Michelin-lauded chef Daniel Boulud to open his first Middle East restaurant in Dubai

Brasserie Boulud will open at Sofitel Dubai Wafi

Brasserie Boulud at Sofitel Dubai Wafi will open in September. Courtesy Sofitel

Award-winning French chef and restaurateur Daniel Boulud will open a new restaurant in Dubai this September, it has been announced.

Brasserie Boulud, a concept by the man behind New York’s two Michelin-starred hot spot Restaurant Daniel, will offer contemporary, French-inspired cuisine at the soon-to-open Sofitel Dubai Wafi.

It will be the chef’s first restaurant in the Middle East.

Boulud, who’s best known for his modern reinterpretations of French classics, is originally from just outside Lyon, in France, but it’s in America where he cemented his reputation as a master chef. He’s opened restaurants in New York, Washington DC, Miami and Palm Beach, as well as further afield in Toronto, Montreal, London and Singapore.

Now he’s got his sights set on Dubai.

French chef de cuisine Nicolas Lemoyne will take the helm in the UAE kitchen, bringing with him 15 years of experience, including working at Boulud’s Michelin-starred restaurant.

The menu has been designed to move with the seasons and incorporate fine, imported ingredients, as well as a sprinkling of Middle Eastern influence.

Highlights include: melon soup with shrimp and lemongrass; duck and foie gras rillettes; spiced lamb terrine with aubergine; dover sole Veronique with Romanesco broccoli; chicken tagine with saffron cauliflower and green olives; and apricot clafoutis with pistachio.

The restaurant’s decor is inspired by Art Deco design and will boast a mirrored ceiling punctuated by dramatic chandeliers, to a backdrop of neutral tones. An open kitchen will allow guests to watch chefs work, while weekends also promise live entertainment.

"We are so excited to be bringing Brasserie Boulud to our friends in the Middle East for the very first time," the chef said in a statement.