UPDATE: see the design schematics of the new restaurants here.
Lumiere and Feenies owners David and Manjy Sidoo have traded in their Mercedes for a Rolls.
The much bally-hooed exit of chef Rob Feenie from their restaurants will likely be forgotten by the summer, when celebrity chef, cookbook author, and astute business man Daniel Boulud (bio) opens his second DB Bistro Moderne in the location that currently houses Feenie’s (think high end casual, however contradictory that may sound).
Watch an interview with Boulud, take a tour of his other DB Bistro Moderne in NYC, and riddle me this after the beep…
Interview
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jQ3rN74KeE]
A Look Inside Daniel
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pkAU2T51ZE]
Boulud Recommends
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqFPz9WytJs]
DB Moderne Bistro Tour
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNnIBFZrYxg]
The full details/extent of Boulud’s partnership with the Sidoos should flesh out soon and we’ll deliver as it arrives, but in the meantime I’d love to hear your unvarnished first thoughts.
{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
Sounds like a fresh face on our culinary scene. Looking forward to it.
Holy rebound Sidoos
looks like David Sidoo pulled the rabbit out of the hat when everyone thought Lumiere was finished.
It is B-O-U-L-U-D… better start spelling it correctly cause he is THE MAN!
just read today’s Globe and Mail article, Rob Feenie sure does have sour grapes. I guess the “Architect “thing is not looking that good anymore.
Have to hand it to Sidoo he stuck in there and upgraded to the Rolls
Big fat typo!
What a Killer thing for vancouver!!!! Not sure how the Sidoo’s did it, but I’m sure a guy like that would not be coming here to partner with any old Joe.
You have to bet Feenie has sour grapes. Now after work instead of having a Glass of Bordeaux, he has a 20oz Cactus size Lager!!!! Feeling a little “prickly” in Cactus land perhaps?!?!?!??
Sour Grapes? I think Feenie hit the nail on the head. The Sidoos must have ponied up a big fat cheque to get Boulud here.
Is there talk of Lumiere changing names now or in the future? I think it certainly adds to Vancouvers dining cache, even if the man is only here 5 days a year his name is here year round. Vegas, West Palm Beach, Las Vegas New York, Vancouver. Looks great and could taste even better.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080310.wllumiere10/BNStory/lifeFoodWine/home
link to the article Sen mentioned…
the only nail being hit is that of Rob Feenie’s coffin. I have to agree with the Rolls Royce comment. Feenie had a 25 dollar burger, Boulud had a $150 dollar burger. I guess Sidoo got the last laugh all the way to his new Aston Martin.
Why are we excited about Daniel Boulud putting his name on a restaurant he’ll hardly ever be at?
It’s not as though he’s packing up in NYC and moving over to Vancouver. If Rob was too far removed from the food for you (and he was at least present in the restaurant) why is it preferable to have Daniel Boulud’s name on the door when he’s in another country and at the farthest edge of the continent?
Speaking only for myself I don’t want to eat in any celebrity’s restaurant unless he’s standing at the pass personally wiping the fingerprints off my plate.
But do not get to excited as Anon is right Sidoo basicllly bought Daniels brand you will very realrly see Daniel here,if we have anyone to thank its people like Haas,,Pino,Feenie and Hawksorth because without them Daniel would have never even considered giving his name and his brand to this already talent drivin city we live in.
But more importantly your are all right Sidoo has landed a big fish, bug game fishing is not cheap,when you have the kind of money I hear he is worth money is no object. Sidoo has a reputation and is the master at buying his way into or out of anything.
At the end of the day Vancouver is going to be better off. With a world class chef like Daniel Boulud entering the Vancouver market it will get the ball rolling on others to enter our market. It is a win-win for all of us who love food. But you got to hand to David Sidoo for his business sense to play big.
goodbye feenie’s weenie….i wish that we could have got the chance to enjoy sidoo’s sausage- but instead we get the luxury of boulud’s burger
I guess it’s great for the city of Vancouver, and marketing our dining scene internationally. From what I saw Lumiere was a restaurant created out of a locals passion. Now it is going to become a part of a very large and corporate commercial branding machine.
I personally see this as another loss on the independant dining scene.
Lets be honest….Daniel does not need the money and could have opened a new DB bistro in any city. I have heard and its quite obvious that Sidoo is the ultimate business man. You simply cannot buy your way in or out of things at this level….real businessmen see right thru the flakes. The sidoo’s are in a league of their own among the cities top guns. Finally the city can brag about a culinary talent……as for Feenie……..”I’ll have a Teriyaki chicken sandwhich with fries, please”.
Personally, Feenies and Lumiere are my favourite hotspots in Vancouver, and I am happy to see new faces involved. I am pleased with Dave Sidoo’s changes and cant wait to take my friends there for dinner soon!
Looking forward to the new and revitalized Sidoo experience. See you all there!!
Just when the home team was getting worried, David stepped up to the plate an hit a home run!
Sparked up a conversation with a contractor as I was strolling past. He tells me that both restaurants will be open by December 2nd.
Has anybody been to or heard anything about db Bistro since it opened
Why is everyone so excited about the so called “food revolution” happening in Vancouver. As much as I hate to say it, this is probably the worst time to even think of fine dining and “good eating”. With the recession it could take years for these big names to stay big. They might eventually just fade away due to economic restructure…
well, the places are full. And Vancouverites are happy and spending. Both JV and DB have done a great job!
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