Sylvain Delpique – Executive Chef at David Burke Townhouse

Sylvain Delpique took over the reins as David Burke Townhouse’s executive chef in time for the restaurant’s relaunch in January 2009. He is happily immersed in David Burke’s wild culinary world, and especially enjoys the mad science in creating new dishes that he hopes will become signature classics.

How did you become interested in cooking?
My dad worked long hours as a mechanic, just like my grandfather. But no matter how tired he was, he would always have time to cook. Both of them loved to cook—that’s what I remember. It must have rubbed off on me.

Who are your biggest influences in the kitchen?
Well, outside of my family, it would have to be the French chefs I worked with after completing my training, like Pierre Orsi in Lyons and Michel Chabran in Valence. They live in their restaurants, getting up at four in the morning to select the best fish and pick herbs in the garden out back. There’s a story behind every dish.

Aside from culinary school, what have you learned in other areas of your life that carry over into the kitchen?
Organization—for things to run smoothly, you have to be organized, and that’s so important in the kitchen.

What is your process as executive chef? Where do you start?
First of all, I work for David Burke, and he’s got his own unique style. I bring my savoir faire to David’s style. He has incredible ideas—he gets
them wherever he goes, even in his sleep! He throws them at me, I pick a few and work with them, and then he tries them out. Some he likes, others he doesn’t. We work well as a team.

How did you two create the new menu for David Burke Townhouse?
We reintroduced some of David’s signature dishes for the relaunch. People want them; they come for them. And to that list, we added new items. We came up with about 20 main courses, and we chopped it down from there, always using valuable feedback from the staff and our customers. Right now, we are serving a whole baby chicken, stuffed with lobster and mushrooms and wrapped in bacon, that will probably become a classic. We both worked on that dish. The rack of lamb is likewise destined for that same class. People just love it! It’s a little Middle Eastern, with Israeli couscous and spices.

David Burke is known for his wild culinary ways and daring new ideas. In contrast, you were classically trained in France. What is your take on him?
The guy has a mind like no other. He’s a genius. He comes up the craziest ideas that at their essences are great, and then we rework them to make them appropriate for the customer. My French culinary training is only a base; with that as a foundation, you can do what you want. I was fortunate enough to have trained with some of the best out there, and when you mix that with an American “David Burke” brain, it’s a great combination. You never get bored! Between the two of us, we are always cooking up something crazy, and it’s definitely a challenge. We’re always chasing the next idea.

What’s in store for the fall and winter menu?
We just changed the tuna today, which has cauliflower, watercress, and a pineapple jus—a sweet and sour flavor. We’re probably going to bring in some venison from the farms we work with. We’re doing a pumpkin risotto served in a mini pumpkin for Halloween.

Any dishes you’re particularly excited about?
The duck is definitely going to be a hit. We came up with a pretty cool crust: a peanut brittle that wraps around the duck confit drumstick. Now we’re working on a duck confit mousse, served between puff pastry sheets with a red licorice sauce. Delicious!