Celebrity chef reveals ‘starstruck’ moment with Beyonce and Jay-Z… and whether stars get special treatment at his restaurants

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Beyoncé isn’t just adored by her fans – even world-renowned chefs are impressed when they meet her.

Celebrity chef Daniel Boulud, known for his restaurants around the world, was surprisingly starstruck when he met a popular singer – backstage, in her car, after one of her concerts.

I’ll never forget hearing Daniel Boulud tell this story in an interview with the Daily Mail! He was telling us how unbelievably starstruck he was when Jay-Z was dining at his restaurant, Daniel. Apparently, while he and the kitchen staff were busy preparing food, Jay-Z actually asked if he wanted to go over and say hello to Beyoncé! It was just such a sweet and surprising moment, and he shared it so warmly.

‘And I said, “Well, yeah. Why not?” [Jay-Z] said, “Yeah, come with me. She’s outside waiting.”‘

So, I went outside with him, and honestly, it was incredible. She had this huge Maybach – I think it was a Maybach – and as I opened the door, there was Jay-Z, right next to me! It was a moment I’ll never forget.

‘I opened the door, and Beyonce was lying down.’

The 70-year-old chef clarified that the singer, who plays Texas Hold ‘Em, was reclining because the chair allowed them to lie down.

‘”Hello Daniel, how are you?”‘ he recalled her saying to him.

The chef mentioned she had just come from a concert and thought she’d already had dinner, so she simply wanted to get some rest.

She was waiting for Jay-Z, who wasn’t quite ready to leave, so she was just relaxing, he told the Daily Mail at the L’Alliance Gala on November 13th.

It’s incredibly surreal to see someone famous like Beyoncé just relaxing and enjoying a quiet moment. It’s a really special experience.

We don’t know exactly when this interaction happened, but as Beyoncé’s fans know, she last performed in New York City in late May during her five-night Cowboy Carter concert series.

Chef Boulud’s restaurants attract many famous faces. Meghan Markle often visited Café Boulud while living in Toronto, and the Kardashians are regulars at Daniel, enjoying meals at the exclusive Skybox table.

Bradley Cooper attended a gala on Thursday where he presented an award to his friend Paddy McKillen. He even surprised the crowd with a short speech delivered entirely in French! Cooper is also known to enjoy dining at restaurants owned by chef Daniel Boulud.

I cooked for him a few times, and we even went to parties together in Monte Carlo. We once took a boat trip there during the Formula One Grand Prix.

Chef Boulud makes it clear that, regardless of his relationships with famous people, celebrities receive the same service as any other guest at his restaurants.

Like all our guests, we focus on understanding their preferences and ensuring they enjoy their evening. We also greatly value and protect their privacy.

We only display items in a prominent place if the owners actually want them there.

I usually sit at the corner table in the back of the dining room, and guests are welcome to use it if they’d like a more private experience. Alternatively, they can request the Skybox at Daniel.

Besides the renowned Restaurant Daniel, the French chef owns eleven restaurants across New York City. These include the popular Cafe Boulud, a New York favorite for almost three decades, and his recently launched steakhouse, La Tete d’Or.

He’s planning to open several new restaurants soon: a brasserie called Brasserie Boulud on the Upper West Side early next year, another in Hong Kong in March, and one in London next summer.

For the Gala de L’Alliance New York, a U.S. nonprofit supporting French culture and education in New York City, Chefs Daniel Boulud and Francis Mallmann collaborated to design the evening’s menu.

The event also celebrated Belgian musician Angèle with an arts award, showcased artist Elizabeth Colomba, and included a DJ set by Julien Granel.

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2025-11-14 22:50