Stories to fuel your mind

Celebrating excellence with chef daniel boulud

Share the story

Story by Rachel Black

It was a fine April evening and a group of exceptional staff from Brian Jessel BMW gathered to celebrate their latest achievements. What better place to celebrate excellence than at DB Bistro Moderne, one world-renown Chef Daniel Boulud’s latest restaurants

Sponsored Ads

Few make it to the very top and last year there were only ten BMW Sales Masters in Canada. Brian Jessel BMW is proud to have four of these outstanding sales consultants—James Au, Cary Lau, Calvin Lam and Valentino Almeida. It is not an easy task becoming a BMW Sales Master; not only must these sales consultants sell an impressive number of vehicles, they must also get top marks on BMW quizzes that are sent to each dealership on a quarterly basis.

Sales Masters are given a special certificate by BMW Canada and they are awarded a trip in recognition of their achievement. This year’s Sales Masters enjoyed a week at the Grand Velas Resort & Spa in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. In addition to BMW’s accolades, Brian Jessel wanted to do something special to recognize his top sales people. Brian treated James, Cary, Calvin, Valentino and their significant others to one of Vancouver’s most exceptional culinary experiences—an evening with Chef Boulud.

Born and trained in the culinary heartland of France, Chef Boulud’s cuisine is still inspired by his hometown of Lyon. Daniel Boulud apprenticed with some of the most prominent French chefs of his generation and spent many years working in top American restaurants.This rising culinary star really made his name at New York’s famed Le Cirque, where he was executive chef for many years. Perhaps one of the top chefs in North America, Boulud is also an astute businessman; his empire includes 7 award-winning restaurants in New York, Palm Springs, Las Vegas and now China and Vancouver.

Boulud’s Dinex Group is a culinary empire that is unparalleled for its quality of service and cuisine. This is no small achievement.

Opened in December 2008, this is Boulud’s first Canadian venture. Along with partners David and Manjy Sidoo, Daniel Boulud’s DB Bistro Moderne and Lumière have brought some world-class cuisine to Vancouver’s vibrant restaurant scene. The DB Bistro Moderne features approachable French classics with a West Coast twist—certainly one of the finest bistros in town. Next door, Lumière continues to uphold the innovative, award winning culinary style that has made it one of Canada’s most acclaimed restaurants. Boulud’s experience and classic French training have brought Lumière to new heights. On April 26, Brian Jessel invited his guests to his Vancouver home for a glass of bubbly and a celebratory toast before dinner.

The party continued on to Broadway, where guests were ushered to a private room that doubles as the DB Bistro Moderne’s wine cellar. Daniel Boulud flew from his home base in New York to oversee the meal and welcome his special guests. The meal was exceptional and as Tim Van Dyke, Director of New and Pre-Owned Operations, put it: “You could not beat the wow-factor!” Dinner included several courses of seasonal dishes that were served with a specially chosen wine to accompany each dish. It could be said that dining at the DB Bistro Moderne is the culinary equivalent to buying a car at Brian Jessel BMW—a perfect pairing.

Sponsored Ads

Related Articles