With Brushstrokes, chef David Bouley’s forthcoming Japanese restaurant and cooking school, stalled (he’s currently dealing with community-board issues), the indefatigable French chef, seen at left inside the new location of his eponymous eatery, turns his attention to polishing the rest of his stable. TONY sent Sylvie Bigar to sit in on a private press event, where he spilled some details about his upcoming projects, and the imminent shuffle of the Empire Bouley. More photos and Bigar’s tête-à-tête, after the jump.

We hear Bouley is moving locations. What are your plans?
I am closing the current Bouley in a few weeks and opening a new Bouley at 161 Duane Street [Exterior pictured at right]. I hope to create an environment and a concept that will be closer to my original restaurant. To feel closer to my French roots, I am working to create a rustic country auberge feeling, with antique French beams from the Tours area, 18th-century stone flooring and French furniture. The entrance will again be filled with the smell of freshly picked apples—[it’s an] aroma I remember from my grandparents’ farm in France.

Will you be doing the cooking?
I will be in the kitchen, day in and day out. I want to cook some of what I used to serve at the old Bouley but with the new techniques we have been learning. In Japan, with chef Yoshiki Tsuji [a partner in the new venture], I have discovered a new way to cook. Be it with miso paste, tofu or fish, Japanese culture can help us expand our knowledge and creativity. Even though we will offer French cuisine, we constantly look for innovation, ways to lighten fare and bring to our customers the essence of the best products available.

The Japanese inflection has become something of a Bouley hallmark. What helped you shape your approach?
A few years ago I went to a small restaurant in Japan with just two tables for four. It was so dark in the room that we couldn’t see the other diners. It was July, the peak season for fireflies. Suddenly the owner came in the room with a glass bowl from which she released all these fireflies, like specks of light in the night. And then the room lights went up and the meal started. We can’t do this here but I want to pay attention to the smallest detail, the imagery and the experience of the customers.

What’s the fate of Bouley Bakery?
The bakery will move into the current Bouley [location], and its old space will house an Upstairs Restaurant on three floors offering fresh food in a simple, casual atmosphere. We won’t take reservations there.—Sylvie Bigar