By Mary Ann Bourbeau
ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS – David Burke didn’t come from a culinary family. But when the Hazlet native started working as a dishwasher at a Route 35 hotel as a teen, he was enthralled by what he witnessed in the kitchen.
“I saw the camaraderie, the teamwork, the sense of accomplishment and the can-do attitude,” he said. “It was the freedom in the kitchen, being able to create new stuff every day. I was amazed at what food could be, and I wanted to learn more.”
Burke graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and later went to France to learn the art of pastry making. At 26 years old, he was named executive chef at New York City’s legendary River Café, where he earned a prestigious three-star review from The New York Times. Today, he and his David Burke Hospitality Management team operate or orchestrate the culinary component of 18 restaurants, a historic event venue and a bakery. They also oversee a growing roster of branded products including cookware, bakeware, steak sauce, cutlery and wine.
The culinary pioneer’s next honor will be his induction into the New Jersey Hall of Fame at the 17th annual awards ceremony Nov. 21. Fellow nominees include the Jonas Brothers, Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan, the Isley Brothers, CNN’s Dana Bash, Minnesota Vikings co-owner Zygmunt “Zygi” Wilf and hockey goaltender Martin Brodeur. Burke will be the first restaurant chef inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.
“I’m a proud Jersey guy,” he said. “I’m happy a lot of my hard work has paid off. Winning a culinary award, writing a book and getting good reviews for your craft are one thing, but being recognized for supporting the state, training other chefs, running businesses and employing people – it’s a great honor.”
His restaurants in New Jersey include Red Horse by David Burke in Rumson and Bernardsville, Drifthouse in Sea Bright, Ventanas at the Modern in Fort Lee, Orchard Park in East Brunswick and Son Cubano in West New York. THE GOAT, an Italian restaurant on Route 36 in Union Beach, recently closed its doors.
“We just couldn’t make it happen,” he said. “It’s a tough highway. We gave it a three-year run.”
The award-winning chef has fond memories of his childhood in Hazlet.
“It was a good town to grow up in,” he said. “You had Little League, you had everything. Monmouth County has a lot to offer. New Jersey does too.”
Burke has lived in various parts of New Jersey and New York City, but he moved to Atlantic Highlands to be closer to his parents. He also missed living at the Jersey Shore.
“People are nice down here, and I like being near the water,” he said. “When you’re in a stainless-steel kitchen for 12 hours a day for 30 or 40 years, a walk in the woods or the sound of a wave is pretty good. Being in New York for so many years gave me an appreciation for nature.”
In 2022 Burke purchased the 89-year-old Dixie Lee Bakery in Keansburg, saving it from closure and vowing to honor the bakery’s rich history while adding his own flair.
“Talk about a labor of love!” he said. “It’s a tough business, but I’m gonna get there. I’m a fighter. It’s something I learned growing up – work hard and be determined.”
Burke said his family always went to Dixie Lee on special occasions.
“My father was a marathon runner, so we didn’t eat a lot of sweets,” he said. “But when we had company, we went to Dixie. People go to the supermarket for dessert now. They don’t want to make two stops.”
He said many people who move away from the area still have a hankering for Dixie Lee goodies.
“We ship black-and-white cookies down to South Carolina and Georgia,” said Burke. “People who grew up in this area, they miss their black-and-whites. It’s crazy, but we do have the best black-and-whites. And the best Key lime pie and the best doughnuts. The commercial doughnuts you buy can’t compete with what we do.”
Burke is looking forward to the New Jersey Hall of Fame ceremony, which will be hosted by Danny DeVito. While he likely won’t be part of the entertainment lineup, he hopes to contribute to the ceremony in some meaningful way.
“I might wind up catering a little of it, I don’t know yet,” he said. “I’ll contribute in some way, maybe fundraising. I’m just grateful and honored to be in it.”
The article originally appeared in the July 31 – August 5, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
