Meet The Chef, David Neinstein of Barque Smokehouse in Burlington. We sat down with him to ask him about the inspiration about Burlington’s new smokehouse.
Where did you learn to cook?
I started cooking at my father’s knees, literally. He’s a lawyer with a lifelong passion for cooking that began in the Julia Childs/Craig Claiborne years when cooking became accessible, fun and frankly, cool. But he had a day job. From there I grew up entertaining friends and family from the kitchen, slowly taking over from my father. He taught me a lot, but most of all, to be a great host and to put my guests first.
Where do you source your ingredients?
All of our ingredients are sourced as locally as possible for freshness and, as our menu changes regularly, for seasonality. Our pork is collected from select farms in Quebec that create a specific cut of rib just for us. Our beef is from the finest ranches in Alberta and our chicken is delivered fresh three times weekly from an Ontario grower. Vegetables are seasonally purchased and we always buy from the closest farms possible.
What was the inspiration behind Barque?
My partner Jon and I were craving more upscale BBQ. We wanted a glass of wine and fresh vegetables with the classic meats. We love ribs and brisket and desired a balanced and more refined dining experience that was chef driven, never frozen and always fresh.
Why Burlington?
Burlington is a great city of diversity. It’s close to our Roncesvalles location, within reasonable driving distance of both Oakville and Hamilton and has the best reputation in the Golden Horseshoe for being business friendly and boasting a family-oriented community. Besides, we saw that there wasn’t a lot of BBQ around.
Who do you look to for inspiration?
Outwardly, we rely on our travels, eating everywhere from the great BBQ shacks of the world to the Michelin-starred restaurants of Manhattan. Inwardly, we believe in giving people what they’d like and are constantly experimenting with ideas based on our guests’ suggestions and preferences.
What’s your favourite dish on the menu right now?
I am eating our Cajun Smoked Dry Rubbed Wings the most lately. Our Chef Josh suggested the pairing and I’ve loved them ever since.
Visit Barque Smokehouse
4155 Fairview St, Burlington
barque.ca
