Daniel Boulud and evian Bring Fine Dining to the US Open with Frances Tiafoe
Storytelling and sport merge with a unique menu inspired by tennis player Tiafoe’s Sierra Leonean heritage
The US Open is known for drama on the court, but this year, the culinary spotlight shone just as brightly thanks to a partnership between world-renowned chef Daniel Boulud and evian. Together, they crafted a menu inspired by Frances Tiafoe’s Sierra Leonean heritage, an experience where storytelling, sport and the purity of evian’s natural spring water came together in perfect balance.
“As a longtime tennis fan and someone who has proudly served evian in my restaurants for many years, this collaboration felt very natural,” Boulud says. “We began by exploring the flavors that connect Frances to home, his Sierra Leonean roots, the comforting dishes of his childhood and the ingredients that continue to nourish him today on and off the court.”
At the heart of the menu was Poulet ‘à la Tiafoe’, Boulud’s refined take on peanut butter stew. Each dish was intentionally paired with evian Still and Sparkling, whose balanced minerality elevated delicate flavors without overpowering them. “Evian’s unique composition enhances every bite,” Boulud says. “It allows the story of the dish to shine through.”
No celebration is complete without a toast, and for this collaboration, it came in the form of the Big Foe Fizz. Inspired by Tiafoe’s love of a whiskey sour, Boulud created a mocktail that fuses tradition and refreshment, brightened with evian Sparkling. “Every sip delivers a taste of the French Alps: crisp, refreshing, and perfectly suited for both the US Open crowd and those enjoying the menu at home,” he says.
Frances’s drive and determination on the tennis court are qualities I deeply admire, and in my own craft I approach cooking with the same pursuit of excellence.
Daniel Boulud
For Boulud, evian’s role went far beyond the glass; it became the unifying thread that connected memory, flavor and performance. “Water is often the quietest element at the table, yet it is the foundation of taste,” he says. “Evian is trusted by chefs, sommeliers and tastemakers around the world because it elevates without distraction. With its sleek, minimalist design and alpine origins, it brings refinement and authenticity to every table.”
That authenticity also extended beyond New York. Through a Goldbelly partnership, Boulud and evian delivered the collaboration nationwide with a limited-edition kit designed for at-home viewing parties. Inside were Cookies and Cream Macarons (a nod to Tiafoe’s favorite dessert), ingredients for the Big Foe Fizz with evian Sparkling and evian’s signature pink tennis balls—a playful, collectible touch. “The challenge was translating the spirit of fine dining into something that could travel,” Boulud says. “With evian as the anchor, we created a kit that carried the same sense of celebration to fans across the country.”
The parallels between the kitchen and the court were not lost on Boulud. “Both demand precision, focus and discipline,” he says. “Frances’s drive and determination on the tennis court are qualities I deeply admire, and in my own craft I approach cooking with the same pursuit of excellence.” In that pursuit, evian plays an integral role: hydration as performance fuel for athletes and as palate-cleansing elegance in fine dining.
Boulud sees collaborations like this as more than a creative exercise — they’re cultural moments where evian becomes a stage for storytelling. “Fun collaborations like this are inspiring because they give us the chance to personalize things in a unique way,” he says. “Working with evian and Frances reminded me why I love what I do, creating experiences that connect people through shared moments and flavors.”
As the US Open draws to a close, Boulud’s calendar is as dynamic as ever. His restaurants will host Fashion Week events and UN gatherings, and the long-awaited Brasserie Boulud will open on the Upper East Side this winter. Yet amid the new projects, the chef remains energized by what the evian partnership achieved: bringing Sierra Leonean traditions to a global stage, framed by the elegance of the French Alps and bottled in the iconic pink-capped evian design.
For Boulud, it’s another reminder that food, like tennis, is at its best when it tells a story, one rooted in heritage, elevated by craft and shared with the world.
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