Chef David Burke's Kitchen has a Treehouse Bar

Chef David Burke reigns over his Kitchen Treehouse Urban Garden 

Why go out to eat? 

Especially when so many of the leading foodie fingers are pointing gastronomy lovers to the homegrown taste and health benefits of meal fixings made at home. 

And then there is that pesky saving money thing.

Phooey. 

You can have it both ways....

There is surely a magical check list of bountiful reasons to dine out that we all hold dear, not the least of which includes, extraordinary who’d-of-thought-to-put-these-flavors-together recipes; superlative, eye-rolling-humming-heavenly taste sensations, along with the charming, seductive ambience that can turn a date or a milestone celebration or business exchange into a memorable feast.

With a discerning wink, a practiced authority, and rivers of irrepressible discovery – it can be an unforgettable event. 

And of course, a dedication to using local, homegrown ingredients.

Or, one can take that list, reduce it to a simple moniker: Chef David Burke and pocket an outsize culinary bonanza.

Long touted as one of the culinary constellation’s most whimsical geniuses, James Beard Award Winner, Chef David, is that singular, shining star: a true thought leader and innovator, who has more talent than three front lines at CIA restaurant Escoffier – or soon-to-be Bocuse, or any line up of Top Chefs or any other culinary-cued reference point.

Yup. Chef David can’t seem to contain his creativity. It oozes out into so many design-fueled channels at his restaurants, including interior design, garden design, decorating, products, cooking techniques via his “culinology:” the approach described as one that blends food technology, food science and the culinary arts.  

And of course, his over the rainbow menu creations.

Albeit fearless yet modest and so down to earth, (he’s like your irrepressible brother or favorite cousin) one can’t help but think he surely must have his head in the clouds to come up with all this sensuous fantasy spun around the art of dining.

This abundance of the unexpected makes your head spin. In a good way.

I have reviewed chef David Burke’s Rumson restaurant in the Garden State where chef launched his cooking career and the opening of David Burke Kitchen at the St. James in SoHo. 

The unveiling of the new Treehouse Bar and the updated Urban Garden was the cause celebre for the recent Chef’s Table dinner with Chef David, two of his team: the urbane Joel Ehrlich and master manager, Sheila Azadan, and select food and drink journalists, including me!

I was delightfully surprised the evening was in fact, an intimate food celebration. 

Up a flight of stairs, one is greeting by the dazzling rooftop Urban Garden and just like a movie set tableau, there is eye candy all around – full of textures: gleaming glassware, white tablecloths, Chef Burke-designed tree branch chairs and tables, curtained alcoves that look just made for canoodling, and pots and planters brimming with happy, twirling vines and surprise: herbs and vegetables such as broccoli.  

This Urban Garden is like Shoots & Ladders for the cosmopolitan!  

Set above a center courtyard visible below, the Urban Garden wraps and weaves its meandering vistas all the way up to the Treehouse, laden with mystery and surprise.

Over there is the outside bar. 

Farther back is a chef’s table under a white tent, all set for a corporate party.  Lucky.

There is a massage tent where one can indulge pre-dinner.  No joke!

And a rowboat.   

Another set design for Chef David’s creative genius: he often strings clams or lobsters to create a seafood fantasy.  Right there on the roof.

This is not like some West Side Story; rather the look is cool, downtown chic. And a perfect vantage point to take in the neighborhood scene.

Or make one of your own.

This is so romantic. And whimsical.  

There is something deliciously forbidden about being in a fantasy that is neither here nor there – not city, not garden retreat, but all that and more. 

This is a top rate garden design.  

A few more steps up to the Treehouse Bar pinnacle where croquet awaits, plus another bar is perched there, with tall tables, that are ideal for cocktails and “Bites,” as Chef David refers to his cornucopia of hors d’oeuvres.

Friendly wait staff passed the Bites, eliciting more oohs and ahhs than a Tiffany window display, while patiently answering the foodie guests’ staccato query of “What IS this?” while trying each success wonder.  

  

The full Bite list deserves to be showcased. 

It is a Sisyphean task to recommend one or two as outstanding.

Why try, when there is a plethora of over-the-top Bites that deserve tasting. Often. 

Chef clearly knows how to thrill his guests and that culinary talent should not go the way of a mere mention.  

