Meet Your Neighbor: Chef David Burke

By: Cathy Padilla | June 1, 2018 |  Dining , Meet Your Neighbor | 

FEATURED PHOTO CREDIT: Cody Cutter

Award-winning chef David Burke has become one of the most-recognized culinary experts in the world through hard work and cultivating an extensive professional background through working in kitchens across many cultures

His diverse career is filled with many exciting and unique experiences, including numerous television appearances, owning renowned restaurants, philanthropic work, creating patented inventions, and authoring cookbooks.

This same renowned chef is the man behind the new Drifthouse Restaurant in Sea Bright. A Jersey boy since childhood, Burke grew up in Monmouth County eating pizza at the local Romeo’s Pizzeria in Hazlet. With soul of a true foodie, he has a playful flair for his dishes. He feels just as at home serving the President of the United States in his restaurant at Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. as he is serving his GourmetPops line of cheesecake lollipops.

Drifthouse is Burke’s first oceanfront offering – a New American restaurant opened in April in partnership with the Stavola Family, owners of Driftwood Cabana Club. Open year-round to the public, Drifthouse serves dinner daily with happy hour promotions at the bar and lounge. Chef Robert Burke, David’s brother and colleague of 30 years, leads the kitchen.

Burke has been featured on television, including appearances on two seasons of Bravo’s Top Chef Masters, Iron Chef America, a guest spot on the Every Day with Rachael Ray show, NBC’s TODAY Show, Bloomberg’s small-business television series The Mentor, and more. He is currently developing concepts for two more television shows.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and a student at École Lenôtre Pastry School in Plaisir, France, Burke has worked with legendary chefs in France and New York. His mastery of French culinary technique and his unique American creativity were confirmed at an early age when he received Three Stars from the New York Times. Burke was then chosen by his peers to represent the USA at The International Culinary Competition and won France’s coveted Meilleurs Ouvriers de France Diplôme d’Honneur. He is the only American to ever achieve this honor. Burke also won the Nippon Award for Excellence from the government of Japan for his overall skill and technique.

Burke is also actively involved in culinology, an approach to blending culinary arts and food technology. As a culinary pioneer, Burke’s innovations and revolutionizing techniques appear on menus all over the world. Burke owns the patent for the unique process by which he uses pink Himalayan salt to dry-age his steaks for up to 100 days.

Always looking for a new culinary adventure, Burke was chosen to head food operations at Garden City Hotel in Garden City, New York this spring. He is also joining the Adelphi Hotel in Saratoga Springs as culinary director, overseeing the hotel’s restaurants.
 

Here is our exclusive Meet Your Neighbor with Chef David Burke:

Where I grew up: I was born in Brooklyn, grew up in Hazlet, Monmouth County.

What I love about Monmouth County: The diversity of the people

My favorite local restaurant as a kid: Romeo’s Pizzeria, on Union Avenue in Hazlet.

How I first became interested in cooking: I worked as a dishwasher on Route 35 at a Holiday Inn.

What it’s like to work with my brother: My brother and I have worked together in the past 30 years, on and off, we are like peas and carrots.

How I feel about having a restaurant at the Jersey Shore: I am very excited at the opportunity. I hope it will lead to other opportunities for this restaurant group. It’s a great layout and my parents are 10 miles away. I’m going to serve many local products, it’s a preferred location for fish and farms.

How it feels to be the only American to ever win France’s coveted Meilleurs Ouvriers de France Diplome d’Honneur: I am exceptionally proud of the award. I represented the United States in an International culinary competition, we showed up and opened a can of Whoop-ass.

I hold two patents in the culinary world: Creativity is my strength, patents protect my ideas.

What’s coming next: I am developing two culinary shows for TV. They will feature plenty of travel, work, humor, and food drama.

In 2016 you were named the New Jersey Red Cross Clara Barton Humanitarian of the Year: It’s not about the award, but the recognition is appreciated. I am in a position to help others, and it’s about caring for others in need.

Favorite meal: Eggs & Peking Duck

Favorite beverage non-alcoholic, and alcoholic: Coffee and Pisco

Food I do not like: Anchovies

Five food items in my pantry I could not live without: Butter, olive oil, eggs, lemons, tomatoes

Favorite restaurant I do not own: 21 Club

Best thing I cook: A Storm – lobster and eggs

Favorite meal on the menu at Drifthouse: Chicken soaked in seaweed, with butternut risotto

Favorite reads: “Man in the Arena” by Teddy Roosevelt and the poem “What If”

Someone who has inspired me in my career: Artisan Chefs Charlie Palmer & Waldy Malouf and glass artist Dale Chihouly