by Ashli Urano
WB’s Table, located near FM 423 and Main Street in West Frisco, is the newest creation by celebrity chef Wade Burch.
After the success of his WB’s Kitchen + Catering concept, Burch realized it was time to bring his culinary vision to life.
His career journey features many twists and turns, all leading to his unconventional abilities and expertise. Growing up in Texas City, Burch was surrounded by family members who had a natural talent for cooking delicious Southern cuisine. His grandmother enjoyed canning vegetables from her garden and his great-grandmother often hosted dozens of people in her small ranch house during holiday meals.
It wasn’t until after quitting his job at a veterinary clinic that Burch unknowingly began the next chapter of his life, which was learning how to cook. Needing to pay his car payment, he walked into a fast-food restaurant and filled out an application.
During the job interview, his future boss wasn’t sure whether to take a chance on someone who lacked cooking experience. Not only did Burch get the job, but he was promoted the following week.
“Using common sense and doing what you’re told is really all this job is. Show up early, work twice as hard as everyone else and do it the right way. I’ve always been able to show up and figure it out,” Burch says. “It’s about being aware of the situation and your surroundings. Being a chef isn’t rocket science.”
As with a majority of chefs, many aspects of Burch’s culinary experience came from working alongside some of the industry’s best.
He received training at Beringer Vineyards’ culinary and wine program at the School for American Chefs in California’s Napa Valley. The exclusive school puts professional chefs through a rigorous application process before deeming them eligible to attend.
Burch went on to train at Windows on the World Wine School in New York City. While working at San Francisco’s Pan Pacific Hotel as well as the Plaza Hotel in New York City, his culinary knowledge continued to grow. He rubbed elbows in the kitchen with many prominent chefs from around the country. Burch later served as executive chef at Perle on Maple at Le Meridien Dallas, The Stoneleigh.
“I worked for really talented chefs and one door always opened the next. It’s a tough business and they all played a role in my success,” Burch explains. “I owe them all a lot and am lucky to have them in my life.”
Burch was later a contestant on Food Network’s popular cooking show Chopped. After competing against other talented chefs, he won the competition and was awarded a $10,000 prize.
“I was walking by a booth at a food show in New York when someone asked if I wanted to be on Chopped. I was told they put weird ingredients into a basket, then you make dishes while competing against three other chefs,” he says. “I responded with a laugh saying, ‘I’ll just be competing against myself. The other three will be there for show.’”
Following a lengthy on-camera interview, producers asked Burch to be on the show. The season following his win, he battled it out again on the series’ champions episode.
Burch describes his cooking philosophy as being much like that of doctors who diagnose patients. He says chefs must walk into a kitchen, assess the situation and then decide who needs help.
Of running a dining room, he says, it is important to learn the cues being demonstrated by those who are more experienced. The same applies in the kitchen.
As for being a professionally trained chef, Burch says, “You can’t teach the ability to taste salt, sugar, sweet and bitter. You either have it or you don’t. A really good chef’s nose and mouth are in tune, having the ability to understand nuances and (to) smell things other people can’t. You’re not afraid to add extra salt at the right time, because nine times out of 10 the dish will taste better.”
For example, he says, “When added correctly, salt can pull water out, manipulate a muscle and also change the Maillard reaction. When you sear a steak at the proper heat, with the right amount of fat, you get a beautiful crust creating the umami that also locks in juices. Those are things you can teach in school, along with the techniques, the steps, the when and the how. You can’t teach a cook to not be restrained with salt. You can show them, but it has to become who they are.”
After having lived on the East Coast for many years, Burch moved to Frisco with his wife and three daughters. He opened WB’s Kitchen + Catering during the pandemic, which offers made-to-order meals daily, along with event catering.
Located next door to that concept, WB’s Table boasts a casual atmosphere while providing an upscale dining experience. Standout dishes include red wine braised beef short ribs and seared Scottish salmon, along with lamb Bolognese, shrimp and cheddar grits, and whiskey barbecue-glazed pork tenderloin. With an extensive wine list and full bar available, Burch has created a stellar menu for guests to enjoy.
“Cooking is one thing, but I’m now an entity running a business. It’s branded based on my name, which is built on my life’s work,” he says.