Bites:

Tuna Tartare Tacos; Whipped avocado/ tobiko caviar

Maple Bacon Dates: corn flake crusted port wine grapes

Foie Gras Panna Cotta: mango/blueberry beet gelee

Gazpacho: summer squash/chipotle lime cream

Deviled Quail Eggs: American caviar

Grilled Bison Kebobs: pineapple

Everyone was delightfully satiated. 

But wait, there was dinner.

In the Kitchen’s rustic dining room, fronting the real kitchen. (There was threat of rain later, so management wisely determined inside. Nice to have the choice!)

Seated family style at one long table the food journalists and David Burke team settled into an epicurean adventure. 

It can be said that food writers can be inured, or even snarky when it comes to food tastings – after all, they’ve been there; done that a lot.

Not this night. 

Everyone was like a kid at a really good friend’s birthday party.  

And the food just kept arriving.  And the wine flowed. 

Chef David does it all

Strikingly tasty are the two, non-alcoholic waters David also created via a partnership with 12NtM.  It is fantastic! Like a pisco, or a peppermint, citrus iced tea with lemonade and raspberry or… it is difficult to characterize because there is so much flavor.  It can be a cocktail mixer too.  A glass is just 60 calories for eight ounces.

Mayor Bloomberg need not fret about high fructose corn syrup sodas for citizen of Gotham. 

Chef David shared with us that in fact; Hizzoner did give the drink his two thumbs up. The drinks are available at Burke’s portfolio of New York restaurants and also at gourmet retailers in town, including Whole Foods.

Chef’s Amuse Bouche 

Warm Oysters- pickled watermelon rind/duck salad/red currants.

Do not miss this.  It’s textures and balance of hot and cold is considered.

First Course

Asparagus & Buratta Salad: watermelon/basil/tomato vinaigrette  

Calamari Peas & Carrots: jalapeno/ginger orange vinaigrette

Second Course

Angry Octopus: white beans/chorizo/basil

Pan Roasted Scallops: crisp pork belly/summer succotash

The Angry Octopus is a riff on Chef David ever-popular Angry Lobster.  The octopus dish is pure genius; fiery hot with red cayenne, crisp, and nicely complemented with the smooth beans and tasty chorizo and pickled radish.  This is a must have.

Angry octopus & chorizo

Entrée Course

Slow Roasted Peach BBQ Duck: pistachio duck sausage/grilled peaches/sugar snap peas/golden beet

The sweet and savory flavors and textures combined for an overall taste that rockets the palate.  No one can make this at home…

The presentation of the dishes was suburb.  Chef David knows the “eyes eat first” and every serving was constructed like a work of art:  too pretty to eat.  Nawww!

Dessert

When dessert was presented, it was just like the fireworks display at the end – just when you think you’ve seen it all or couldn’t possibly see another fantasia, there is another clutch your heart moment that sends one reeling.

Pastry Chef Zac Young

The five confections made by the just-installed, former Top Chef pastry chef, Zac Young left the foodie table giddy.  

The disco blueberries best captured the imagination and fizzy playfulness of the evening’s charm and Chef David’s trademark style. 

In fact, Chef David said these are what got Zac the job. 

Kudos.  This is better than any ol’Studio 54 to be sure!   

The other outstanding, wildly inventive creations were cool, refreshing, and just this side of nirvana:

Frozen Arnold Palmer: sweet tea semifreddo/lemon granita/candied wild mint

Key Lime Pie: roasted local strawberry compote/blackberry sorbet

Farmer Zac’s Passion Fruit Cream Eggs: crème fraiche panna cotta/passion yoke/disco blueberries. (secret is Luster Dust).  Great on ice cream and Greek yogurt next day too. See, everyone asked for a take away of these bejeweled blue balls

Toffee Monkey Bread: banana caramel/whipped cream/maple pecan ice cream

Cheesecake Lollipops: passion fruit whipped cream  

The coffee was made in Chef David’s Rube Golberg-like contraption that is exquisite to capture, while brewing. It is nothing short of mesmerizing or intoxicating.

And yet another way that Chef David captures the routine and turns it all around to make theater of the usual.  Salute.

Most of the guests were pleading for it all to stop by this point.  Not really. 

Surprisingly, I was not filled to the gills, but rather, was in what quite possibly could be a catatonic state of food bliss.  See what good food can do!!

Add World’s Best Host, to Chef David’s list of honorifics.

