Chef Rafael Rocha has a strong background in the kitchen. Prior to coming to the Drifthouse this past year, he has spent time at Orchard Park by David Burke,  the Famous Ryland Inn as well as many other smaller venues here in NJ building his craft. We are excited to welcome him to his new role at The Drifthouse!

How to Revisit Your First Date Your relationship might be sorely in need of attention. Why not recreate the special day that sparked it, with an enhancement or three? For many people, the monotony of the last 160-plus days has depleted just about everything. You aren’t alone if you barely recognize yourself, let alone your partner and the special qualities that attracted you to him or her in the first place. Stress and worries over

Where to find sweet treats featuring blueberries, blackberries, peaches and more. A lot of summer traditions look different this year, but desserts featuring summer fruits like berries, stone fruit, even tropical fruits are still popping up on time on menus around the state. Here’s a short list of the fruit-driven sweets available for takeout or outdoor dining. —Stuart Marx is doing some refined beach-side pastry at Drifthouse by David Burke. Witness his signature dessert: Coconut Layer Cake with

Here’s the restaurant I chose for my first meal out and what my first dinner-out choices were 🙂 By Liz Jeressi. Click here to read the entire article on 94.3 The Point online. I will try to never again take for granted how great it is to dine out. It has never felt better to go out for a drink and a meal than it did yesterday when restaurants in NJ were legally allowed to

Dinner with a mask: How bacon (and margaritas) helped me overcome my fear of dining out again Monday marked the return of outdoor dining, and this food writer was ready to get back out there. Sort of. As soon as I could find my purse. And my bra. And my courage. We made it two blocks before I realized I forgot my wallet. When we finally hit the Parkway, en route to the Drifthouse in

Which new bourbon are we pumped about? What does it take to be a master journeyman? Where are we excited to travel to next? Each week, The Manual Podcast invites an expert, artisan, or craftsman for a roundtable discussion on what’s new, exciting, and unique in their trade. For this week’s episode of The Manual Podcast, Greg, Nicole, and Sam sit down with celebrity chef, author, and restauranteur David Burke. Growing up in New Jersey, Burke says he’s been

As residents continue to shelter in place, restaurants miss us even more than we miss them. Excerpt from article on njmonthly.com: Early in the crisis, chef David Burke had a laugh at his own expense. His three New Jersey properties (Ventanas in Fort Lee, David Burke at Orange Lawn in South Orange and Drifthouse in Sea Bright) were open, offering takeout and delivery, but he was troubled by the number of layoffs he had had to make. “I couldn’t call my

Chef David Burke known for his creative, innovative and gutsy solutions to challenging situations – as seen on season five of Bravo’s Top Chef Masters – has done it again with his “Name Your Price Weddings” campaign available at his three New Jersey restaurants all situated on iconic breathtaking locations, and at his eponymous David Burke Tavern in New York City. It is the perfect remedy for: brides and grooms whose incomes were disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic;

His name is Lefto and he looks remarkably like celebrity chef David Burke of Fort Lee — only much cuter (sorry, chef) and much shorter. And every four or five days you can catch Lefto and Burke giving a casual cooking demonstration on the chef’s social media platforms. You’re in for a good time. Especially since Lefto is a 3-foot tall puppet that Burke, currently stuck at home like the rest of us, uses to “help” him cook dishes that can

PHOTO COURTESY LUNCH BREAK / FACEBOOKLunch Break volunteers Jennifer Anderson and board president John Klein recently delivered food to homebound clients. Representatives of the nonprofit are reporting significantly higher demands from community members compared to last year. By Allison PerrineClick here to read the entire article on TwoRiverTimes.com. Just over 45 days ago, the U.S. economy was booming with high wage growth and record low unemployment rates. That quickly changed with the rapid spread of

Cooking is a delicious way to show love. And while there may be more expensive, more pizzazz-y, more creative ways to say “I love you,” there isn’t a more down-to-earth, more nourishing, more doable, tastier way to show your deep appreciation than by taking time to prepare and serve your loved one a homemade dish. Moms certainly know it; they’ve been cooking for us since we were infants. So, come Mother’s Day, why not show how much you care, admire and adore

