David Waltuck
By: Simon
July 19, 2026 | Updated: July 22, 2026
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David Waltuck is a James Beard Award-winning chef who, together with his wife Karen, owned and operated Chanterelle—one of New York City’s most beloved fine-dining restaurants—for thirty years (1979–2009). Chanterelle “changed the way NYC restaurants did business by making good food and service less stuffy.”
Early Life and Training
David Waltuck only became interested in cooking while a Marine Biology student at City College in the 1970s. Upon graduation, he briefly attended the Culinary Institute of America, then worked for two years as lunch chef at La Petite Ferme.
Career
In 1979, at just 24 years old, David and Karen Waltuck opened Chanterelle in SoHo, then a relatively desolate neighbourhood. The restaurant quickly became a pioneer in the downtown dining scene. In 1989, they relocated to a larger space at 2 Harrison Street in Tribeca.
David Waltuck’s cooking has been credited as embodying “a kind of serious simplicity, with layers that resonate with each other.” Ruth Reichl, who gave Chanterelle its first New York Times four-star rating, insisted that Waltuck’s sometimes odd-sounding combinations of ingredients were always in perfect harmony. His cuisine incorporates his love for classic French cooking as well as flavors of the Far East.
After Chanterelle’s 30-year run ended in 2009, Waltuck opened élan in 2014—a contemporary American restaurant striking a balance between refined and casual. Today, David is an Executive Chef Consultant and Lead Instructor for two New York City culinary development programs.
Awards and Recognition
- James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: New York City (2007)
- James Beard Foundation Award for Best Restaurant (2004)
- Four-star rating from The New York Times
- Named one of four chefs nationally to hold the four-star NYT rating
Legacy
Chanterelle’s impact on New York dining is immeasurable. Alongside contemporaries like Montrachet, it helped establish downtown Manhattan as a culinary destination. As Hugh Merwin wrote, Chanterelle “changed the way NYC restaurants did business by making good food and service less stuffy.” The restaurant’s legendary menu covers, featuring artwork from renowned artists, are now collector’s items.
David Waltuck Video
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