Other
Mimi Chen
Bocuse d'Or laureate
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
Mimi Chen owns Driftwood NYC in New York City, New York, United States. The name reads like a working brief: movement, texture, and a controlled looseness that only comes from time on the line. Her background moves through exacting kitchens in New York City and beyond, with each stop adding another layer to a career built on discipline, precision, and a personal style sharpened in service.
The Climb
International Culinary Center (ICC) gave Mimi Chen the technical base that professional cooking demands, where repetition, pace, and control become part of the work rather than the challenge around it. She then began building experience as an intern at Café Boulud in New York City, where timing, polish, and consistency were non-negotiable on every plate. From there, she worked as a cook at Restaurant DANIEL in New York City, continuing in a kitchen that required focus, stamina, and close attention to detail. In 2017, she joined Coi in San Francisco (from 2017), adding a new city and a different operating rhythm to her résumé while continuing to refine the instincts already taking shape in her work. The progression shows a career built through repetition, adjustment, and return to the line with a firmer command of execution. Today, Mimi is commis of Team USA 2019 (since 2016), a role that reflects the level of consistency and skill required to work at that standard.
Today
She owns Driftwood NYC in New York City, New York, United States, bringing her earlier training, endurance, and competitive discipline into a place that carries her name. Ownership asks for more than kitchen judgment; it also requires consistency, point of view, and the ability to turn accumulated experience into something direct and usable. In New York City, that kind of presence carries weight without needing to announce itself.
Signature
Mimi's signature dishes include five-spice burger. The name says enough: a familiar format, worked with a more direct thread of seasoning and identity. In kitchens that reward restraint and precision, that kind of dish points to a cook who knows how to make flavor register cleanly, without clutter.
Recognition
Mimi's honors include Ment'or Commis Competition, first place (2016) and C-CAP Competition win / full scholarship to International Culinary Center. These recognitions mark both early promise and professional seriousness. The Ment'or Commis Competition first place in 2016 confirmed readiness at a competitive level, while the C-CAP Competition win / full scholarship to International Culinary Center led directly to the training that supported the next stage of her work. Taken together, the record is one of steady accumulation: ICC, Café Boulud in New York City, Restaurant DANIEL in New York City, Coi in San Francisco (from 2017), and the discipline to own Driftwood NYC in New York City, New York, United States. The throughline is serious kitchens, competitive distinction, and the practical confidence needed to build and keep a place.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Mimi
Where did Mimi Chen train or study?
Mimi Chen trained at International Culinary Center (ICC).
What recognition has Mimi Chen received?
Ment'or Commis Competition, first place (2016).
