THE RISE OF ROSE

Chef Daniel Rose is best known for his mastery of classic French cuisine, for treating all his ingredients with the utmost care and respect, and for seeking out and sourcing the best local markets have to offer. Since opening his first restaurant in Paris in 2006, his restaurants have spanned two continents and have been at the forefront of the international dining scene.

A Wilmette native, Rose landed in France to study at The American University of Paris. To improve his French, he found himself at the Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon, nourishing a passion for the restaurant business that would turn into a vibrant career. Rose credits his post-college work at Auberge des Abers in Brittany and Le Pré du Moulin in Sérignan du Comtat near Avignon as providing him with a foundation that he relies on when mentoring his restaurant teams. Rose also cooked for some of the world’s most esteemed chefs including Paul Bocuse in Lyon, Jean-Pierre Bruneau in Brussels, and Yannick Alléno at Hotel Le Meurice in Paris. He traces his turning point from cook to chef to a life-changing year spent in Panajachel, Guatemala in 2003—Rose’s first experience as a Head Chef, running a kitchen and managing a team.

Following that experience, Rose returned to Paris in 2004, joining the restaurant team at the five-star Hotel Le Meurice. In 2006, his first solo venture, Spring, was born. The restaurant earned the distinction as The Guardian’s “One of 10 of the best restaurants in Paris,” Forbes’ “The Trophy Reservation,” and quickly became the Paris restaurant of choice for an international culinary elite including Gail Simmons, Alan Richman, Tim and Nina Zagat, Danny Meyer, and Alain Ducasse.

In September 2015, Rose opened La Bourse et La Vie, a traditional “Bistrot du Quartier” in Paris’ 2nd arrondissement near the Louvre. The restaurant, which garnered rave reviews both domestically and internationally, epitomized Rose’s style—the highest quality ingredients, excellence in the kitchen, abundance, generosity, and of course, a respect for tradition.

In 2016, Rose opened his first stateside restaurant, Le Coucou, to much critical acclaim. This New York City venue earned him his first Michelin star and was recognized with a James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant.

Rose was named Chef Partner for Air France’s business class service on long-haul flights from the United States and Canada to Paris in 2019. In 2022, Rose was honored as a chevalier of the Order of Agriculture Merit by the French Republic. Rose sets aside his apron to share how this culinary artist stays current between courses.

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ON HIS NIGHTSTAND

“On the Nature of Things by Lucretius. It is something I have been revisiting every few years since I first read it 25 years ago! I think that I keep reading it because I didn’t truly understand it the first few times. I still don’t know if I understand it, but it becomes more pertinent to me the more I live. It is a sort of treaty on Epicureanism. All of this, of course, relates to my understanding of cuisine, which is always evolving. Today more than ever, it is all about a search for balance despite being a guide to an eternal quest for pleasure. Don’t get the wrong idea … this book is sitting on a pile of well-worn Tom Clancy novels and a rich collection of cookbooks!”

ON HIS MOBILE

“I spend entirely too much time surfing the live art auctions on drouot.com. Drouot is a collection of auction houses that all operate out of a central auction house in Paris. Although I bid very little and buy even less, it is fascinating in so many ways. It is about art, collecting, and trying to understand the things that people find valuable. It is often a history lesson. Each auctioneer has their own style, and I find the entire process captivating. Go and stroll around the next time you are in Paris and in the meantime … tune in online.”

IN HIS EARBUDS

“Sohrab Pournazeri is an Iranian musician and composer who plays the tanbur and a few other traditional Persian instruments. It’s hypnotic—entirely exotic to my ear, and it reminds me of how much more there is to discover in the world and how limited our horizons can be until we force ourselves to find new paths.”