Chef Davante Burnley emerged victorious on an episode of Season 54 of the Food Network series Chopped, which aired on January 2, 2024. Securing the $10,000 prize, Chef Burnley joined the prestigious ranks as the third Detroit chef in the past year to claim victory on the acclaimed culinary competition show. The Michigan Chronicle had the opportunity to catch up with Chef Burnley, gaining insights into his Chopped experience and discovering his plans for the well-earned prize money.
Q1: Congratulations on your recent win on ‘Chopped’! Can you share with me just a little bit of your background in the culinary industry?
A: I’ve been cooking professionally for about 16 years. I grew up in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and attended the Art Institute of Michigan Culinary School. After working in various establishments like hotels and country clubs, I found my way back to Detroit in 2017 to take over as head chef at Savannah Blue.
I started Chef Squared Private Chef Group during the pandemic because restaurants closed, and people weren’t able to go out, so my partner and I decided, ‘Why don’t we bring the chef experience into people’s homes where they could still be comfortable during the pandemic?’ While the pandemic was a pretty tough time for the masses, it was a blessing in disguise for me because it allowed me to start a brand-new venture that I never thought I would get into.
Q2: Can you share with us some of the key influences that have shaped your culinary style?
A: What influenced my culinary journey was my mom and grandmother. From being in the kitchen with them early on as a young boy, I’ve always known that I had a love for cooking. They embraced that, and my grandmother and my mom have always encouraged my love for cooking and pushed me to continue my career. My brothers always tell the story of how, growing up, they all wanted to watch cartoons on Saturday afternoons, but if I got to the TV first, we would watch Emeril Lagasse and Emeril Live.
Q3: Winning Chopped is no small feat. How did you navigate the pressures and stay focused during the various rounds of the competition, especially in moments of unexpected challenges and mystery ingredients?
A: I played football and baseball throughout my entire life, so my competitive side is second nature to me. The competitive aspect of the competition felt natural and almost fun to me. To stay composed and perform well under pressure, I relied on trusting myself. About a month before the competition, I dedicated time to watching a bunch of old episodes, challenging myself with questions like, “What would I do in this situation?” Basically, it was my own version of studying. Maintaining confidence in my abilities and drawing from my competitive nature helped me navigate the pressures of the competition.
Q4: Being a Black chef in the culinary industry often comes with unique experiences and perspectives. How do you think your cultural background contributed to your success on ‘Chopped’?
A: One of the things I’ve always been very proud of is when I finally went to culinary school, recognizing that a lot of what we see as French terms or French techniques is stuff that our grandmothers and ancestors have been doing for centuries. It’s now been taken and flipped and turned into something that’s called French cuisine or what have you. My Southern influence allowed me to understand some of the ingredients and break them down for what they were.
Going into it, I told my brother I’m not a pastry chef, but whatever is in that basket for dessert is either going to be a bread pudding or cobbler. Those are two desserts I know I can do really well. My grandmother has been making bread pudding and cobbler since I was eight. The dessert round for me was the easiest round because I knew going into it do going into it, regardless of what they threw my way. Being a Black chef and having the influence and understanding how to work with minimal ingredients, because we didn’t always have all the things to cook with at the house. Being able to just take minimal ingredients and maximize it the something that I have always been able to do. I learned that from my mom and my grandma.
Q5: What advice do you have for aspiring Black chefs?
Continue to keep cooking what you love to cook. Don’t allow anybody to pigeonhole you into this quote unquote, Black chef corner. I always say I’m a chef that is Black, I’m not a black chef. I think that resonates because people, especially in Detroit, they think of the Black chef culture in Detroit as strip clubs and regular clubs and that type of food, but we’re so much more capable of being so much more diverse. I know Black chefs in this city who specialize in sushi, who specialize in Mediterranean and Lebanese cuisine. We have such a wide range of abilities. My message to the underrepresented chefs in the city is to just keep cooking and don’t get pigeonholed into a specific cuisine. Be versatile.
Q6: ‘Chopped’ is not only a cooking competition but also a platform for chefs to showcase their skills to a wider audience. How do you plan to leverage your win to further your career and culinary goals?
A: I appreciate the exposure Chopped has brought to me. I plan to continue to leverage my title as ‘Chopped’ champion and to push my brand which is Chef Squared Private chef group. My company is a private chef group that works with athletes. We bring a very high-end culinary experience into people’s homes and give them the full restaurant experience right in the comfort of their own home. I plan to continue to just leverage that and the title of ‘Chopped’ champion and keep pushing my brand.
With the $10,000 prize money I plan to pour it back into my business, to continue providing exceptional culinary experiences and elevating my culinary footprint.
Q7: What advice do you have for chefs who aspire to compete on Chopped or similar shows?
A: Make sure you are well-versed in multiple cuisines, including fish butchery and meat fabrication. You never know what they will throw at you. Also, be able to stay organized in a chaotic space. That’s the best advice I can give. The time constraints are real. Everything else is TV with cuts and commercials, but when that clock starts its very much real time. If they tell you its 20 minutes, its 20 minutes exactly. Be well versed, well rounded, own your skills, and be organized.
Q9: As a Detroiter, how do you think the city’s grit and hustle contributed to your win and your culinary career?
A: Detroit is a city of hustlers, where if you’re not matching the swag or the energy, it’s easy to get left behind. It definitely pushes me to strive for excellence in my game and to be at the top of my industry alongside my peers. The city of Detroit continues to motivate me daily, encouraging me to keep going and grinding. Detroit helps me sustain my grit and fuels my competitive nature. It’s a city filled with talent and hustle, and that contagious energy is truly incredible.
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