Chef Spotlight: Chef/Owner Paul Denamiel of LE RIVAGE on Restaurant Row in NYC

Chef Paul Denamiel comes from a storied line of restaurateurs. His father immigrated from France after time in the French Foreign Legion, and opened up Cafe du Soir on East 86th St., where politicians, mobsters and socialites would tuck into escargot and coq au vin, temporarily forgetting their differences.

His mother's La Duchesse Anne was a fixture near Woodstock, NY; he once saw her kick John Belushi out on a particularly boisterous night. He attended The Culinary Institute of America and did his externship at Le Cirque, learning from French masters Daniel Boulud and Jacques Torres. 

When his time at CIA came to an end, Paul traveled to France, spending a year exploring the country soaking up as much culinary knowledge as possible, before heading back to NYC to open Le Rivage.

Broadwayworld had the pleasure of interviewing Chef Paul Denamiel about his career and Le Rivage.

What was your earliest interest in cooking?

I was a latch-key kid, and so had a lot of down time to spend in the kitchen experimenting with different meals. I enjoyed cooking for myself. But most of all, discovering that my Dad was excited to see what I had cooked when he got back from work. I loved to see how he enjoyed sharing the dishes I made. This is what sparked the idea of cooking for others.

Who were some of your career mentors?

Fortunately, I was raised in a family of chefs and restaurant owners. All my vacations and weekends were spent in my Dad's business, his brothers, or grandparents. But my true mentor and still to this day, is my long relationship with Jacques Torres who was my first mentor outside of the family. To this day we still communicate, share a passion for our love of cooking, and bounce ideas off one another. 

What culinary styles have influenced your career?

You can mention ethnic specialties or the types of food you enjoy preparing and presenting. a. I would say, New York has a plethora of cooking styles. So many interpretations have intervened. But my safe place is French comfort food. I am always trying to recapture my Grandmother's flavors. There is a scene from Ratatouille when the food critic takes his first bite and it snaps him back to his childhood memory. This idea was actually taken from Proust's "madeline moment," in which the character bites into a madeline and falls right back to his childhood. These are the scenes which I am constantly hoping to capture. This single idea dictates all of my cooking. 

What do you consider the most distinguishing features of your work as a chef? 

Signature dishes stand the test of time, so by that definition, I am most known for the French Onions Soup Burger. I think that this burger is my twist on a French comfort food, but in a modern, American setting. The French Onion Soup Burger has been the gateway to entice new clientele into the restaurant to try my French comfort foods for which I am most proud - of which include, Quiche, Coq au Vin, Duck au L'Orange, and Beef Bourguignon.

What is your favorite meal?

I always get very excited when I see sweet bread on a menu. I am always looking to relive flavors from my youth, and this particular dish requires a precise skill to properly execute. I deeply appreciate it when it is done correctly. 

Tell me a little bit about your restaurant for our readers. 

Celebrating over 40-years, and believed to be the last privately chef-owned French restaurant in Manhattan, Le Rivage has become a New York City institution. Its longevity and history only solidifies its constant reinvention to remain so popular on Restaurant Row. In its latest interpretation the menu has revitalized deep classics bringing the flavors of the past that I so appreciate to today's modern diner.

Le Rivage is located at 340 West 46th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues on Restaurant Row) New York, NY 10036.  For more information, menus, and hours of operation, please visit HERE and call 212.765.7374. 

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Le Rivage