King of Tribeca

Bouley Update: Secession Waits for Furniture, Relocated Bouley to Open in October

Photo: Patrick McMullan

We had a chance to corner David Bouley this weekend and get an update on two of his Tribeca tentacles, Secession and Bouley. Secession will be opening ASAP, pending the arrival of some crucial tables and chairs: “If the furniture shows up at the end of the week, we’ll open at the end of the week. [At] the latest, the following Monday,” Bouley said. But he really wanted to talk about the food: “It’s the kind of food a chef likes to eat when he’s not cooking. Some Italian dishes with Cesare Casella, who’s helping me with some programs. And raw shellfish, lots of things from the region. It will change very quickly as the seasons change; very, very simple execution. You have to order components — you’ll order your own vegetables and things.” And then there are the french fries, Bouley’s first foray into serving the staple. He wouldn’t tell us much about his version, other than that they would be made “the right way.” We should hope so.

As for the opening of the relocated Bouley in the Mohawk building, the chef says not until Secession is “stable” enough for him to run across the street and immerse himself full-time in the Bouley kitchen. Right now they’re testing and “doing a lot of research” for the opening, but when will that be? “Definitely the first week in October — I think that we’ll be strong enough at Secession for me to go over and start [Bouley].” And will he be moving into the apartment upstairs from the new Bouley, as we’d heard? “I heard that myself, it’s very interesting! There’s a chance. I live at 10th and University, but I may move into that building at some point.”

Related: A Map of David Bouley’s Tribeca Restaurant Empire

Bouley Update: Secession Waits for Furniture, Relocated Bouley to Open in