The final, over the top gesture was the swag bag Sheila bestowed.  Like any kid, we eagerly perused the goodies:  One of Chef David’s Cookbooks – he has published several.  I received David Burke's New American Classics 

This cookbook is terrific – the format is so creative, naturally. 

There is Chef David’s rendering or updating of a classic American recipe, followed by his Contemporary or updated recipe, followed by a “Second Day Dish” er, Leftover recipe.

Having already made the Meatloaf Bundt Cake with poppy seed croissant topping, there aren’t any real leftovers to speak of. 

Same was true for the Pretzel-Onion Crusted Barbecued Chicken with Pretzel Latkes, Corn, and Mustard.

Brilliant concept. Brilliant execution. 

There again is that “head in the clouds” Willy Wonka crazy-good inspiration.

And yet there is no doubt the recipes are firmly rooted in the good ol’ American hierarchy of let’s get serious cooking vernacular. 

Oh, and there were the amazing David Burke steak knives. Leave it to chef to design and sell individual steak knives that are fashioned after a chef’s butchering knife.  Too cool.

These knives will make a perfect gift to any foodie, meat-loving aficionado. 

The Take-Away

To inhabit “Burke’s World” one suspends everyday reality.

Chef David takes you on a food journey and entertainment excursion that one is hard-pressed to say is not truly unique.  He is unpretentious to a fault.  He exudes joy and pride and one is sincerely impressed by his irrepressible passion to keep reinventing his culinary art.

He is driven to create.

He never loses sight of the fact that the most important ingredient is love. 

And he clearly Loves what he does.

This chef is relentless in his pursuit of the winsome, fun, delicious recipe.

Do go to David Burke Kitchen while the outdoor garden season beckons.

Go to any of Chef David Burke’s culinary jackpots to embrace the reason we celebrate dining out.

Food and Drink doesn’t get any better.

David Burke Kitchen at the James Hotel

23 Grand Street

6^th Avenue

SoHo, NY 10013

212-201-9119

www.davidburkekitchen.com

Honor Chef Gerry Hayden, North Fork Table & Inn in Fight Against ALS

Chefs Claudia Fleming & Gerry Hayden, North Fork Table & Inn. Photo: Katherine Schroeder

So many of the stars in the culinary constellation will be out, shining in support of chef Gerry Hayden. 

It is unfathomable that the disease ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, has claimed dominion within this spirited, talented, food thought-leader and master chef.

Hayden is co-owner of the astonishing North Fork Table & Inn, www.northforktableandinn.com) with his wife Claudia Fleming, pastry chef and author, along with their partners, Mike Mraz and his wife, Mary.

Chef Tom Colicchio, a former boss from their days at Gramercy Tavern, and now a part-time North Fork resident, is hosting a culinary star-studded benefit on Sunday, June 24^th at Colicchio & Sons restaurant to raise monies for chef Gerry’s newly formed organization, “Hayden’s Heroes” that is “dedicated to raising money to assist Gerry and Claudia with the overwhelming medical expenses that come with having ALS and to channel proceeds to finding a cure for this life ending disease.” http://www.giveforward.com/haydensheroes#

Here is a video of Chef Gerry telling his Hayden's Heroes story:

The culinary community is widely recognized as one that supports their communities in the food chain – from the farmers to children’s nutrition and school lunch programs to greenmarket youth education – - to supporting each other.  With food as their weapon, they wield their powerful alchemy to offer gastronomy-as-reward for a good and worthy cause, with love being the most powerful ingredient.

Rallying around Hayden’s Heroes to deliver the mortal knock out are chefs David Burke, Waylie Dufresne, Jonathan Waxman, Marco Canoro, Bobby Flay, Charlie Palmer, Alfred Portale, Sherry Yard, Mark Ladner, Michael Mina and other celebrity chefs.  

Everyone else can lend a punch or two via the online donation webpage.  The outpouring has, so far, placed the purse near the goal.  If foodies lend their support, that will easily be surpassed. 

Hayden is a two-time James Beard Award nominee for Best Chef Northeast.

Along with his wife and culinary partner, chef Claudia, Hayden is also a featured chef in my just-released book:  The Hamptons & Long Island Homegrown Cookbook

The book features the best locavore Long Island chefs and the growers who most inspire them and infuse their cooking with fresh, delicious, homegrown flavor.  