Ashli Urano is a freelance writer obsessed with competitive tennis, true crime and her Goldendoodle named Sadie Kireina.
by Ashli Urano
WB’s Table, located near FM 423 and Main Street in West Frisco, is the newest creation by celebrity chef Wade Burch.
After the success of his WB’s Kitchen + Catering concept, Burch realized it was time to bring his culinary vision to life.
His career journey features many twists and turns, all leading to his unconventional abilities and expertise. Growing up in Texas City, Burch was surrounded by family members who had a natural talent for cooking delicious Southern cuisine. His grandmother enjoyed canning vegetables from her garden and his great-grandmother often hosted dozens of people in her small ranch house during holiday meals.
It wasn’t until after quitting his job at a veterinary clinic that Burch unknowingly began the next chapter of his life, which was learning how to cook. Needing to pay his car payment, he walked into a fast-food restaurant and filled out an application.
During the job interview, his future boss wasn’t sure whether to take a chance on someone who lacked cooking experience. Not only did Burch get the job, but he was promoted the following week.
“Using common sense and doing what you’re told is really all this job is. Show up early, work twice as hard as everyone else and do it the right way. I’ve always been able to show up and figure it out,” Burch says. “It’s about being aware of the situation and your surroundings. Being a chef isn’t rocket science.”
As with a majority of chefs, many aspects of Burch’s culinary experience came from working alongside some of the industry’s best.
He received training at Beringer Vineyards’ culinary and wine program at the School for American Chefs in California’s Napa Valley. The exclusive school puts professional chefs through a rigorous application process before deeming them eligible to attend.
Burch went on to train at Windows on the World Wine School in New York City. While working at San Francisco’s Pan Pacific Hotel as well as the Plaza Hotel in New York City, his culinary knowledge continued to grow. He rubbed elbows in the kitchen with many prominent chefs from around the country. Burch later served as executive chef at Perle on Maple at Le Meridien Dallas, The Stoneleigh.
“I worked for really talented chefs and one door always opened the next. It’s a tough business and they all played a role in my success,” Burch explains. “I owe them all a lot and am lucky to have them in my life.”
Burch was later a contestant on Food Network’s popular cooking show Chopped. After competing against other talented chefs, he won the competition and was awarded a $10,000 prize.
“I was walking by a booth at a food show in New York when someone asked if I wanted to be on Chopped. I was told they put weird ingredients into a basket, then you make dishes while competing against three other chefs,” he says. “I responded with a laugh saying, ‘I’ll just be competing against myself. The other three will be there for show.’”
Following a lengthy on-camera interview, producers asked Burch to be on the show. The season following his win, he battled it out again on the series’ champions episode.
Burch describes his cooking philosophy as being much like that of doctors who diagnose patients. He says chefs must walk into a kitchen, assess the situation and then decide who needs help.
Of running a dining room, he says, it is important to learn the cues being demonstrated by those who are more experienced. The same applies in the kitchen.
As for being a professionally trained chef, Burch says, “You can’t teach the ability to taste salt, sugar, sweet and bitter. You either have it or you don’t. A really good chef’s nose and mouth are in tune, having the ability to understand nuances and (to) smell things other people can’t. You’re not afraid to add extra salt at the right time, because nine times out of 10 the dish will taste better.”
For example, he says, “When added correctly, salt can pull water out, manipulate a muscle and also change the Maillard reaction. When you sear a steak at the proper heat, with the right amount of fat, you get a beautiful crust creating the umami that also locks in juices. Those are things you can teach in school, along with the techniques, the steps, the when and the how. You can’t teach a cook to not be restrained with salt. You can show them, but it has to become who they are.”
After having lived on the East Coast for many years, Burch moved to Frisco with his wife and three daughters. He opened WB’s Kitchen + Catering during the pandemic, which offers made-to-order meals daily, along with event catering.
Located next door to that concept, WB’s Table boasts a casual atmosphere while providing an upscale dining experience. Standout dishes include red wine braised beef short ribs and seared Scottish salmon, along with lamb Bolognese, shrimp and cheddar grits, and whiskey barbecue-glazed pork tenderloin. With an extensive wine list and full bar available, Burch has created a stellar menu for guests to enjoy.
“Cooking is one thing, but I’m now an entity running a business. It’s branded based on my name, which is built on my life’s work,” he says.
Ashli Urano is a freelance writer obsessed with competitive tennis, true crime and her Goldendoodle named Sadie Kireina.
