David Burke is, without a doubt, one of the most oft-spoken names in upscale cuisine. His creativity and willingness to push the envelope in the kitchen is evident in dishes like his Cheesecake-Lollipop Tree and Angry Lobster Cocktail. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1982, shortly after fellow alums Anthony Bourdain and Charlie Palmer. Among his many awards are Robert Mondavi’s Culinary Award of Excellence in 1996 and 1997, and a 2006 James Beard nomination for Best Chef in New York City. He has also published two books, Cooking with David Burke and New American Classics.

Q. What was your first restaurant as an owner/partner and what’s the most valuable thing you learned there?

My first partnership was with Alan Stillman at Park Avenue Café in 1992.My first real principal ownership and partnership was when we opened David Burke & Donatella in late 2003.(The restaurant is now called David Burke Townhouse.)I learned that you really have to be focused on the concept, pay strict attention to details and stay the course.A phrase that I think applies is, “you have to sleep in the guest room,” meaning you need to see every part of the restaurant and sit in every seat to see things from all perspectives.

Q. What do you feel has been the main ingredient for your success/growth?

A few things – creativity, hard work, taking chances, staying ahead of the curve, hiring the right people and training the right people.But, I think most importantly, laying the right foundation and having the training before you “get to the plate.” My saying when I opened DBT was: “We’re going to throw fastballs.”But, obviously, you need to know how to do that before you get there.

Q. What’s your favorite dish of all your restaurants and why?

We have so many great signature dishes – the Angry Lobster, The Swordfish Chop, Cheesecake Lollipops, the Rumson Style Surf & Turf flan, the Lobster steak – the list goes on.My favorite is the Sea Scallops Benedict with chorizo oil and lobster foam because it is a timeless classic.It’s aesthetically very fun, but the taste is great.

Q. What are your plans for the future?

Right now we are concentrating on the launch of Fishtail, which is off to a great start.Next, we’re going to focus on relaunching our flagship restaurant, David Burke Townhouse.We are always looking for other great business opportunities as well. We’re going to keep chugging along.The company is getting stronger and I look forward to its growth.

NYC Locations:

David Burke Townhouse133 East 61st Street•?212.813.2121

Fishtail135 East 62nd Street • 212.754.1300

David Burke @ Bloomingdales1000 Third Avenue • 212.705.3800