Michelin-Starred Chef Daniel Boulud announced the first details of his Downtown Manhattan casual restaurant named LE GRATIN. The new restaurant will officially open its doors to the public during the first week of May 2022.
Housed in the former Augustine space, on the ground floor of the celebrated Beekman Hotel , LE GRATIN is located in the heart of FiDi just steps away from City Hall, the Fulton transit hub, the Oculus, World Trade Center, Tribeca and the revitalized Seaport District.
Inspired by his hometown of Lyon, France, Chef Daniel has envisioned a casual dining experience influenced by the notable bouchons and bistros of Lyon, best known for their lively ambiance, warm service, and soulful Lyonnais-style cuisine.
“The name, LE GRATIN, is inspired not only by the fond memory of my mother’s delicious gratin home recipes, but also the many classic gratin recipes that I learned to make as a young chef. ‘Le gratin’ is also a funny way in France to refer to the ‘who’s who’ of a party and the life of the ‘see and be seen,’” says Chef Daniel Boulud. “From the time I could hold a spoon, I remember savoring my favorite potato dish at home – Le Gratin Dauphinois, and Gratin de Cardons. All along my life, to this day, we make these specialties on many occasions. No dishes remain more classic than these. I want LE GRATIN to feel like the perfect place to gather with good friends and to make it a downtown hangout where everyone comes to relax and celebrate all of life’s moments.”
“Just one year after the eventful opening of Le Pavillon at One Vanderbilt, we are excited to bring a new sibling to the Dinex Group Downtown and offer an informal French destination to the New York dining scene,” says Sebastien Silvestri, CEO of Dinex Restaurant Group. “Lower Manhattan has completely transformed with so much cultural activity and excitement, we’re looking forward to opening Daniel’s first Bouchon Lyonnais. A destination for everyone that can also cater well to the needs of its vibrant residential neighborhood and burgeoning business community.”
“We couldn’t ask for a better partner than Chef Daniel Boulud to reimagine and reopen the French restaurant within The Beekman, which was formerly home to Augustine,” adds Allen Gross, Chairman of GFI Hospitality. “This restaurant is a special location that plays an integral role both to our loyal hotel guests, residents and the Downtown community at large.”
The menu will feature classic French dishes and Lyonnais specialties like the famed dish “quenelle de brochet au gratin,” a rustic and delicious dish made of pike mousse crusted with cheese in a mushroom sauce. Chef Daniel will keep a rustic approach to seasonality, bright flavors, and classic cuisine. Iconic French dishes to share will rotate monthly while highlighting local purveyors.
The Executive Chef will be Guillaume Ginther, an alumni of Restaurant Daniel and former Chef of Le Coq Rico Bistro in New York.
The wine list will house more than 100 offerings, with a focus on the wine radius around Lyon, including Beaujolais, Maconnais, Côte de Vienne and Collines Rhôdaniennes. A short list of fine wines from around the world will also be available. The fragrant Mauresque and local Kir Communard, drinks customarily enjoyed in the bouchons of Lyon, will be part of LE GRATIN’s cocktail list. A good selection of fortified wines and bitter liqueurs will be offered as aperitifs and digestifs.
