David Burke (born February 27, 1962) is an American chef and restaurateur, known for his appearance on the reality TV program Iron Chef America.[1]
Early life
Born in Brooklyn NY and raised in Hazlet, New Jersey, Burke is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and was a student at Culinary Institute Lenôtre in Plaisir, France.[2] When Burke was 26, he received 3 stars from the New York Times at River Café. Burke was then chosen by his peers to represent the US at The International Culinary Competition, where he won France's Meilleurs Ouvriers de France Diplome d’Honneur. Burke also won the Nippon Award for Excellence from the government of Japan, for overall skill and technique. Burke remained at The River Café until 1992.[2]
Career
In 1992, Burke opened the Park Avenue Café with Smith & Wollensky CEO Alan Stillman, becoming vice president of culinary development for the Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group four years later. In 2003, Burke branched out on his own to start his first proprietary restaurant, davidburke & donatella. Since then, he has set up establishments in Chicago, Foxwoods Casino (CT), Las Vegas and in Rumson, NJ, as well as New York City.[2]
As the principal of David Burke Hospitality Management, he operates or oversees the culinary direction of 20 restaurants in New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, and in Saudi Arabia. In May 2022 Burke purchased the Dixie Lee Bakery in Keansburg, NJ.[3][4]
Burke has appeared on television, including two seasons of Top Chef Masters, a guest spot on the Every Day with Rachael Ray show, NBC's TODAY Show and Bloomberg's small-business television series "The Mentor". He has published two cookbooks, Cooking With David Burke (1999) and David Burke's New American Classics (2006) co-written by Judith Choate.
Burke also competed on Top Chef Masters Season 5. He was eliminated on Episode 9 in the Teacher Tribute challenge with his Bittersweet Chocolate Soufflé with Orange Peel & Raspberry Sauce.
Burke has received Japan's Nippon Award of Excellence,[21] the Robert Mondavi Award of Excellence and the CIA's August Escoffier Award.[22] Nation's Restaurant News named Burke one of the 50 Top R&D Culinarians and Time Out New York named him the "Best Culinary Prankster" in 2003.[23] In May 2009, the James Beard Foundation inducted Burke into the "Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America" and Nation's Restaurant News presented him with the Menu Masters award.[citation needed] In February 2012, Burke was honored by the culinary school at Johnson & Wales University with the Distinguished Visiting Chef Award.[citation needed] In November 2012, he was named Restaurateur of the Year by the New Jersey Restaurant Association.[citation needed] In the same month, he was honored with a Concierge Choice Award, celebrating the elite in New York City hospitality, winning the best chef award.[citation needed] And in 2013, the David Burke Group was described by Restaurant Hospitality magazine as having one of the "Coolest Multiconcept Companies in the Land".[citation needed]
2023 Honorary Doctorate from Johnson & Wales[citation needed]
Products
Burke is also responsible for the creation of several innovations and new techniques used by not only himself, but other restaurants. A few of those include Pastrami Salmon in 1988,[24] flavored oils and tuna tartare and GourmetPops,[25] ready-to-serve cheesecake lollipops. Additionally, Burke is involved with culinology, an approach to food that blends the culinary arts and food technology. In 2011, Burke received a United States patent for a process which uses pink Himalayan salt to dry-age steaks.[26] Burke is also responsible for Burke Flavor Spray and Flavor Magic.[27]
