The change of seasons is always an exciting time for a chef, and this fall “change” has definitely been the theme for me. As the warm summer nights turned cool (almost suddenly), the city started filling up again, and our mouths began to water thinking about autumn menus. But we did a lot more than change the menus this September. We kicked off the season by unveiling the new interior design at DANIEL, thanks to the superb talents of Adam Tihany. I felt the restaurant’s 10th anniversary (15th overall if you count our first five years at 76th Street!) was the perfect occasion to refresh the décor. I couldn’t be more pleased with the results: light and airy, understated, and, most importantly, relevant with today’s design aesthetic. The new look has been a big hit with our guests and a great source of inspiration to our staff. It also made DANIEL the “in” place for some incredible events this season. Long time DANIEL regular Zang Toi hosted his fall fashion show right in the dining room. The event benefited the Lance Armstrong Foundation and included an auction of Lance’s signature red Trek 7.3 FX 20-inch men’s bike and a private bike ride with the seven-time Tour de France winner. But what thrilled me most were Zang’s outfits inspired by the New York skyline.

Prince Albert of Monaco also hosted a very special private luncheon to benefit the Princess Grace foundation, keeping his mother’s legacy alive. Many more celebrations are on my calendar for the months ahead. Keep an eye out for invitations to my fifth annual Share our Strength benefit at Café Boulud in Palm Beach and the New York gala I host every year for Citymeals-on-Wheels. The March 2009 Citymeals event is going casual and delicious with a theme of “Black Truffles, Blue Jeans and Blues”. I hope to see you there and certainly before then!