In addition to a cash donation, this Examiner, author and fan of chef Gerry, his work, and The North Fork Table & Inn, will donate 10% of the sale every Homegrown book purchased to Hayden’s Heroes, and provide Free shipping.  Please email me at foodanddrinkny@gmail.com

Here is an excerpt from chef Hayden’s profile from the Homegrown book:

A lot has been written about Chef Claudia Fleming and Chef Gerry Hayden, the husband and wife culinary couple co-owners of the North Fork Table & Inn.

She’s a 2000 Pastry Chef James Beard Award winner and the best-selling author of her cookbook, “The Last Course, The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern.” He’s worked alongside some of the best chefs in American (she has too) including Charlie Palmer, David Burke, Michael Mina, picking up awards too including Esquire Magazines for Best Restaurant.  Mainly there is the all-star resume of their outstanding credentials that could make a Broadway actor’s listing in Playbill green with envy at their impressive accomplishments.  Followed by how they left the bright lights of New York City behind to open their North Fork Table & Inn, nestled among the vineyards and farms of Southold. 

But the experts got it all wrong. 

They didn’t “leave” anything behind.  That was all just the first act.  You could even say a rehearsal. 

Combined, their groundbreaking contributions to the culinary world, not to mention to their home base on Long Island casts a long shadow.

These pioneers don’t know when to leave well enough alone.  It’s no coincidence they find themselves on the leading edge of each successive wave of the American gastronomic revolution.

Their insatiable curiosity, respect for the people who work to provide them with the best ingredients and the compelling desire to build a better local infrastructure of quality, sustainable relationships to build better community are the reasons why. And their relentless innovation.  And it’s their cooking.   Their creative culinary art renders the just picked and just caught simply sublime.

Separately they were both at the ramparts of the second stage of a golden age that swept major restaurants as the American culinary revolution took hold in New York.  

Chef Gerry was working at the epicenter, The River Café, with executive chef Charlie Palmer, Larry Forgione who left River Café to open up An American Place, Jonathan Waxmen had returned from Chez Panisse to open Jams, and Anne Rozenweig was at Arcadia.  1986 America really coming on scene

What inspires such driven-to-despair-devotion? 

Claudia hugs the seasons, first and foremost, to parse what’s ripe and ready.

When she worked with Tom Colicchio at Gramercy Tavern he always told her, “If it grows together, it goes together. “  She agrees.  “You are pretty much guaranteed it will go together on the plate if it grows together in the garden. It’s a creed I embrace.   It’s how I think about food,” she adds.

She selects a particular fruit that belongs to that season. And takes it from there. She may do a panicotta with rhubarb, move to blueberries, blackberries and then peaches. She can dial it up depending on the harvest cycle.

Using local ingredients is in fact easier, she claims….

…When asked if she and Chef Gerry coordinate or balance menu items, she demurs and thinks for a minute.  They don’t plan it, but given their taste and style and devotion to the seasonal menu, the desserts and entrees are on the same page. And linked quite romantically, no doubt.

She describes themselves as pioneers here. 

She admits it may not be Napa or Sonoma. Yet.  But she’s convinced someday it will be a food mecca.  

The area has already become a magnet for innovators like she and Gerry who want the very best quality ingredients steps away from their door. 

They couple developed their growers, saying that it wasn’t easy. Growers or the fishermen were not used to providing product on regular basis. There are no business terms. They wanted cash. At the same time, it’s difficult to get a bill. It’s a very complex arrangement, she sighs.   But clearly worth the effort.

The emerging and reinvigorated local community is passionate and driven to establish an infrastructure that will yield to a middle ground they create – looking back to a quality, slower way of life to truly enjoy the unmatched flavors of fresh, local foods, with the reality of providing that food given government regulations, distribution and costs and the scrutiny of unforgiving master chefs.  “We are all at the beginning together.” They have allowed passion and experience to guide them. “There is a certain, lovely camaraderie here,” she says. “We are very proud of the people that grow for us. It’s a great way to live.” It is a food and nature lover’s paradise.  The vineyards and B&B’s and the restaurants are a food destination unmatched on the east coast... 

Chef Gerry is an impatient chef.  He wants the best of everything.

He’s uncompromising. 

It can’t come together soon enough. Not for the community of farmers or vintners.

Not when he is seeking to establish an artisanal hog grower nearby.