Restaurant reviewer Bob Sacks spoke to Two River area chefs and restaurateurs for this two-part article on what restaurants are doing during the stay-at-home order. Chef David Burke of Drifthouse and restaurateur Steve Bidgood of Salt Creek Grille share their fears, frustrations and hope for restaurants and their employees during the new rules of social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Long ago, humans were hunter/foragers and roamed the land in search of food. It was

Chef David Burke, noted for his scrappy, never-quit attitude, has joined the proud ranks of New York restaurateurs committed to feeding healthcare workers on the front lines during these trying times. Burke has launched #FeedtheHeroes, an operation that provides meals to first responders and medical personnel battling the pandemic in the New Jersey and New York City area. The effort arose from the ashes of Burke’s empire of a dozen world-class restaurants, which was decimated by

David Burke is a world-renowned celebrity chef who is using his Sea Bright restaurant to feed doctors, nurses, first responders and our local hospital workers. Here’s how you can support his efforts. He’s calling it #FeedtheHeroes and is asking for contributions HERE to help feed the doctors, nurses, and first responders like he has been doing from his NYC restaurants. Chef Burke, well known for his scrappy New Jersey, never-quit attitude, has launched this operation to provide meals

Chef David Burke has an incredible restaurant and bar in Sea Bright. Now the liquor supplies for his bars/restaurant is turning alcohol into hand sanitizer, and you’ll be able to get some! DRIFTHOUSE by David Burke & Nauti Bar by David Burke at the Driftwood Cabana Club on Ocean Avenue, Sea Bright consider necessity the mother of invention. And one of Chef David Burke’s suppliers for DRIFTHOUSE and Nauti Bar, effective immediately, is repurposing its alcohol to meet hand sanitizer shortages

With Coronavirus Shutdowns, Restaurants Are Adapting Menus to Accommodate New Needs Several New Jersey chefs discuss the process of shifting to a takeout and delivery business model as the COVID-19 outbreak continues. Chef David Burke of Ventanas, Drifthouse by David Burke and Orange Lawn Table Hopping: What made you decide to stay open?David Burke: We thought it was important to provide something for the community and keep as much of our personnel employed as we can. It’s very unfortunate we had

Denatured ethanol, water, glycerol to avoid burns and hydrogen peroxide to keep the formula sterile. It may not be the silky, scented hand sanitizer we’re used to, but it’s what distilleries across the state have been authorized to make to help combat the shortage of hand sanitizer. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau has loosened regulations on distilleries that usually make spirits for sipping, allowing them to produce alcohol for disinfecting. Hand sanitizer

It is said necessity is the mother of invention. And one of Chef David Burke’s suppliers for DRIFTHOUSE and Nauti Bar, Sea Bright, recently proved this wise adage by repurposing its product to meet hand sanitizer shortages caused by Covid-19. Nauti Spirits Distillery, based in Cape May, has turned some of its very high-proof spirits into sanitizer. The Drifthouse is currently providing a takeout dinner menu Tuesday through Saturday. And after the first batch of

Those of us in the restaurant industry in New Jersey, New York and beyond are reeling from something we’ve never experienced before — complete silence and nowhere to go. My executive team and I are heartbroken. We’ve closed down and laid off nearly all our employees. My New Jersey locations are still doing takeout – VENTANAS Restaurant & Lounge, David Burke Orange Lawn, and Drifthouse by David Burke — but that’s just a glimmer of

Chef David Burke and TEDxAsburyPark Founder Brian Smiga talk about how he got started as a chef and his return to Monmouth County. David will speak at TEDxAsburyPark 2021. Brian Smiga: This is Brian Smiga, the co-host of TEDxAsburyPark. We’re producing our eighth TEDxAsburyPark on Saturday, May 2, at the newly expanded Two River Theater in Red Bank, New Jersey, when we will consider a much-needed topic: Joy. Right now, let’s welcome our guest and TED speaker,

Click here to listen to the best of 1 Rich from Drifthouse.

Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore hosted Top Cookie, a competition in which local chefs are creating desserts based on Girl Scout cookie flavors. Judge, chef and restaurateur David Burke is featured. Click here to see on app.com.

