i. Biography
The craft here is heat management and finish: signature paellas classically prepared in the hearth oven until they reach a very crispy, crunchy socarrat, and Baked Madeira for two, flambéed tableside. In David Viana’s work, the point is not flourish for its own sake but control you can taste—burnished edges, distinct grains of rice, and flame used as part of service, not separate from it.
The Climb
David Viana trained at The Institute of Culinary Education, Culinary Arts, and later at Seton Hall University, where he earned a BA in Criminal Justice. That combination points to a kitchen practice shaped by structure and observation as much as by technique. The training reads as deliberate groundwork: discipline first, then the slower work of applying it to line service, timing, and the discipline of repetition.
Today
At the Aberdeen Township restaurant, the current menu work is built around method rather than ornament. The paellas are prepared in the hearth oven, where the finish is judged by the line between tender rice and crisp bottom, with the result stated plainly in the dish itself: very crispy, crunchy socarrat. The Baked Madeira for two carries the same precision into dessert service. Finished with a tableside flambé, it adds flame, aroma, and a brief moment of spectacle without leaving the frame of the dish. Across both signatures, the work is specific to place and process: hearth, rice, crunch, flame.
Signature
David's signature dishes include Lita's signature paellas and Baked Madeira for two.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of David
What is David Viana's current role?
As of 2026, David Viana is Chef.
Where did David Viana train or study?
David Viana trained at The Institute of Culinary Education, Culinary Arts and Seton Hall University, BA in Criminal Justice.