Nevertheless, the hands on the clock hold on to each other, poised, as he determinedly cooks and coaxes the food he adores onto the plate. 

When Chef Gerry is creating his culinary masterpieces, there is nothing else. 

For a chef this focused, is there any doubt that he always knew he wanted to be a chef?

In fact there was never anything else.

He is the youngest of seven children in a family of much older siblings.  His mother always worked – at the telephone company, in department stores. 

Plus the family had a vegetable garden she tended. 

Gerry said he’d give her a hand in the garden where they grew zucchini, tomatoes, herbs and eggplants. He also helped her with the cooking, especially on the holidays. 

His parents came from the same ethnic Brooklyn neighborhood of Bayridge.  His mother learned to cook from her Italian neighbors; Good Housekeeping magazines, tearing out recipes; and old cookbooks. 

She was always preparing something, he remembered.  She prepared food for the next day.  After dinner.

Don’t get him started about people saying they don’t have time to cook at home!

His family moved to what was then “the better life” in the suburbs of Long Island the year before Gerry was born, moving to Stony Brook where he was raised. One of his favorite memories of the open farm area then was that his family frequented the local farm stands in Rocky Point and Wading River, known for their strawberries, peaches, corn, apples, pears and melons.  Later he and his friends worked at the farm, harvesting.

His first restaurant job was in junior high school as a dishwasher. That’s all it took.  Young Gerry wholeheartedly loved the kitchen environment and by the age of 15 he was already cooking.

His first real restaurant job on the line at the family-owned Country House in Stony Brook left a lifelong impression. 

He remembers the father had been the maitre’d at the legendary Stork Club in Manhattan.  All his sons had been cooks there, too.

Eventually, the father moved the entire family to Long Island to work in their new family-owned restaurant. 

Gerry remembers they had great cars and always had a lot of money in their pockets.

The restaurant in the 70’s and early 80’s was a fun place to be. He says he was fascinated; always learning.  Specifically, he was taught how to pound out a leg of veal, make veal Oscar with béarnaise sauce, and how to make hollandaise sauce. 

He also remembers working hard. Very hard.

Mainly his memories of The Country House were that it was a sophisticated restaurant with a New York City polish. 

He laughed when he realized that’s kind of what he’s doing now.

“I worked in New York City for 25 years and now I’m in Southold bringing a bit of that sophisticated New York dining experience to the North Fork….”

Gerry graduated from the Culinary Institute in Hyde Park, New York, successfully completing the school’s 21-month program. 

Significantly, there were two people there who played defining roles in his developing career.

Chef Leon Dennon, a Belgian instructor, was responsible for helping Gerry to secure his career-making externship with Chef Charlie Palmer at the famous River Café in Brooklyn. 

Ultimately, it was Gerry’s father, a New York City fireman in marine company #1 who, as part of his unit patrolled the riverways of the city from the World Trade Center on the Hudson, up past the tennis bracelet of bridges that span the East River.  His father is the one who suggested Brian investigate two restaurant prospects to consider for his externship: The swanky Sign of the Dove, but especially the River Café. 

Gerry recalled how the restaurant impressed his father and fellow firefighters as they passed the gleaming restaurant located under the Brooklyn Bridge; perfectly positioned to take advantage of the unstaged sorcery and romantic backdrop of the world’s most glittering skyline just across the river. 

In turn Gerry told Chef Leon about his wish to work at The River Cafe. As it turned out, Chef Leon had been a benefactor to Chef Charlie and so he was happy to make the call on Gerry’s behalf.

According to Chef Gerry, the other positive role model happened as a result of a lucky coincidence that landed French Chef Roland Henin as instructor when the regular CIA teacher was taken ill. 

For seven days Chef Roland taught an intensive class on how to make consommé, terrine and sauces. Gerry recalls Chef Roland was at turns brilliant, strict, great.  He says, “It was a mind-blowing experience.”  There was something about Chef Roland’s comportment and depth of knowledge that other chefs didn’t have.  Chef Gerry says there are some things you can’t really appreciate until afterwards, after your own experiences.

He imbued Gerry with the pride of the culinary profession that has stayed with him all through his career. 

Only years after graduation did Gerry discover that Chef Roland was very instrumental in teaching Chef Thomas Keller; and Keller acknowledges so in his first cookbook.

After graduation Gerry was asked by executive chef Charlie Palmer to return to work full time at The River Café.

