THE JERSEY SHORE’S OWN CELEBRITY CHEF

Acknowledged as a leading pioneer in American cooking, Burke, a New Jersey native, is also recognized internationally for his revolutionary techniques, exceptional skills, successful restaurant empire and his many TV appearances. In the parlance of today’s celebrity driven culture, he is a rock star of the culinary world.

At just 26, Burke’s kitchen mastery won him the executive chef position of New York City’s legendary River Café. While there, he became the first American ever to win the prestigious Meilleurs Ouvriers de France Diplome d’Honneur, cementing his reputation as a leading international chef. He subsequently won Japan’s Nippon Award for Excellence, the Robert Mondavi Award of Excellence and two nominations for James Beard Best Chef. Burke was also awarded a coveted three-star New York Times review for the River Café and later became a familiar guest on TV’s Top Chef.

Today, Burke operates 17 restaurants, world-wide, 4 at the Jersey Shore; Drifthouse by David Burke, Sea Bright, The Goat by David Burke, Red Horse by David Burke and David Burke’s Dixie Lee Bakery. Burke is the author of two cookbooks, Cooking With David Burke, and David Burke’s New American Classics and is currently working on a memoir.

We sat down with David, a wonderful storyteller, for a recent interview.

What was the most pivotal experience of your career? Probably when I worked for Charlie Palmer at River Café. You had to be good. I honed my skills there and built confidence

If you could do one thing over, what would it be? I probably would have gone to Asia, China to learn more about complex flavors

Of what are you most proud in your career? That dishes I created are still in style and that I’m still doing what I love when many of my peers are out of the business

What is more important for a successful restaurant – food or service? epends on the restaurant. For McDonald’s I’d say service, fast in and out, but for others a mix of the two to be really successful

Where do you eat when you go out? In NYC, The Fulton, Porterhouse, River Café, Tribeca Grill and Marea. Around the Jersey Shore; Albarino, One Willow, Salt Creek Grille, Nicholas, Pascal & Sabine and Gabriela’s

Any missed opportunities in your career? For a variety of reasons, I missed out on going in to the Bellagio and I missed the space at the top of the Arts Building at Columbus Circle.

Was Fromagerie your first job? No, my first job was at Navesink Country Club when I was a junior in high school. Then when I was about a senior, I went to work at Fromagerie. Then I went to culinary school and did my externship at Fromagerie.

Most memorable dinner ever? It was actually a lunch. I had been working in France for a while, maxed out my credit cards and was headed home, bags packed and everything. On my way out of France I stopped at Troisgros, a three star Michelin restaurant. To this day the most memorable meal I ever had

What is the future of dining look like? For now, I think fine dining, with captains, sommeliers and so forth, is gone, but we will continue to see high end dining.