetarian menu to compliment the regular menu. We talked about the importance for young chefs to find a mentor, to get the classical training, and to work hard. Once they have that training under their belt, then they can have the freedom to go off on their own, find their creative voice and branch out, but that classical training is essential.

Chef Daniel also shared some tips that his wife uses to feed their young son, and to help get food on the table each night. I’m sure many of the you will find that helpful! Like many of New York’s successful chefs, Chef Daniel has found a way to give back to his community, through his work as co-president of City Meals-On-Wheels. Check out his website, to find out about all of his restaurants, his philanthropy work, and the events he has going on. If you missed our interview, you can listen to it here!