Working for Chef Charlie Palmer, it seemed Gerry’s eyes were seeing food for the first time.  There were miniature vegetables, fresh morels from the Pacific Northwest, ramps, and fiddlehead ferns.

The fact that Chef Charlie had grown up on a farm fueled his adherence to a seasonally based menu.

In a restaurant at that time, it was all pretty new, says Gerry.  Likewise the darling of purveyors, D’Artagnan, was new then too.  The company was new in the United States, but in fact stemmed from a well-respected heritage of French food purveying, provided the chefs with freshly killed game birds and organic foie gras.  Up until then, most things that passed as food had been pre-packaged, Gerry notes.   “This was big news.”

“No one was going to farms then,” Chef Gerry is quick to add. “There was always the broker between the grower and the restaurant.”

Yes, there were some New York state farms starting to ship greens.

There were tadpole-sized, fill-in trips to the fish market on Fulton Street.  And some also infrequent visits to what was then a real meat packing district over on the west side of Manhattan that is now home to designers and boutiques: both fashion and hotel.

Overwhelmingly, though, the only way business was conducted was over the telephone.  The one with bologna-curl umbilical cord tethered to the desk or mounted on the wall.

There was no relationship with the growers, no contact with the fisherman or dairyman or herders or any of the artisans who the chefs would soon help to develop. 

Today, he says he feel compromised if he uses the telephone to order the food for his restaurant.  He is compelled to find the best, local ingredients.  And nurture them or make them if they don’t exist, as he did recently when he worked to establish Iberco Pigs in Mattituck, Long Island.  That food journey took Chef Gerry from Spain and Hungary to a slaughtering and butchering class with an Austrian Mangalitsa wooly pig master butcher in New Jersey and back to Long Island. 

In 1988, when Chef Charlie opened Aureole, there was really no doubt Gerry would accompany him to his new restaurant. Gerry says he had been developing and collaborating menus with Chef Charlie when he asked him to take on the full responsibility as the opening pastry chef for Aureole.

That position impacted his career tremendously, he states.

Ever the innovator, Chef Gerry created a new wave of desserts.

What was revolutionary was he worked on plating desserts.

It seems impossible to fathom but before this, desserts and pastries were, by and large, cut from a bigger cake or pie or mouse or ice cream mold.  Think of those dome-shrouded desserts at the diners. Just better. 

“There were a lot of tortes, cut in the 80s,” he said.

Radically, Chef Gerry took a cook’s approach to pastry. 

He established a pastry station.

He formulated a hot dessert category that would extend the sole entry on any restaurant’s menu of the wonderful, but traditional soufflé.

Basically Chef Gerry created a cook’s station for Pastry.

The desserts became an individual item to order. 

“A cobbler in a dish that we individually baked to order had essentially never been done before,” he explains.

From his vaulted vantage point now, Chef Gerry says he didn’t start getting into the farm movement until he moved to Sam Francisco to help open Aqua restaurant in 1990.

“There were more small farms and farmers market at that time out there that were light years ahead of New York,” he says.

Somewhat ruefully he acknowledges that if in 1989 Union Square Greenmarket in NYC was there, and open, he wasn’t aware of it and wasn’t going to it! 

Oftentimes, when you move out of your element, you see things in a new way he observes.

After several years, he moved back to New York.  Chef Gerry worked in the Hamptons for five years after TriBeCa Grill, where he and Claudia met.  This was in between Aureole and before Park Avenue Café.

When he worked at the East Hampton Point- a 400 seat restaurant for Jerry DellaFemina and Drew Neirpont, Gerry says he liked being near the water, loved being in his home of Long Island, but something was missing. 

The couple wanted to buy a home on Long Island but didn’t know exactly where.  They took their time exploring the magic of Long Island’s landscape:  its waterways that jab and poke the land here and there, the wide open farmland, the colonial shingled houses and quaint towns, the movie-set mansions from every century since it was settled in the 1600s. 

He and Claudia visited on a number of day trips to the area, taking the ferries to Andrew Wyeth-inducing scenes from across the South Fork to Shelter Island and on to the North Fork.  

It was soon clear.  Here in the North Fork, they could have it all: enjoy the water and more agriculture and the vineyards and the community’s active commitment to preserve it.

