Chef David Burke - the Revolutionary Culinary Chameleon

By Chef Armand

The road to culinary fame has been achieved by today's renowned chefs in a variety of different ways. Some were lucky enough to be in the early stage of the development of the Food Network before it catapulted into a larger than life scenario. On the other side of the coin, you have those who simply toiled incessantly, opening one restaurant after another infused with true talent, culinary ingenuity and good public relations. In the latter category, one would find chef David Burke etched into the walls of fame.

From the moment he returned to our shores from a culinary internship in France, he proved a formidable force to be reckoned with. His journey took him through kitchens of many future famous entrepreneurial chefs such as Waldy Malouf and Charlie Palmer. After rising from the ranks of sous chef to executive chef at the famed River Café the creative juices really started flowing and three stars were earned from The New York Times . His eye for new imaginative cooking techniques and foods followed him to the prestigious Park Avenue Café where the inventive swordfish chop received much media attention. In succession he became a leading force at the Smith and Wollensky Restaurant group, overseeing its many restaurants across the country, implementing his keen eye for improving existing policies and cuisine.

In 2003 he teamed up with restaurateur Donatella Arpaia to open davidburke & donatella on Manhattan's Upper East Side. In addition, he managed to involve himself with Bloomingdale's, creating Burke Bar Café and the take-out concept "Burke in the Box" - department store lunches would never be the same from that moment on! If not having enough to do, he opened David Burke's Primehouse in Chicago, Fromagerie in Rumson, NJ, and performs consulting and spokesperson work for flavor developer J. Manheimer, Inc., food service giant Aramark and Sam Adams Beer.

His line of specialty foods like Gourmet Pops ( www.gourmetpops.com ), flavor sprays and pastrami salmon continue to strive successfully while bookstores carry his two cookbooks: Cooking with David Burke and David Burke's New American Classics.

Drawn out of inquisitiveness, we recently paid a visit to davidburke & donatella to indulge in a sampling of his eccentrically presented cuisine.

At lunchtime this townhouse-style restaurant, was packed to the gills. The pre-fixe lunch is one of the big draws here, since at $24.07 and $29.00 you can choose an appetizer, main dish and a pastry chef-concocted delicious dessert. On this occasion we opted for the crisp calamari salad and the famous Perona Farms pastrami salmon as appetizers. Both were beautifully presented with great flavor profiles and deserved their consignment as appropriate starters. If you are looking for exceptional and attentive service, you will find it here - it is that one-of-a-kind place where great food meets excellent service. For main dishes the choices came down to the Dover Sole with salsify, English peas and little neck clams and the veal paillard accompanied by fried capers, Taggiasche olives and roasted fingerling potatoes. The Dover sole, fresh flown in from Holland, was delicate and perfectly cooked in a little butter with clams as a sidekick - simply presented since the fish, in a sense, speaks for itself as a quality product. The tender veal was lightly grilled and basically a healthier version of the usually sautéed veal picatta.

Choosing a dessert is a heartbreaker, since they all sound good. We had fun with David Burke's cheesecake lollipop tree, bursting with truffle and double chocolate flavors, paired with a quirky bubblegum whipped cream and fresh raspberries. The classic revamped coconut layer cake was unavoidable as was the butterscotch panna cotta - creamy and smooth on the palate, served in swirling designs in a large Martini glass.

            The interview:

  Chef Armand: As a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, how do you reflect on your time there as an aspiring chef.
David Burke: It was a great learning experience and the opportunity of a lifetime for me.   The CIA is very professionally run.

CA: Soon after arriving in France (post CIA) to refine your skills, what differences in attitude towards an American chef did you experience on that side of the Atlantic and if so, how did you handle it?
DB: In Paris it was more difficult than in Burgundy or the South of France.   But, l'Ecole LeNôtre was amazing.   Each restaurant's attitude towards me was different, but mainly very nice.

CA: How educational was your relationship with Waldy Malouf, currently owner of renowned Beacon and author of the Hudson Valley Cookbook ?
DB: Waldy Malouf is one of my best friends and truly one of my great inspirations.   I owe a lot to him.  

CA: At Park Avenue Cafe you garnered much media attention with your culinary inventions such as the swordfish chop and Gourmet Pops. What inspires you to break the culinary boundaries and to go where no chef has gone?
DB: It's just part of my nature and competitive and creative spirit. You can also call me a curious George!

CA: As vice president of Culinary Development at the Smith and Wollensky Group, what changes did you implement regarding the company's restaurants and what are your thoughts on their flagship steak house?
DB: The flagship steakhouse is a classic with very good beef and a creative wine list.   I tried to import more updated dishes and creative cuisine.

CA: Why are so many prominent chefs like you opening restaurants in Vegas?

DB: Las Vegas has developed into a great restaurant city.   It has also become a center for creating new jobs as New York restaurants are hard to compete with.

CA: How do you view Chicago as a restaurant Mecca compared to New York, now
that you opened a David Burke's Primehouse at the James Hotel?  

DB: Chicago has embraced Primehouse and we are pleased with that.

CA: How did you become involved with the Hawaiian Tropic Zone restaurant in NYC?

DB: Dennis Riese contracted me to consult.   I thought the concept was fun and his organization is good to work with.

CA: Is it fair to say that you involved yourself with Bloomingdale's to change the way department stores offer a food and the dining experience to shoppers compared to the old BLT and Club Sandwich days?

DB: Yes, it is.   There are restaurants popping up now in so many upscale department stores.   It is good for growth - both for me and for the industry as a whole.

CA: You purchased the restaurant of your dreams - the Fromagerie in Rumson, NJ.   What are your plans regarding this gem?

DB: To keep it at the top level the way it always was and to improve and stay current.   I hope to live there soon.

CA: Which of the current roster of television chefs are your favorites and why?

DB: I like Emeril, Mario, Bobby Flay and Ed Levine.   I know them all and can relate to what they're doing.

CA: What do you think about shows like "Top Chef" and "Hell's Kitchen" - fact or fiction?
DB: To be honest, I actually have never watched either.   But I like Tom Collichio and Gordon Ramsay both personally and for what they're doing with their food.

CA: What is your opinion on the new generation of chefs coming out of culinary school today and do you think they have stars in their eyes and unrealistic expectations of the business?
DB: Desire is a great thing, but not always a realistic goal.   There is a lot of hard work and training that is required.   It's a very individual thing as well.

CA: When hiring a chef to run your ever-expanding operations, what requirements and skills do you seek?
DB: Talent - Attitude - Ambition - Truth - Good management skills - Respect.

CA: What are your future plans and projects?

DB: I'm working on a TV show and hopefully another book.   I'm in the process of building more steakhouses and more casual dining restaurants in NJ and the surrounding areas.

For more information on David Burke and his restaurants, visit:

www.Davidburke.com