Meet Michelin star chef Daniel Boulud’s wife, Katherine Boulud: from organising a Henry Kissinger fundraiser to working at her husband’s New York restaurant Daniel, and her passion for French cuisine
The brand ambassador for her husband’s The Dinex Group, she was raised in New York, and first opted for a career in politics before giving in to her passion for cooking
Long before Katherine Gage Boulud met her husband, Michelin star chef Daniel Boulud, she developed a deep love for food, all thanks to her mother. But Katherine is much more than just a chef’s wife. Raised in New York, she first pursued a career in politics – working with the likes of Henry Kissinger, the late former US secretary of state – before discovering her own passion for cooking and working for her now-husband at the famed Cafe Boulud as well as his flagship restaurant, Daniel.
She was raised in New York
Raised in New York City, Katherine grew up surrounded by good food and her family’s inventive cooking. She says her mother often cooked classic dishes but always added a creative twist, whether for family dinners or school lunches.
“The rules regarding food in our house were simple: you must try everything at least once, and if you don’t like it, you don’t have to try it again for a year! Pretty fair,” she shared in her now-inactive blog. “We went out to eat often as well, which developed an early affinity for international cuisine of nearly every variety.”
Her family’s tradition of leaving the access of the city for the tranquillity of the Adirondack Mountains every August encouraged Katherine to explore cooking from a young age. By the time she was 17, she had developed a strong foundation in the kitchen.
She initially pursued a career in politics
It wasn’t until after graduating from Trinity College in Connecticut with a degree in Art History and dabbling in media and politics – she organised a fundraiser for Kissinger and served as deputy finance director for K.T. McFarland’s ultimately unsuccessful run for the Republican Senate nomination in New York – that she returned to the kitchen, this time professionally.
Katherine went on to work for her future husband for another three and a half years, spending time in the catering division of Daniel before fully transitioning to the Michelin-starred restaurant itself.