Legendary New York Chef David Bouley Dies From Heart Attack at Home

Influential New York chef David Bouley has died at the age of 70.

Bouley was famous for transforming French nouvelle cuisine into a New American style, which went on to dominate the ‘80s high-end restaurants of Manhattan. His work continued to make waves in the decades to come.

Bouley died from a heart attack on Monday at his home in Kent, Connecticut, his wife confirmed, according to The New York Times. His literary agent, Lisa Queen, also confirmed the news to the Associated Press.

Bouley, whose maternal grandparents were French and immigrated to Rhode Island, was born in Storrs, Connecticut, and raised on his grandparents’ farm. According to his website, he was “inspired by their French heritage, David developed an appreciation for cooking healthful meals using carefully prepared fresh ingredients.”

He would go on to train in restaurants in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, before moving onto Europe and spending time in France and Switzerland, studying at the Sorbonne.

He worked with some of Europe’s most acclaimed chefs, including Roger Vergé, Paul Bocuse, Joel Robuchon, Gaston Lenôtre, and Frédy Giradet, before turning his eye to New York, where he worked at some of the most prestigious restaurants at the time, including Le Cirque, Le Périgord, and La Côte Basque.

He made a splash in 1985 as chef of Montrachet when it opened in TriBeCa, earning a three-star review in The New York Times and swiftly placing the neighborhood on the culinary map. He followed two years later by opening his own restaurant, Bouley, which closed in 2017 after 30 years.

After earning culinary success, Bouley was named among People magazine's “50 Most Beautiful People” in 1994.

He is survived by his wife, Nicole Bartelme.

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