HOW THIS CHEF’S STEAKHOUSE COLLECTION FOUND ITS NAME, PLUS A REFRESHING SUMMER READY SALAD PEPPERED WITH FLAVOR, ANTIOXIDANTS, AND COLOR
BY CHEF DAVID BURKE PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID BURKE HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT
People often ask me why I named my steakhouses Red Horse. I was visiting my oldest son at his home in New Hope, Pennsylvania. It was the early days of the pandemic when all the panic was setting in. Listen, as a chef it’s hard to put the fire out. So, one way I relax and unwind is by going to art galleries. I saw this painting of a horse by Tuan Tran called Red Horse. I loved it. It inspired me. I bought it to add to my collection. Then, it hit me, that’s going to be my next restaurant, Red Horse. I have three modern-day steakhouses called Red Horse now. Two are in New Jersey, the flagship in Rumson and my newest in Bernardsville. The third is in White Plains, New York.
When building restaurants most people overlook what’s on the walls, especially good art, because it’s expensive. They’ll pour a lot of money into the building’s infrastructure, which I do too, of course. But I add another layer to my concepts. My restaurants are like my house; they have to have a lot of art. Art plays an important role in my restaurants. It gives me a lot of joy and it personalizes my restaurants. A lot of art is from local artists; that’s good for the artists and our communities. And my guests like it.
Red Horse is a modern steakhouse that pays tribute to the local farms, horse farms, equestrian culture, and its rich traditions once prevalent in our now suburban communities. Each restaurant has country-chic decor with a sense of style, like our food. It’s a nod to our area, to horse country, and to our past. In Rumson we have a big photo of The Hunt, a popular annual steeplechase once held in Middletown. Red Horse in Bernardsville is minutes away from the U.S. Olympic Equestrian Training Center. Both locations have horse farms that still figure prominently in the communities. We want to spark memories to create a sense of place, a sense of belonging and history. It’s one of the many elements of the Red Horse concept that makes people want to return. They share a core menu with my patented dry-aged steaks as the common thread and a modern American approach with a David Burke style of cooking that’s creative, whimsical, seasonal, delicious, and memorable, too.
Red Horse by David Burke
26 Ridge Road, Rumson / 732.576.3400
27 Mine Brk Rd, Bernardsville / 908.766.0002