“My godmother had a place in Jamesport and we had bungalows on Nassau Point, as a kid. So I always liked the area of the North Fork.  We had a boat house and enjoyed the beach-combing in Stony Point too.”

The good news was Gerry and Claudia found a house.  The “bad news” was they recognized they couldn’t afford the city and the country house.

Together, they still had Amuse restaurant in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City.  But now they had to ask, “What will we do?” 

He was ready to make the change.  Claudia said she was ready to get out of city.

Was it Destiny? Vision?

“We knew it was destiny,” said Chef Gerry. 

The couple catered their own wedding at the Wolford Wolf Vineyard in Bridgehampton.  “Everyone loved it.”  

It was late June, 2001. They served very simple striped bass, farm fresh salad, peas, and fava beans. Not unlike what they do for their clientele today, they developed the menu based on the time of year. “We cooked with the farms,” he says.

Not surprisingly, all the guests agreed the wedding dinner created a feeling of casual elegance inspired by the season. 

Claudia and Gerry formulated their restaurant style based on that unsolicited, genuine positive feedback. 

Casual elegance, seasonally inspired it would be.

And don’t forget Love.

Chefs Gerry and Claudia opened North Fork Table and Inn’s 110-seat restaurant in 2005 to rave reviews. It’s been wowing customers and fans ever since.

In fact, the North Fork Table & Inn has become a food-lover’s destination. 

Not unlike the area Chef Gerry is compelled to develop. 

Today, he is dedicated to fulfilling the North Fork’s potential as a food lover’s paradise.  They opened the restaurant here because he believes it offers the best of the culinary world’s future. 

And lest we forget, this culinary couple hasn’t missed a beat in the evolving world of good, fresh, delicious food.

Cotton Candy for Breakfast! David Burke's Fromagerie

I ate cotton candy for breakfast.

Seriously.  

Having enjoyed an over-the-top delicious, whimsical luncheon for the second time during the holiday season at chef David Burke’s Garden state restaurant, Fromagerie, there was just a wee bit too much of the happy desserts.  

So the sweet, sparkly, spun sugar confection was coming home with me.   The cotton candy looks just like sweet tutus.  They are eye candy: fun and flirty. Like schoolgirls, we giggle every time the wispy, pastel-colored melt-in-your-mouth magic pirouettes onto the dining table.

And there was no way I was not taking some home.  

Truth is, every one of Chef David’s restaurants I’ve dined at possess his inimitable style and stamped with his unmistakable personality.  

It’s that alchemy of élan, spunk, and theater that makes eating there a remarkable theatrical culinary experience.   

Chef David Burke manages a portfolio of award-winning restaurants and food service enterprises that delight and surprise and elicit more than a fair share of oohs and ohh wonder at the food creations and presentations to bring out the sophisticated gourmand – and the kid – in all of us. (http://www.davidburke.com)

Fromagerie is chef David’s fairytale, hometown homage restaurant.

It’s a venerable gastronomic icon that adorns a diminutive, size-0 intersection in Rumson. 

Long acknowledged as more of an auberge – fashionably snuggled and operated within its own oasis of a French countryside, Fromagerie, was and remains a culinary transgression – an act of love and respect on chef David’s part, having taken it over in 2006.

He grew up here, established his chef roots before taking flight and becoming one of the culinary world’s most imaginative, creative, entrepreneurs to shine in the culinary constellation.

  

I know his fizzy, irreverent and hard-working biography intimately; chef David is a special part of my New York Homegrown cookbook.

In addition, I interviewed him when he opened David Burke Kitchen and DB Garden.  I Love that concept: chefs and their gardens!

Townhouse has long been a favorite and classy place to dine and meet friends for cocktails.

The culinary world knows him from Top Chef, The Today Show and his cookbooks, products, cooking techniques and creations. 

Hello, bubble gum whip cream and gourmet cheesecake lollipop tree! pretzel encrusted crab, and restaurants: eight and counting.

The Garden State locals know and love chef David from his early days.  He hasn’t forgotten them either. 

The siren song of the Two Rivers’ beauty and charm continues to seduce other homegrown luminaries including Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi and Kevin Smith, to name a few. 

The day of our very special holiday luncheon, hosted by my garden design muse and fairy godmother, Maria, joined by my mother.  


We three were surprised and elated to meet David’s father.  

We didn’t know the pedigree of the craftsman hard at work, determined to fix a railing by the front steps.