Check out New Jersey 2020 Industry Magazine: Click here.

In New Jersey, we are proud to claim David Burke as one of our own. In addition to his extensive list of awards and accolades in the restaurant community, Burke is also known as a celebrity chef from his appearances on Top Chef Masters. Chef Burke has two restaurants in New Jersey, The Nauti Bar and Drifthouse. We started our afternoon at the Nauti Bar, which is located right on the beach at the Driftwood

The Garden State Film Festival created a montage of Chef David Burke’s career. Click here to see the video.

Listen to Chef Burke talk the #TopCookie dessert competition with DJ Liz. Click here to listen.

The 28 Best New Restaurants 2019 For rewarding food, atmosphere, variety and value, these new restaurants have earned enthusiastic followings. Drifthouse by David Burke Sea Bright Grilled lobster with lobster dumplings at Drifthouse by David Burke. Photo by James J. Connoly Burke, a longtime resident of Fort Lee, returns to New Jersey as a restaurateur for the first time since selling the Fromagerie in Rumson in 2015. He’s partnered with the Stavola family, owners of Ama,

Squid ink fra diavolo will be served on Christmas Eve at Drifthouse by David Burke. Click here to see on app.com.

Long before he was a celebrity chef, David Burke was a paper boy who delivered The Star-Ledger on a route near his childhood home in Hazlet. “The Sunday paper was a bear,” Burke remembers. “And every time it rained or snowed, my dad would have to pull out the station wagon and help us.” Now Burke regularly graces our pages and countless others, and his latest venture is another full-circle moment: The Drifthouse, inside the

David Burke, like a shark, is always on the move. The Jersey-born celebrity chef has had his share of ups and downs in recent years. He broke up, after a public squabble, with his former company and partnered with a new one. And he opened BLT Prime inside the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., a high-profile move made even more controversial after the president’s immigration rhetoric prompted chef Jose Andres to abandon his plans

David Burke’s Drifthouse in Sea Bright recently partnered up with B-Causes, a charitable platform that functions as a discount buyer’s club. Businesses create special deals to attract consumers, who then choose a charity from B-Causes’s roster of registered nonprofits to receive a percentage of the night’s transaction. For its partnership, Drifthouse has created a special $100 gift card for dinner for two for just $65, with 15 percent of the total bill going to the charity of their

Perched above the shore line on the second floor of the Driftwood Beach Club is the newest culinary delight by Executive Chef, David Burke. A native son, who has roots to these very shores, Burke’s eye for detail both in design and menu creation are a treat for the senses. As you climb the stairs to the second floor, local artwork from Detour Gallery in Red Bank adorns the walls and within the restaurant itself.

Celebrity Chef and Restaurateur David Burke will be a Keynote Speaker at FoodBizNJ on April 24, 2018 at the Somerset Park in Somerset, NJ. Click here to see the video.

At a wine dinner at Ama Ristorante in Sea Bright last year, chef David Burke got to talking with Bill Stavola, whose family owns the restaurant. By the end of the conversation, they had decided to turn Ama into a beachy New American restaurant called Drifthouse. The gist of the discussion, Burke tells us, is that Ama “just didn’t have the right branding.” After a redesign and a menu reboot, Drifthouse opened in late February. Its

Celebrity Chef David Burke, owner of award-winning restaurants around the country, will open his latest venture in Sea Bright, New Jersey! Highly celebrated celebrity chef and New Jersey native, Chef David Burke, will open his newest culinary experience– Drifthouse Restaurant by David Burke Bar and Grill– this spring at the Driftwood Cabana Club in Sea Bright. In partnership with the Stavola Family, owners of Driftwood, the restaurant is expected to launch in March and will be

For more than 10 years, Chef David Burke was known at the Shore as the creative mind commanding the kitchen of Fromagerie, Rumson’s decades-old fine-dining restaurant.  In 2015, David Burke Group sold the restaurant; new owners reopened it a year later.  And now, Burke is back.  In March, the chef – who lives in Fort Lee – will open Drifthouse Restaurant by David Burke in the space currently occupied by Ama Ristorante, which will remain open until the transition is