Daniel Boulud: One Delicious Life
The legendary chef has brought his signature spin on French cooking around the world. We spoke to him about growing up on a farm in France, moving to New York, and how he'd prepare the perfect meal for friends.
It’s been a busy few years in Florida’s West Palm Beach, a city that’s steadily become a haven for the well-heeled. This migration from the Northeast corridor has reshaped the West Palm skyline with luxury high-rises aplenty, including residences from Ritz-Carlton and a Mr. C that are still in the works. A new West Palm has generated openings in the hospitality industry too, a recent example being the Nora Hotel, which opened its doors in, aptly, the city’s vibrant Nora District.
The Nora Hotel is the brainchild of hoteliers Sean MacPherson and BD Hotels founders Richard Born and Ira Drukier; the trio previously collaborated on trendy-cool outposts like the Ludlow Hotel and Hotel Chelsea in New York. Gachot Studios, a firm with a resume of luxury hospitality projects ranging from the Shinola Hotel in Detroit to the Pendry Manhattan West, was tapped for the interior design.
Rather than lean into the oft-seen South Florida aesthetic of bright greens, white stone, and saturated pastels, John and Christine Gachot, the studio’s husband-and-wife principals, took a more restrained approach—albeit one that still felt grounded in the area’s past and present. “We drew inspiration from visionaries like Henry Flagler and Addison Mizner, as well as the grandeur of Palm Beach’s iconic hotels,” says Christine Gachot. They chose a color palette of sophisticated muted corals and mossy greens, along with elegant neutrals and dark wood to tie it all together.
On the roof, for example, pink-fringed umbrellas provide a Florida look and feeling, without veering too far into coastal design cliches. Loungers sit beside a rooftop pool, and guests can enjoy cocktails from Bar Lilly or brunch from Cafe Lilly. Other food and drink offerings include Pastis on the ground floor, an offshoot of the beloved New York institution, and here brought to life by restaurateur Stephen Starr. In the lobby, there’s Jack’s Bar, where guests can sip martinis under the space’s ambient lighting.
Gachot Studios designed the 201 plush rooms to feel like intimate residential spaces, with antiques and an art collection curated by The Madison Melle Agency to enhance the lived-in approach. The aesthetic was “centered on blending nostalgia with forward-thinking creativity,” according to John Gachot. “The balance between residential warmth and the sophistication of hospitality is at the heart of the project, and creates a space where guests feel like they found a second home.” Fourteen of the rooms are suites with their own Juliet balconies.
Beyond the rooms, there’s another important outpost for rest and relaxation on the property: Florida’s first Sisley spa. Guests can visit one of four treatment rooms and experience the Parisian beauty brand’s expertise firsthand, whether it’s a skincare treatment or a massage. In essence, the Nora has a quiet-yet-chic corner for every guest, providing a welcome respite amidst a bustling, ever-changing city.
