Chef David Burke wants to bring Bernards Inn 'back to life'
The Bernards Inn’s stone façade has stood tall on Minebrook Road for more than a century. It was a speakeasy during Prohibition, and one of the state’s best restaurants. It’s survived floods, a fire and two global pandemics.
But as any Bernardsville resident knows, it hasn’t always stood strong. These days, it’s overshadowed by modern, vibrant New Jersey eateries.
That's about to change.
“It’s been very sleepy, quiet and boring,” said celebrity chef David Burke, the owner of Orchard Park in East Brunswick, 1776 in Morristown and 17 other restaurants. “But (the Bernards Inn) has good bones, good history, and the community wants to see it back on its feet. I would love to get in there and bring it back to life.”
In July, Burke entered a partnership with the owner of the Bernards Inn, Hampshire Destination Properties, LLC, a subsidiary of The Hampshire Companies. He’s now renovating and transforming it to oversee its food and beverage operations. Later, he will manage the 20-room hotel.
The Bernards Inn includes a 120-seat fine dining restaurant; a bar and lounge; a 100-seat dining area on the lower level, formerly known as the Silver Vault and Wine Pantry; a 200-seat banquet hall for weddings and other events; and a 40-seat outdoor patio.
“This is one of those unique properties in New Jersey that don’t come up that often," Burke said. "That’s why I was so excited about it. I think it will be a nice blend of old and new loaded with class and hipness.”
The lower level dining area and the patio are still open for service, while the bar, lounge and the fine dining restaurant are closed for renovations.
The formal restaurant inside the Bernards Inn will likely become a Red Horse, said Burke, similar to his Red Horse restaurants in Rumson and White Plains, New York. The equestrian theme is fitting for the Bernards Inn as it is in an equestrian-rich area, and the owner of the hotel owns horses. The U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation and the Far Hills Race Meeting, otherwise known as “The Hunt,” are both located nearby.
Earlier: David Burke's first Central Jersey restaurant is opening in East Brunswick
Horse sculptures, wallpaper with equestrian themes, and photos of the horses owned by Deborah Hanson, a principal at The Hampshire Companies, will fill the Red Horse. The maître d stand will be made out of barn material, Burke said.
The current Bernards Inn culinary team will remain and work with Burke’s team to create a menu of New Jersey farm fare, high-end meats and raw fish, such as oysters, for the Red Horse, which will be an upscale eatery for customers wearing "smart-casual attire."
“I think that’s missing in New Jersey,” said Burke. “I want that to be one of the rooms in New Jersey where you go for a special occasion or to impress a date. That room will be what the great restaurants of New Jersey were, so it will be more formal but not stuffy.”
The lower-level dining area will be called The Bernie and will be adorned with St. Bernard dog décor. It will be a wine bar and small plate eatery that will also offer live music and private events. A drink called “The Hairdresser” might make its way to the cocktail menu, in honor of the hairdresser who put Burke’s investor in touch with the owner of the Bernards Inn, Burke said.
'I can marry you and make the cake': Chef David Burke is an ordained minister
This winter, Burke and his team will begin managing the hotel.
“I have partnered with many hotels before, but this will be the first time I’m responsible for filling, decorating and promoting the rooms,” said Burke. “The beauty of that is our creativity. I travel a lot, and I have been in the best hotels in the world. ... I know what people expect, so we want to try to make this is a unique experience for people.”
The rooms and lobby will be renovated, and the lobby will also be adorned with “kinetic energy with artwork that moves to give it some life,” Burke said.
That will likely include a billiards table, cocktail tables and a train set, since the Bernards Inn is across from the Bernardsville train station.
A water table, wine room and salt wall: Central Jersey must-try dining experiences
Plus, hotel service will join forces with food and beverage service in a multitude of ways, he said, starting with the restaurant maître d stand, which will also be the hotel check-in stand.
“For example, we’ll do wine dinners and we’ll put the room rate as part of the meal,” said Burke. “On the bottom of the menu, it might say a porterhouse for two is $140 and a room for two is $250.
"That sounds like a pretty good deal compared to a steak. It’s kind of fun.”
Contact: JIntersimone@MyCentralJersey.com
Jenna Intersimone has been a staff member at the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey since 2014, after becoming a blogger-turned-reporter following the creation of her award-winning travel blog. To get unlimited access to her stories about food, drink and fun, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Chef David Burke wants to bring Bernards Inn 'back to life'
