President Obama Gifts Chef Daniel Boulud With White House M&Ms

The French chef tweets his thanks after hosting Campaign fundraisers...
President Obama presented acclaimed French chef Daniel Boulud with some excellent candy on Thursday to thank him for hosting two different high-dollar fundraisers at his New York City restaurant on Thursday. Boulud got boxes of Presidential M&Ms, a coveted White House treat that are also included in Halloween gift bags for kids. The M&Ms are blue and white, and packed in a blue and white box that features the Presidential seal and Mr. Obama's autograph. They're in contrast to the heady dishes Boulud serves at his Upper East Side restaurant on Park Avenue and 65th St. Boulud was so excited he tweeted about the candy.

"@BarackObama Mr Prez it was an honor 4 me and my staff to cook for you @DANIEL_E65thNYC for the 3 rd time .thanks for the @whitehouse #m&ms," Boulud tweeted.

The chef last hosted a fundraiser for the President in April of 2011. On Thursday, the President was joined joined by approximately 160 supporters for the two events at Daniel Restaurant, the centerpiece of Boulud's dining empire. One event had 100 guests with tickets starting at $5,000, followed by a second event with approximately 60 guests, with tickets starting at $15,000. Boulud has visited the White House, joining First Lady Michelle Obama for the Fall 2010 Kitchen Garden harvest. (Above: Boulud tweeted this photo of himself and Mr. Obama shaking hands after the April event)

*File phot0; second by Daniel Boulud

Today: After Florida Speech, Obama Hits New York For Daniel Boulud & Spike Lee Fundraisers

Four Campaign events in New York follow Disney World speech on the economy...
President Obama travels to Florida's Walt Disney World Resort today to deliver a speech on plans to promote tourism and travel in the United States. In the afternoon, he'll be in New York City, raising re-election funds at four different events. Two will be at Daniel Restaurant, the centerpiece of acclaimed French chef Daniel Boulud's dining empire. A longtime Obama supporter, Boulud has hosted other fundraisers for the President, and he joined First Lady Obama at the White House for the Fall 2010 Kitchen Garden harvest. A high-dollar donor shindig at the home of filmmaker Spike Lee and a concert at the Apollo Theater finish the President's day. (Above: Boulud tweeted this photo of himself with the President during an April, 2011 fundraiser at Daniel)

At Disney World's Main Street USA at 12:35 PM, the President will "unveil a strategy" to boost the economy, part of his "We Can't Wait" series of Executive Branch actions he will take without Congressional approval, according to the White House. It's the President's 13th visit to Florida since taking office; five of his last six visits to Florida were for campaign fundraisers.

Daniel Boulud's fundraisers...
After departing Florida at 2:15 PM, the President will attend fundraisers at Boulud's 4-star Upper East Side restaurant, at 5:30 PM and 6:30 PM. One event will be a discussion with leaders of the Jewish community, with tickets costing up to $25,000, according to the New York Post. The second event will be a cocktail reception, with tickets costing $15,000 per person. “Daniel has hosted so many fundraisers for Obama, it has become New York’s official Democratic dining room,” a source told the Post. (Above: Boulud with Mrs. Obama and helpers in the Kitchen Garden)

Spike Lee, Apollo Theater concert...
About 40 people are expected to attend the President's 7:50 PM fundraiser at Spike Lee's home, with tickets running $35,800 per person, the maximum legal limit. Lee is also a longtime Obama supporter. After, at 9:25 PM, the President will deliver remarks at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, at a concert with performances by Al Green, India.Arie and composer Lin-Manuel Miranda. Tickets start at $100. (Above: Lee photographed the President with his iPad during an event in NY last April)

The President returns to the White House late Thursday/early Friday, with his arrival scheduled for 12:05 AM.

*Top photo via Daniel Boulud; second by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama; Lee photo by Pete Souza/White House, taken at the National Action Network's Keepers of the Dream awards gala in New York, N.Y., April 6, 2011.