Dave Pasternak

In 2005, The New Yorker identified Dave’s strength as “knowing when something needs a little something.” Similarly, Frank Bruni, in his three-star New York Times review of ESCA, called Dave a “fish whisperer.” Indeed, Dave respects the nuances of fish cookery and embraces its subtleties. In 2004, the James Beard Foundation recognized Dave as Best Chef: New York City. He’s also an avid fisherman and is equally enthusiastic about catching fish as he is about serving it. At ESCA, freshness reigns, whether it’s a just-caught halibut from the Pacific, flown in a few hours before dinner or a local striped bass caught by Dave himself at home on the Long Island Sound.