Truthfully, the drilling buzz was a bit intense for the place and time of day and when we asked if the work could wait, we were met by an apology and later, after the bill floated onto the table by our friendly and professional waiter, we learned of the complimentary cappuccinos, courtesy of chef David’s father: David!   

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree it seems. 

The elder David is charming too.

We were delighted to chat it up a bit with him. 

In turn, he treated us to a respectful and family-fueled pride about chef David’s early foray into cooking.

David the elder’s eyes sparkled and he laughed while telling us of his son’s determined, early efforts to break into the world of cooking.

“He told me he wanted to be a chef,” he sighed.   

“All I could think of was a McDonalds cook and well…“  

We could sense he was fondly retelling a timeworn family tale of an awkward discussion that is now the first chapter in a successful, star-studded career.

We learned it was soon after his aspirational culinary wannabee confession that David the younger, told a perspective employer he could cook.  

That David charm and confidence fueled his earliest ambitions and not surprisingly, he got the job.

But he really needed some fast, hands-on training!  See, he didn’t really yet “know” how to cook. That would come later.

His father told us David asked the nearby restaurant to show him how to cook a steak.  

David is and was a fast trick.  

He inculcated his new-found knowledge of cooking steak to his new job.  

Still laughing at the memory of what is clearly a long-standing family legend, we learn about David taking the steak out of the oven only to have tilted the dish a bit too much -- so that it hit the corner of his head and the steak went flying off, landing on the floor.

Not to be deterred, David recovered his confidence – and the steak. Further he worked hard, attended culinary school and learned from the great European chefs while living and studying there. 

His homegrown and innate talent accelerated David’s fast lane meteoric rise to celebrity chef. His ability to balance culinary creativity and down-to-his-roots, never-forget-where-you-came from humility and common sense is what keeps chef David grounded and motivated.

David’s dad and our table agreed.

Fast forward to our winter luncheon.

Dining at one of David’s restaurants is not unlike going down the rabbit hole. 

Things are not always what they seem to be.

For starters, (or for no “starters!”) there is no menu heading of “Appetizer.”

There is, however, the word JARS taking top billing. 

Hmmm…

After twice ordering the JARS, I can confirm what it is. 

JARS is genius.  

JARS are delicious; small old-fashioned mini bottles filled with flavors and textures.

Twice, I ordered the maple syrup ricotta, ginger and autumn squash JAR. 

It’s almost too cute to eat. 

Diners pick it up and look at the creamy, golden brown layers before affirming they can mix it up and spread it on the toast points.  Wow. 

The other JARS offerings are bouillabaisse saffron, rouille and a foie gras, cassis gelee. 

All three are innovative, memorable and a tasty overture to the meal that follows.  Oh, and the amuse bouche was downright delightful too.

At this luncheon, our host Maria suggested we had to try the short rib grilled cheese sandwich.

We were richly rewarded. 

Bite-sized, home-made bread slices embrace finely shredded, robust pork, hugged by caramelized onions and fontina cheese.  

The pretzel-crusted crab is outstanding.

A head-slapping why-didn’t someone-think-of-this sooner favorite.

The salty, crunchy pretzel is a balance to a sweet meaty crab packed “brick” with grilled shrimp that is surrounded by a Lego-log of pretzel sticks coating, kissed with avocado, tomato, frisee and pimenton remoulade.

The Montauk Lobster roll was a winning favorite on both luncheon outings.  Thick, sweet, lobster overflows and oozes into the soft bread roll so that every bite or forkful is full of salty, meaty, fresh lobster salad. 

As an important aside, The Mad Men Lunch of  “Angry Lobster,” Ribeye with two classic martinis has our name on it – but for another day. We did have the pleasure of witnessing two VERY happy women extolling the joys of that particular menu choice on our first luncheon visit.  I love that dining exuberance.

The oysters were crisp and fresh and briny and local: just perfect.

The dessert though, topped it all.

The towering pops and the cotton candy and the toffee confection.  

This is entirely too much fun with food as art and theater for one afternoon. 

Pure indulgence.

Oh, and be sure to stop and admire the Dale Chihuly red glass sculpture art as outsized red-twigged dogwood stalks in garden pots that frame the red canopy doorway.   

If they eyes eat first as the French claim, the entrance, the restaurant design and the food presentation are spot on.

Cheers.