Eco18 Questions: Chef David Burke

Each month we will ask a new eco-maven 18 questions about his or her life, occupation and advice for other like-minded people. This month we connected with David Burke, chef and restauranteur, known for his fine restaurants and green advocacy. You can find this restaurants throughout NYC, as well as New Jersey, Connecticut, Chicago and Las Vegas. 

1. What is your name (and age)?

David Burke, 50 years old

2. What is your occupation?

Executive Chef/restaurateur

3. Do you have a “green” memory growing up?

Yes, when I was young I used to be a fruit picker at our local farm and at 17 years old I was a practicing vegan.

4. What’s your favorite meal?

Roast chicken with vegetables and pecking duck

5. Who/What inspires you to be more “green” in your life?

Life itself and to save the planet

6. Where on the “green scale” do you fall?

7.5 out of 10

7. What are the most rewarding and most challenging parts of your job?

My most rewarding part of my job is to make people frequent guests and the challenge is to teach my team my craft

8. Where’s your “greenspot”: food, bodycare/beauty, oceans, home or neighborhood, explain

Food and sustainability – going to the source, more of the farm to table concept

9. Where do you turn for your news?

Online and print

10. What is one environmental change you vow to make in the next year?

To become 100% sustainable with fish and produce

11. If you could trade places with one person from any time in history (past or present) for one day—who would it be and why?

Thomas Jefferson – he was a gardener and a gourmage however, he could have put more sustainable practices into his leadership

12. You have a meeting with the leader of every country in the world. You have 30 seconds to tell them anything you want. Go!

Work together and think about the future.

13. You have the chance to send one tweet to all the tweeps in the world. Let’s hear it in 140 characters, or less!

Think green, think in the future – we can’t do it all alone

14. If there was one industry/product that you could make more eco-friendly, what would it be?

Beef

15. Where in the world would you most like to be right now?

Somewhere cool (temperature wise)

16. What is the best book you have read recently?

The New York Times 36 Hours

17. What makes you cringe?

Wasted food

18. What do you want your legacy to be?

Creativity, caring and giving.