Celebrity Chef David Burke Speaks

Chef Burke assembling the dish Ants on a Log. (Nadia Ghattas/The Epoch Times)

Chef Burke added the latest gem, the David Burke Kitchen, to his restaurant string in February 2011. Another of his successful lineup of creative eateries, this one is located in the James Hotel in SoHo, New York.

Chef, entrepreneur, author, culinary inventor, Chef Burke has built a successful empire, redeeming his father’s disappointment when Burke at age 15 told his father he wanted to become a chef.

My memorable visit to the David Burke Kitchen is yet another testament to his skills as a culinary pioneer in American cuisine. Watching him in action is sheer fascination—his combination of ingredients, nontraditional preparation methods, such as impaling all parts of a perfectly but nontraditionally cooked lobster on a flower frog for presentation are astonishing—a delight to the eye and a feast for the palate.

True Chef Distinctions

His training at the Culinary Institute of America gave him a superb basis for future accolades. At age 26, Burke won the prestigious Meilleurs Ouvriers de France Diplome d’Honneur. Many more national and international distinctions followed.

In 2009, he was inducted into The James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America.

Amazing to see how in a short period of time, he created an empire in this industry while enjoying himself. It is hard work, competitive, and yet Burke has fun doing it.

“I get inspired by anything—from the weather, to cartoons, to children’s stories.” As if on a mission, Burke is constantly imagining new visions. His sense of humor lets him make the impossible quite possible, all the while being passionate about food and eager to put new discoveries to the test.

A Question of Passion

I asked him: “What would be the question you wanted to be asked but never were asked?”

RUSTIC INTERIOR: The dining space is reminiscent of a country farm accented with contemporary flair. (Nadia Ghattas/The Epoch Times)

“The question to be asked of me would be my passion for this career. When you design a dish from head to toe and you see it makes people happy, that is a lot. There is a lot of pride and art and accomplishment in something that is so small because it comes from here,” he said while pointing at his heart.

“Especially, if you know that you created something true, that you really created, and it did not come from so and so’s grandmother’s recipe or someone you know, that you kind of found it, that is nice. Not that you always get credit, but in this business everyone thinks that it has been done before—that is not true.

“I started cooking in 1977 when I was in high school but began as a dishwasher at a small motor inn. Then I was making sandwiches and salads. The food was pretty good back then, especially for me. I did not know what good food was like then.

“I was a good athlete and this kind of replaced that for me—the team work, challenges, hard work, accomplishment—all those good things that I was missing from the little league and competitive spirits. For a guy like me, it was a great outlet, and you had a sense of a good accomplishment like you did when you had a good game. You made something, you got good service, you did not make mistakes, and you learn something new.

“At that point I could not wait to become a chef, because the chef is the boss, had a girlfriend, and a car. There is a sense of freedom and contentment, loaded with motivation. These were the guys I worked with. They enjoyed what they did. It was the 70’s—they had long hair, Corvettes, and it seems like life was wonderful for them.

“As we got older, they realized it was a lot of work and they worked hard. But back then they enjoyed what they did. It was kind of a boys club back then. We did not have many in the kitchen, and everyone covered for each other and did a lot of work. You learn and it was certainly teamwork, something I would not change—it was great practice.

“I saw some really good food in France but could not afford to eat it then. Looked at pastry shops, reading the menus, and a few years later, after my graduation, I went back to work in Paris, fine-tuning my skills under several prominent chefs. Then I attended pastry school in Paris and was then able to communicate in French.”